Tumi and the Volume

The message in Tumi Molekane’s music is rooted in struggle. The South African rapper isn’t shy about flipping lyrics on post–Apartheid socio-political issues over a funky percussive beat. Backed by his concept band the Volume (instrumentalists Tiago C Paulo, Paulo Chibanga, Dave Bergman, Kyla Rose Smith), Tumi sits at the forefront of the Johannesburg hip-hop scene, dropping poetical bombs that assail contemporary South African urban culture, democracy and the influence of first world capitalism. The quiet intensity of "Signs,” the wily wisdom of "Afrique,” the jazzy vibe of "What’s it all about.” and the raw afro-beat energy of "Bus stop confessions” reveal Tumi to be a crafty wordsmith clearly in tune to the pulse of hip-hop and the realities of new millennium living. "Time keeps rolling on by,” Tumi notes.