In the current issue, Evan Serpick profiles Emmanuel Jal, an MC who grew up in Sudan and became a soldier in the country’s vicious civil war at age seven. After escaping five years of battle and unimaginable atrocities (he details how child soldiers ate the fallen to stave off starvation on “Forced to Sin”), he trekked to Kenya, where he began to channel his emotions and experiences into rhymes. Jal, the subject of new documentary War Child, also spoke about African rap battles (where cows equal cars) and his unique perspective on American hip-hop. Click here to read the Q&A, watch Jal’s video for his album’s title track “Warchild” and listen to “50 Cent.”