Renaissance Man

The last time I could afford to go to Bumbershoot, I saw Chimurenga Renaissance, a project the Stranger called

a wildly experimental hiphop collaboration

between Zimbabwean-American Tendai “Baba” Maraire with Congolese-American musician Hussein Kalonji. A member of Seattle’s intellectual Black Constellation hip-hop collective, Maraire also performs with Shabazz Palaces with local hero Ishmael Butler (formerly of Digable Planets fame).

The first Chimurenga Renaissance album was released on a carved wooden flash drive pendant. A copy is on display at Seattle Art Museum.

He also makes his own traditional instruments. The Globalist has an interesting interview with this renaissance man.