Pata Ladha is the product of a cross-continental collaboration between veteran Sydney MC/producer Morganics and three former street kids from Tanzania known as Wayahudi Family. Recorded on Morganics’ laptop over three weeks in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha – after the two parties were introduced online via a Tanzanian charity worker months earlier – Pata Ladha represents an upbeat, earnest and socially-conscious, traversal of East African melody, Swahili rhyme-craft and straight-up, early-era hip-hop. There are plenty of worthy cuts here, and MCs Wise Mad, Max Wow and F. Cool more than hold their own amongst Morganics’ popping beats. The tripping dub rhythms and dancehall nuances of Watatoa Kasoro, the explosive More G More Fire, and hook-laden organics of Peace and Love make for highlights. But it’s the skewed disco synths, razor-sharp flows and bounce-heavy boom-bap of Sanaa Sanaa that prove the record’ centrepiece. Admittedly, some of the production is a tad clunky and flat, but while Pata Ladha may not be the most musically progressive record out there, this proud, self-expressive work serves as a great validation of hip-hop’ positive global interpretation and reach.
Dan Rule
