After reading a list of hip hop provided by one of our other members here on the blog I'm reminded of discovering the wonderful BBC 4 recently and a documentary on the role of hip hop as a networked form of communication in the suburbs.

French rap has been the voice of the banlieues, the poor suburbs encircling Paris and other french cities, the tensions and the musical culture of these estates were briefly brought to international attention by the 1996 film La Haine and more recently during the recent riots where it 'blew on the embers' of rebellion in incendiary lyrics challenging the role of the poulet/police and national myths on what it means to be french. Straight Outta Clichy is a radio documentary that explores the contours of these antagonisms, with interviews with the main movers and shakers in the industry, rappers pursued by the French state for their lyrical descriptions of police violence and those that seek to use rap as a scapegoat for explosions against social deprivation.