African hip hop pioneer Didier Awadi is on a quest to craft an album that pays tribute to the great black revolutionary leaders and their struggle to realize a dream: a united, independent Africa. In this epic musical and political journey, Awadi visits some 40 countries to collaborate with hip hop activist artists, including Smockey (Burkina Faso), M-1 of Dead Prez (United States) and ZuluBoy (South Africa). Featuring a score by Ghislain Poirier, as well as Awadi’s own songs, United States of Africa draws the viewer into one artist’s profound meditation on the power of music and the impact of …
Can a hip hop artist be both a politician and a historian? Is Awadi’s album an educational tool? How can an artist avoid hip hop clichés? The film’s final image shows a little boy singing at a garbage dump. What does it signify? Ask students to analyze the lyrics of a hip hop track and to imagine how it can be used in education.