Kao Deneo’s Heroes Album: Analysis of a Hip-Hop Intellectual

Hip-hop is now celebrating its 50th year, and Sierra Leonean rapper Kao Denero has just released his latest album, titled “Heroes”. In this album, the rapper showcases his storytelling skills, lyrical ability, poetic flow, and intellectual maturity.

In his 15-track album, the rapper dedicated six songs that integrate themes of Pan-Africanism, Black Nationalism, Black Consciousness, Anti-Imperialism, and Marxism.

In the intro song “Think About It,” Kao addressed the topic of the African struggle. He incorporated a South African melody into the background music, as South Africa was a significant hub of the black struggle during the Apartheid era. He then connected the African struggle to other countries that were colonized by Western powers. This is why he gave a shout out to Che Guevara.

The songs “Sheku” and “Strasser” are a symbolic representation of the Mano River Union in the African narrative. Moreover, Kao mentioned these two names to provide some rationale for military rule, which is something that Western powers publicly oppose but sometimes support clandestinely. Although I disagree with Kao’s messaging in those two songs, I have to remind myself that the background hook for the “Heroes” song had a reference line “my heroes”. This means that these are Kao’s personal heroes.

The song “Coming To America” helped to establish Kao as a skilled storyteller. Additionally, Mr. Denero portrayed a character who challenged stereotypical images of poverty, disease, war, and zoo-like neighborhoods on the continent. The song was inspired by the classic Eddie Murphy movie of the same name.

The song “Ghetto Africa” deals with common themes of the African struggle, success stories, and opposition to western imperialism. The rapper uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of the typical African struggle. In one of the success stories referenced in the song, he praises Kagame and his efforts to rebuild Rwanda, a country that was ravaged by war.

The name of the album is “Heroes,” and it features a song with the same title. In this song, Kao pays homage to three influential figures from the black diaspora: Thomas Sankara, a military leader, Steve Biko, an anti-apartheid activist, and Bob Marley, a reggae artist. The song is structured with three verses, each dedicated to one of Kao’s black heroes. Within each verse, Kao highlights the impact of another black hero who was inspired by or influenced the hero being praised (Thomas Sankara = Captain Traore, Steve Biko = Malcolm X, Bob Marley = 2 Pac)…

Kao’s new project is a return to the original roots of rap, heavily influenced by Nas and the Wu-Tang Clan.

I am thoroughly impressed with the intellectual depth of the album. Kao just provided a comprehensive history lesson on many of our black heroes in Africa and the black diaspora. Apart from Kagame of Rwanda & Captain Traore of Burkina Faso, most of the black heroes have already passed away. It makes me wonder, who are the new black heroes? Let’s take a moment to ponder about it.