Mamaki Boys

Hailing from Niger's capital city of Naimey, Mamaki Boys emerged in the early 2000s to create a unique hybrid of underground hip-hop, traditional instrumentation, and a culture-positive attitude that they referred to as "tradi-moderne." A reaction to mainstream hip-hop's globalizing influence, the band's self-released 2007 album, Patriote, utilized Niger's native dance rhythms and celebrated its regional culture with a fiery, minimalist sound. The record was given an international release in 2021 by American indie Sahel Sounds.