Consumer Guide Album

Global Hip Hop [Manteca, 2005]
You want beats, they got world beats, finally. Whatever they're rapping about--and when they break into English, which happens, it'll seem real enough unless humanism's not your way--the 14 non-U.S. crews on this U.K. comp are funking some different shit, usually looped tunelets that are common currency there and fresh here. Front-loaded Latin, it excludes European materials till the final track, which saunters past with its arm around the shoulder of a casually mesmeric Greek guitar or bouzouki figure. Lots of Africans, a German Turk, and some U.K. Indians headline; Sergent Garcia and Oumou Sangare guest. Watch out, homeboys--they're learning, and they're very eager. A-