This is the second in my weekly series of popular music from my hometown.  Here‘s a link to my first contribution. This week’s it’s the world of popular rap. Rap style, allow me to reintroduce myself: I am known as Sean’s “French-Algerian connection.” I grew up in the Paris suburbs and now live in New York City. If you wonder how I stay on top of music in Paris, I mine the playlists of her friends back home.

First up is Algiers-born and Montreal-raised Zaho, who is big in Paris. See what she does with the  Bangladesh instrumental for Lil Wayne’s “6 Foot 7” for her song, “En avant la musique.” (We also suspect that’s an Angelique Kidjo sample about 0:46 into the song.)

Zaho’s second album “CONTAGIEUSE” comes out in December.

Bonus: Zaho freestyles with popular rapper La Fouine, on a tune that breaks with his usual, braggadocious style.

Later this month Nessbeal, a veteran of the French rap battles, drops his fourth album, “Sélection Naturelle.” This is the video for the first single “ force et honneur.”

Sefyu never shows his eyes. And he won’t next week when his latest album, ‘Oui je le suis’ (Yes I am) comes out on Thursday. In the video for “5 Minutes,” the lead single off the new album, he keeps that posture. (Random fact: he was a promising footballer when he got injured and became a professional rapper.)

Finally, some nice beats from Richie&Beats. This is “H@y Baby” from his forthcoming (2012) project “Since 1985/ I’@m…MisterBeats.”