Sierra Leone's Hip Hop Wars; #LAJANDKAODENEROBEEF IN my last post I made that video about how the longest beef in Sierra Leone Hip Hop actually started. And this wasn’t just a rap beef, it later became street cliques, led to lost lives, damaged property, and multiple arrests. But here’s the truth: if you think the SLMtv Award or the 2009 Independence celebration with Akon is where the beef between Kao and LAJ started, you’ve only been getting half the story. Because the real story goes back much further. Now I want you to save this video, if you are interested in Sierra Leone Hip Hop music and want to untangle the so-called beef in the industry. Back in the mid-2000s, just after the civil war, before LAJ had even entered the rap scene, something was already starting. Underground hip-hop was exploding across Freetown. Street battles were everywhere, new crews were emerging, and a new generation of rappers was fighting for recognition. And somewhere in the middle of all this… Kao Denero was making his move. And at that time, the biggest names running the city were Pupa Bajah and the Dry Eye Crew. They had the hits songs, they had the streets, and everybody was singing their music. Then, in 2005, Kao Denero dropped an album, and gave it a bold title: “King of Freetown”. That didn’t sit well with everyone. Pupa Bajah, the Dry Eye Crew, YOK 7, Shadow Boxer, and other rappers were heated. And they didn’t stay quiet for long. They fired back with diss tracks, including one that would become part of the story: “Grap en Clap Remix.” And just like that, Freetown’s youth started taking sides. On one side was Black Leo. On the other was Dry Eye. What started as a battle in music was now spilling into the streets. Right when the beef was at its boiling point, Dry Eye Crew got a massive international break. They signed with National Geographic’s World Music label and relocated to America for international tours. And suddenly, with the Dry Eye Crew overseas, the throne in Freetown was completely wide open. Kao Denero didn’t waste a second. He packed stadiums, built Black Leo, and took over home soil. So by 2009, Kao was sitting comfortably as the undisputed King of Freetown. Until a young artist, fresh out of the US, dropped a song called “Money Na Bank.” And that changed everything. Follow for Part 3, because next we’re getting into the political music war between Emmerson and Innocent that split the country. - @dbdotcom