Bantu feat. Ayuba

"Fuji Satisfaction"; Piranha Musik

Three stars (out of four)

The artists are German-Nigerian Adé Bantu and Nigerian Adewale Ayuba, who describe their body-shaking, sweat-dripping collaboration here as "AfroPean hip hop." Fuji music, said to be named after the mountain in Japan, emerged in Nigeria's Yoruba culture and is some of the thickest, funkiest dance groove anywhere. It's built on the polyrhythmic foundation of a thumping bass-drum beat overlaid by all kinds of percussion, most notably the many-toned talking drum.

Then comes a combination of afrobeat and islamic sounds, rap, jazz, R&B and a little bit of ragga-reggae. "Mt. Fuji" even brings in some far-eastern elements.

The constancy of the beats can be overpowering, but the melodies and vocals are varied and the multilingual message (mostly English) is positive, praising family, personal growth and responsibility and tolerance while indicting much of the hip hop today that has "OD'd on its own supply of negativity."

RIYL: Fela Kuti; Femi Kuti; Tony Allen; Antibalas

-- Jeff Gifford, Reno Gazette-Journal