While not an obvious venue for a night of hip - hop, reggae and DJ sets of scorching Afro-beats, broken beats, hip hop and more, the name of the Soho bar perfectly encapsulated tonight's celebration of expression and diversity, though technical glitches meant a nervous opening. Zimbabwe's DKR (Divided Kingdom Republic) bravely battled poor mic quality and the music momentarily cutting out, forcing a lukewarm call & response routine. When revived djembe lilts hovered over sharp, staggered drum claps the set fluctuated between exuberance - ripping through topics such as frustration at Live 8 - and occasional uncertainty. The quality of their 'Rythm (sic) & Prose' album means that moments of self - doubt shouldn't be entertained and it was unfortunate their set seemed cut short by the earlier delays.

Fresh from supporting Usher, championed by 1Xtra, the UK's young contender to the dancehall throne Swel Daag's micro - set suggested a hidden IV pumped pure caffeine into his veins, commanding instrumentals like Chris Brown's electro - fizzing RnB smash 'Run It' be dropped then pulled almost instantly, Daag's raspy vocals and hyperactive raunch raising the energy level DKR created.

A brief interlude had the mixed crowd bounce to the ubiquitous '...Jamrock', before the group dubbed Dakar's Finest took to the floor. Pee Froiss' years of live experience immediately evident, DJ Gee Bayss' intro showing turntable virtuosity, the towering Xuman sauntered before the crowd, delivering a seemingly effortless double - time delivery, Kocc 6 complimenting his rhyme partner's swiftness with a melodic singing voice and more casual, still on - point, style. The pair rapping and singing in a rich mix of Wolof, French and English, voices in perfect synchronicity on favourites like the marching - band flavoured 'Konkerants' and new tracks which, not only indicative of their penchant for merging hip hop, dancehall reggae and the African rhythms from which the diasporic styles originate, showed how more producers are refusing to be pigeonholed. After Xuman's nonchalant intro of 'this is something new we've done with (UK producer) Matt', a slick set of keyboards slinked from the PA system, taking the crowd on a journey from LDN into outer space via Dakar, Senegal, the Bay Area and MTV's Summer 2007 play-list, as the pair launched into another welcome vocal stew. In such an unlikely setting lay further proof that African hip hop is stepping out of the shadow of its bloated American cousin.

Pee Froiss' Xuman on 'the message and the music':

''In Senegal we are raised with respect for the elders and knowledge...We can't talk about bling, girls...it's political, social...the message that we spread is spiritual, the most important thing is respect we should give to people...in 'Microphone' we say 'take care of what you're saying in the microphone'...in the microphone you heard Martin Luther King, but also in Rwanda, genocide...people on the radio spreading propaganda...''

On Senegalese hip hop's sense of community:

''(commenting on the desperate situation of Senegalese residents risking their lives to reach Spain by sea)...Most people (who try the treacherous journey) die, so we put, maybe, twenty rappers on a new track, put it on the radio station...talking to the government. I don't know how far are message is going, but we do it because we have to do it.''

Munyaradzi Nota of DKR explains the name:

''DKR - 'Divided Kingdom Republic' is just playing on the fact that we're all one Kingdom, all mankind comes from one place, we're living under the illusion of division...So, it's irony as well - a Kingdom and a republic, we think we live in a place which is ruled for the people by the people, but it isn't really...We're giving the music away free, if you have good advice for someone, you can't ask them to pay for the advice! We have people from Zimbabwe, Australia, and Austria...just brought together by positive energy...We want to bring people into a state of realisation that we are united, we are the same people.''