Biography
Emerging in 1997, the Senegalese rap outfit Daara J drew initial inspiration from hometown pioneers Positive Black Soul while seeking to infuse their hip-hop approach with additional sonic elements. N'Dango D, Aladji Man, and Faada Freddy began by laying their rhymes atop any available instrumental takes of American and French rap they could obtain, layering self-played percussion on top. Acquisition of a drum machine eventually followed, though its lone presence required one member to vocalize every other instrumental part. This practice instilled a strong melodic sensibility that enabled the integration of cherished reggae, funk, and Cuban traditions into the group's hip-hop framework. Their self-titled debut from 1998, produced by reggae specialist Mad Professor, appeared on the Declic imprint and was succeeded the next year by Xalima on the same label. A move to Wrasse in 2003 brought the album Boomerang.
Albums
