17-year grip of a hard-line old-school maoist regime called the derg. since then, the town has been enjoying something of a musical renaissance. but the story of ethiopian music all the way back to the beginning has been about finding ways to skirt authority, to mock it, even. to say what you want to say one way or the other. ♪ the azmari are ethiopia's original freestyle rappers. they've been around for centuries, voicing criticism, dissatisfaction, dissent, even when others could not. >> anthony: so, how old? >> marcus: maya, how old is azmari, i would say, what, 2,000 years? >> maya: yeah, it's like the