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14 September 2014 Last updated at 00:28 BST
First up, a creative wordsmith from Ghana. Rapper M.anifest uses his lyrics to challenge and delight.
He cut his musical teeth in Minnesota US, where he was a student but is now back in Ghana, which he finds "ridiculously" inspiring.
He raps in Twi, English and Pidjin about the country's monumental traffic jams, power cuts and the gap between rich and poor.
For this one-off performance for BBC Africa Beats, M.anifest does a medley of his hits Debi Debi and Someway Bi. He is backed by Kwame Yeboah, one of Ghana's most respected musicians.
With two studio albums to his credit, M.Anifest has already recorded with legends such as Damon Albarn (Gorillaz), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Afrobeat co-founder Tony Allen, Erykah Badu, and more.
Born Kwame Amet Tsikata, M.anifest belongs to an influential Ghanaian family. He is the grandson of  JH Nketia, one of Africa's foremost ethnomusicologists.
More from Africa Beats
The BBC's Africa Beats series is back, looking at some of the most inspiring up-and-coming musical talent from the continent.