from Afrolution.com

For twenty years or more, American hip‐hop has influenced the music of the younger generations across the African continent. Motivated by the cultural & political power of the music, African youth have adopted and adapted the music and its lyrics to their own struggle. With Black History Month (February) and Black Music Month (June) swiftly approaching, Gokh‐Bi System (pronounced Go‐Bee), one of the leaders of the African hip‐hop moment will release a video for their new single, “Rap Tassu,” which explores the origins of the rap music layering conscious lyrics and powerful messages against traditional Ancient African rhythms and contemporary Urban America beats.

GBS will also release Voice of the Jeli a live studio recording which
includes crowd favorites from their North America tours. Jeli is
distinctively different from the band’s predecessor Mission of Music with its more traditional feel. On Jeli, radio‐friendly “Musica Del Mundo” (Music of the World) boasts that music is a universal language uniting people around the world.

The video for “Rap Tassu,” their newest video filmed in hi‐def, directed by Ilse “Boogie” Rumes, and produced by AMU Music/Hybrid Lounge Productions features Abiodun Oyewole, one‐third of the The Last Poets, the legendary forefathers of spoken word, explaining how deeply rooted in hip‐hop Africa is. Like reggaeton, which emerged
from the barrios of Puerto Rico, and reggae music rooted in the trench‐towns of Jamaica, Abiodun Oyewole explains on the intro of the video that historically hip‐hop’s roots are in Africa. “The evolution of hip‐hop in Senegal all started with Tassu, a system of communication used by jeli (griots) to spread news amongst villagers. The griots engaged in rhythmic storytelling over handclapping and drumming,” explains Abiodun Oyewole. “It’s the music that lived in the spirit of African‐Americans even through the Middle Passage which eventually evolved into hip‐hop, and today continues to ride the beat.”

Like most African hip‐hop artists, Gokh‐Bi System aka GBS – Mamdou Ndiaye (MC), Diasse Pouye (MC), Backa Niang (percussionist/vocals), and Sana Ndiaye (ekonting/vocals) started out imitating what they heard on cassettes coming from friends and relatives in the U.S. Rather than copying the rhymes in English, they combined English, French, Arabic, and several other Senegalese dialects including Serer, Jola, and Wolof (the official language of Senegal) into their own flow and ultimately created a unique style dubbed “Ancient Meets Urban,” which blends “Ancient” African traditional rhythms with contemporary “Urban” American instrumentation provided by bassist/keyboardist, Joe Sallins, drummer, Matt Garstka, and guitarist, Greg Garstka. “Rap Tassu and Voice Of The Jeli reveal how connected we are spiritually, even through slavery where the drum was taken away and the history and origin of African music and tradition were stripped away from us,” explains Mamadou, the emcee of GBS. “Through our music, we’re moving African music forward yet exposing the world to the music of traditional Africa, by mixing hip‐hop and lyricism with the ekonting, an ancient string instrument from our country. Our mission is to bridge the connection between Africans on the continent and African‐Americans/Africans around the world. We are one people spread across the globe.”

Largely overlooked by international media and record industries, Senegal has developed into one of the continent’s largest hip‐hop markets. Dakar estimated to be the center of Sene‐Rap and boasts over 3,000 local hip‐hop groups with every street repped by a home crew. GBS reps a section in Dakar called Pikine Guinaw Rails which
translates literally into “the other side of the tracks.”100% of the proceeds from single and video sales of “Rap Tassu,” will be donated to the band’s village Pikine Guinaw Rails which suffers annually from major flooding resulting in malaria, death and extremely poor living conditions.

In addition to raising funds for this relief effort and touring North America, GBS will continue to expose more African‐Americans to their African heritage using the art of music and dance. As part of cross‐cultural workshops/initiatives, GBS continues to perform at high schools, universities, and community groups. Additionally, GBS’ label, AMU Music, is making plans for the “Rap Tassu ‐ Hip Hop Returns Home Tour,” the first music tour where African Hip Hop artists join American Hip‐Hop artists to connect with youth in the U.S. strengthening the
link between Africa and America musicians. Gokh‐Bi System will also digitally release their newest album, Voice Of The Jeli, on AMU Music.

Since their arrival in America, GBS has opened for and shared the stage with: Kanye West, Last Poets, Damian Marley, Dead Prez, Tribe Called Quest, Youssou N’Dour, Angelique Kidjo, Femi Kuti, Culture, Toots and The Maytals, Michael Franti (Spearhead), Africando, Erykah Badu, and Grammy Award winning artist, Patti LaBelle. They have completed 11 North American tours through 35 states and Canada.

In the lyrics for “Rap Tassu,” Mamadou, the emcee of GBS rhymes, “Gokh‐Bi is back now to show the world how hip‐hop was born in Africa. Today we talk about real rap…Rap is the evolution of Tassu. Break‐dancing, graffiti and DJ are now a part of it…Now the ghetto has a voice.”

Until they reach your city, you can purchase “Voice Of The Jeli” and “Rap Tassu” online distributors like CDBaby.com, I‐Tune.com, Amazon.com and more. Check out GBS online at www.myspace.com/gokhbi, www.gokhbisystem.com, www.ancientmeetsurban.com, and www.aroundworld.net.