15 International Acts Who Spread The Message
Hip hop is international, baby.
1 / 16
Get Your International Money Orders - At the current moment, hip hop's international representatives come in the form of the two acts you see above. Largely because they managed to gain the admiration of the American market. However, if your love of hip hop goes beyond the borders, than make sure to check out these other acts. (Photos from Left: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images, Rachel Murray/Getty Images for MTV)
Photo By Photos from Left: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
2 / 16
1. Sarkodie (Ghana) - If you've perused the BET Experience microsite (which we hope you have and will be attending), then you'll notice Sarkodie, who's performing at the Centric World Music stage. He also released an album this past January and has participated in the Hip Hop Awards Cypher. (Photo: Steven Adusei/ Duncwills Entertainment)
3 / 16
2. Ice Prince (Nigeria) - Since 2004, Ice Prince has been putting it down for Nigeria with his unique blend of rap and Afrobeat, one of Nigeria's original musical genres. In 2012, he landed a BET Award in the International Act (Africa) category, thus adding to his cross-continental appeal. (Photo: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images For BET)
4 / 16
3. Drunken Tiger (South Korea) - Comprised of Korean and Korean-American emcees, Drunken Tiger helped popularize hip hop in South Korea during the late '90s. Two of their key members, Tiger JK and YoonMi Rae, are married and viewed as the Jay Z and Beyoncé of Korean rap. (Photo: Drunken Tiger JK via Instagram)
5 / 16
4. Dizzee Rascal (UK) - Dizzee Rascal is considered a leader in UK's grime scene. Grime is a subgenre of hip hop and it sometimes referred to as British hip hop; another subgenre, dubstep, is heavily influenced by grime. In any event, Dizzee has had achieved acclaim even in the states and brought the genre abroad. His debut, Boy in the Corner, is widely regarded as a classic. (Photo: Louise Wilson/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 16
5. Pavlo Fyssas aka Killah P (Greece) - Pavlo Fyssas was actually murdered in September 2013 (RIP) by a neo-Nazi group for his anti-fascist lyrics in his music. Although he never achieved the international acclaim of some of the other artists on this list, it's significant that an artist in another country would die for the culture and his beliefs. (Photo: Alexandros Theodoridis/AFP/Getty Images)
7 / 16
6. k-os (Canada) - k-os first got exposure in the states in the late '90s with his upbeat, feel good soul-infused hip hop that was reminiscent of hip hop's earlier days. For those who enjoy alternative hip hop with a jazzy twist, k-os's music is definitely a worthwhile listen. (Photo: Miles Willis/Getty Images)
8 / 16
7. M-Flo (Japan) - Comprised of emcee Verbal and DJ Taku Takahashi, the duo got their start in the late '90s and became one of the leading Japanese hip hop groups in the early 2000s. Verbal would later record as part of the quintet The Teriyaki Boyz. (Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images)
9 / 16
8. Tego Calderon (Puerto Rico) - Although he is often thrown in the reggaeton category, it should be noted that reggaeton is widely influenced by hip hop and Tego Calderon is clearly a by-product of the culture. His earlier music was less dance driven and probably a lot closer to hip hop than one would normally give him credit for. Peep tracks like "Abayarde" and "Poquito" for reference. (Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for VEVO)
10 / 16
9. Panjabi MC (UK) - Panjabi MC is best known in the States for the song "Beware of the Boys," which featured Jay Z and was a pretty solid domestic hit. However, his career actually goes back to the early '90s and he's been instrumental in bridging the gap between bhangra and hip hop. (Photo: WENN)
ADVERTISEMENT