Refugee to rapper: an interview with Emanuel Jal

Emmanuel Jal, one of the hottest rappers to come out of Africa, is a former child soldier from southern Sudan who uses his talent and fame to give a voice to the hungry poor, especially the children, in Africa. "When I make music, I keep in mind some hungry tots … that’s what makes my music, my music. I put my hunger into my music." - Emmanuel Jal...

...Who are your mentors?

Emma [McCune, a humanitarian worker] was my angel. She fed me, took me to school, paid my school fees. She was doing it from the heart. She invested in me by putting me into a British school. That’s why I’m effective. Now, I get a lot of support from people in the [music] industry. Peter Gabriel is a great mentor and friend. He goes around, asks a lot of his friends to pay attention and really listen to me. I’m still learning a lot. My mind is still empty. I’m listening to everything and not tired of learning....