Being rather interested in linguistics, I can’t help but find hip hop/rap in different languages to be quite intriguing. It’s very impressive how far the genre has travelled in such a relatively small period of time, and how people are adapting it to their own societies and cultural elements. Who would have thought? I really have no clue what most of these people are saying but a good subwoofer and an open mind will probably help you to enjoy them. If all else fails you can just imagine that they are talking about rolling on dubs and imbibing malt liquors.

I’m pretty busy with work recently, so I’ll just give you the guts of what I gots without a whole lot of jibba jabba:

Turkey
Artist: Ceza
Song: Rapstar
Album: Rapstar
[Buy Album (CD or cassette! Old school!)][Artist Website]

I really like the mood of the subdued background instruments in this titular track, it feels like walking through some extravagant underground cavern. There are other samples here.

Africa (Tanzania)
Artist: X Plastaz
Song:Nini dhambi kwa mwenye dhiki
Album: Maasai Hip Hop
[DL from itunes][Buy CD][Artist Website]

“In recent years the X Plastaz have become known for being the first hiphop crew to use Maasai music and culture in their performance. Maasai singer Yamat (also known as Merege) is now a full member of the group who has joined on tour and in the recording studio.” Very cool.

Israel
Artist: Subliminal
Song: Ba’anu Choshech Legaresh
Album: Ha’Or Ve’HaTzel (The Light and the Shadow)
[Buy CD][Website]

“…their lyrical content, though pro-Israel, is not militant or anti-Arab and has no specific political agenda, though it is sometimes described as right-wing. With occasional Arabic lyrics and songs like “Peace in the Middle East”, they take a stance that can be described as desirous of a better future but unapologetic about the present.” Nice mixing in of traditional instruments and chanting.

Germany
Artist: Fettes Brot
Song: Die meisten meiner Feinde
Album: Am Wasser Gebaut
[DL from itunes][Buy CD][Artist Website]

“(“Fat/Phat Bread”) from Hamburg, one of the first successful German hip-hop groups. Their raps are usually humorous and of late they have experimented with different crossover sounds.” Fun. German. Hip Hop.

France
Artist: Oxmo Puccino
Song: La Nuit M’appelle
Album: Le Cactus De Sibérie
[Buy CD][Artist Website]

“The third album from French hip-hop artists, produced by DJ Sek, Alsoprodby, DJ Duke, Diesel & Manu Key. Oxmo has sold over 300,000 units of his previous two albums in France.” This song features Casioesque opera-vocals.

Russia
Artist: Mutantoff & the Killektiv
Song: Amsterdub
Album: Not For Amerika
[Buy CD][Artist Website]

You Can Make Our Album Yourself ! Fuck Record Labels ! Fuck Fat and Dumb Producers ! On this page you can download the full version of “Not For Amerika” album in mp3 and original design for it, which you can print out on any printer. We don’t need your money for our music – listen free !
Download the other songs here. Thanks guys. I like the creepy nursery-rhyme-sounding chorus. Most of the other songs are a bit more “normal” sounding.

All songs are now also available in a solitary zip file, if that tickles your fancy. And that’s about it, more to come in part II (Probably Greenlandic, Icelandic, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, and Hungarian). What do you think?