Paul Pissety Sagna / PPS the Writah

Growing up in the working class neighborhood of Rufisque, Senegal, Paul Pissety Sagna (aka PPS) hustled his way into the spotlight as a politically conscientious rapper and banner-bearing graffiti artist. While admired for his poetic lyrics and steady flow, his talents surpass these typical markers of a successful M.C. His ethos of "Guimi Guindi," to stay awake and conscientious, is his driving principle.

A top contender in the national competition Nescafe African Revelation, Paul (self styled as P.P.S. the Writah) grabbed the attention of ROO RAP PROD'ACTION, a respected French label that released his debut high-octane solo album, The Xtape, in 2011.

P.P.S.'s passion for hip hop emerged alongside an intractable sense of social responsibility. A herald of the genre's "golden age," the rapper is the product of an emerging African style, embracing the ethos that hip hop can once again signal a renaissance of youth culture.