Kanye West, Eminem, Jay-Z Inspire Morocco’s S7rawa Boys

We all know Jay-Z, Kanye and Eminem's rhymes impact a global audience. New York, Milan and Tokyo are given. But the African desert?

I first met the Louk Omar, Mnilik Irm Mohammed, and Klay (aka Joundi Smail Hafidi) here in Goulmima, Morocco, two years ago. They walked into my English class wearing flat brimmed Yankee caps, Kanye West sunglasses, baggy jeans and hooded sweatshirts. They called themselves S7rawa Boys (pronounced "SaHArawa"), and told me they wanted to be hip-hop stars.

I was skeptical at first. I was afraid that these guys had embraced a simplified, possibly distorted picture of American culture. I expected them to rap at me about drugs, making money, and getting with girls. Then they dropped their rhymes. [Read more]