Artist: Emmanuel Jal
CD: Warchild

When Emmanuel Jal raps, his message is loud and clear: There is nothing glamourous about violence. And he should know. Emmanuel spent 5 years as a child soldier, carrying a gun and killing people in the brutal, relentless conflict in south Sudan.

After years under insane conditions, Emmanuel and some of the other boys tried to escape. They set off into the bush, not even sure where they were headed. Many of Emmanuel's companions died, but Emmanuel was found by UN worker Emma McCune, who smuggled Emmanuel into Kenya. She saw to it that he went to school, and the strength of his message and his desire to communicate it worldwide, has resulted in Emmanuel Jal being a much-sought after rap artist.