Hip-Hop Island

East African emcee Edwin “Krukid” Ruyonga brings conscious hip-hop to international levels with his sophomore album African (Cash Hill/Rawkus Records). Although his lyrics tend to resemble typical urban life, Krukid systematically lays out the storyline of African plight through captivating beats.

African’s title track sets the album’s nationalistic thought – Krukid uses his music to represent not only himself, but his country as a whole. On “City Life” Kru journeys through a Uganda and sheds light upon the critical state of a poor city: “Local politicians with probably some teeth missing/Spend money to make high school girls their other women.” The track “My Music My Country” is the ultimate affirmation of Krukid’s African pride – he pushes aside international affairs and political discontents to show off the beauty of his people and his county.

Along with the country’s perpetual state of destruction, Krukid reflects upon the lost children of Uganda who are forced to become soldiers on “Invisible” – “From all over Uganda to southern Sudan/They made me murder as a youngin’/ I’ve got blood on my hands/When the killed my father/And they raped my mother/And the first life they forced me to take was my brother’s.”

Kru’s social commentary throughout African is lyrically phenomenal and his storytelling skills are never outshined by the musical production. If anything, the heavy drumming and ridged guitars used throughout the album only support the strife Krukid brings with his lyricism. Tracks like “Family” and “Kru” are anthem-like songs that combine rock ‘n’ roll’s loudness and hip-hop’s lyrical rhythm.

Krukid’s a welcomed new sound to the conscious hip-hop movement – his take on African culture and lifestyle brings a well-rounded internationalism to hip-hop that is usually ignored. African is an album packed with powerful messages, and Kru represents the voice of the unheard.