Form is never neutral. It is always charged with meaning. Imagine a griot in Mali, seated with a kora, his voice carrying genealogies of kings and the moral lessons of centuries. Now imagine a rapper in Ajegunle, Lagos, or in the Bronx, delivering verses that narrate survival, pride, and defiance. Separated by centuries and continents, both are united by purpose: to turn rhythm and language into living memory. Both griot and rapper are more than entertainers. They are custodians of identity, architects of memory, and interpreters of truth…
Malian Griots and Hip-Hop Storytelling
