Wolves of Africa (Part 1/2)

This debut album from established hip-hop producer and performer James BKS is the culmination of a musical journey starting in France, detouring through the US and then submerging into Douala culture. During his time in the US he produced hip-hop beats for the likes of Snoop Dogg, Akon, Puff Daddy and Ja Rule. Returning to France in the early 2010s to set up his label, Grown Kid, he met his biological father, Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango. They composed ‘Pana Nija’ together, which weaves through a blend of hip-hop, Congolese guitar grooves and South African choral music.

The tracks on this album are star-studded with participations from some of hip-hop’s finest, notably Little Simz and Q-Tip on the joyful ‘New Breed’, which brims with resistance and hope. will.i.am makes an appearance on club-worthy ‘Jungle Go Dumb’, which I’m sure is set to play out across many a dance floor this summer. Wolves of Africa (Part 1/2) presents an interesting fusion between US hip-hop and sounds influenced by the West African music of James BKS’ biological father. It will be interesting to see how this combination fleshes out and develops on future releases.