The African Rock 'n' Roll Years - West Africa: Praise Singers and Superstars

Today, much of Africa's best known music comes from the West African states of Senegal and Mali, thanks to such best-selling artists as Youssou N'Dour, Baaba Maal and Salif Keita. The first in a series of six about African pop music traces the roots of West African music to the ancient Mande empire that once controlled this part of Africa and which was handed down from generation to generation through the hereditary praise singers, the griots. The musicians themselves guide us through the story of how the griots lost their musical monopoly and how state intervention and a craze for Cuban music helped to create one of the most exciting popular music scenes in the world today. Ali Farka Toure, Baaba Maal and Daara J support the theory that this region of Africa was the birthplace of major musical styles like the blues, reggae and hip hop.