Marie Diallo

Imagine wanting to make a profession out of music and dance, only to be told “you’re young, you’re pretty, instead of dancing - go and find a man and get married.”

Luckily for her fans, that sexism didn’t stop Marie Diallo from Niger from carving out a pioneering career as socially conscious rapper. She tells This is Africa how she combats such attitudes, the kind of topics she tackles in her music, and her hopes for the next generation of Nigerien women.

Also, TIA host DJ Edu, the Afroboss, shares his pick of new music – 10 tracks from 10 African countries in 10 minutes.