The changing linguistic codes in Hausa hip-hop songs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32690/SALC57.9Keywords:
code switching, Hausa hip-hop, language choice, linguistic codes, lyricsAbstract
The objective of this article is to examine the use of varying linguistic codes in the lyrics of the Hausa hip-hop songs. It discovers that Hausa hip-hop singers switch languages, drawing inspiration from global hip-hop classics (African-Americans) and Nigerian hip-hop to signal socio-cultural awareness and the complex weave of contemporary hip-hop music culture. It also reveals that the singers construct their lyrics by combining Hausa and English with a little influence from Arabic and native languages (mostly Nigerian Pidgin English and Yoruba) to create a distinct soundscape for their music. It also reveals switching strategies at inter-sentence and intra-sentence levels resulting in the discursive constructions appropriate for the expressed message.
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