Check out these vocal acrobatics by Malian rapper Iba One.

Then notice his proper use of the Bambara alphabet (lyrics here.) He’s one of the few musicians who gets it right! In my experience, most Malian artists who bother to write down Bambara lyrics do it phonetically, using old-fashioned French-style spelling. I’m looking at you Habib Koité and Fatoumata Diawara…