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Hip hop music has grown increasingly popular in Tanzania over the last ten years. Though the first generation of Tanzanian hip hop performers were modelled closely on American rappers, more recently some have begun to mix hip hop with native dance music, muziki wa dansi, taarab, Indian filmi and other styles; this fusion is sometimes called Bongo Flava. The name Bongo Flava comes from the Kiswahili word for brains: ubongo. "Bongo" is the nick name of Dar es Salaam. It means that you need brains to survive there. Bongo Flava is about the street -- as said before 'bongo' means brain/intelligence in Swahili but it's the street word for Dar es Salaam. Most of the artists in this scene are from or based in Dar es Salaam -- living, working and studying in the unofficial heart of the country. The 'flava' they create -- is varied and cutting edge -- and is unique to the city and its people.

Bongo Flava isn't one style: it has a mix of rap, hip hop, and R&B for starters but these labels don't do it justice. It's rap, hip hop and R&B Tanzanian style: a big melting pot of tastes, history, culture and identity.

Although Bongo Flava is a purely Tanzanian phenomenon, its use of Swahili and its strong roots in the East African reality means that the music translates across borders with a growing fan-base throughout the East African region.

Bongo Flava makes up its own rules and these guys don't need to copy their brothers in America, but have a sure clear sense of who they are and what sound it is they're making

It has its roots in the rap, R&B and hip hop coming from America but from the beginning these styles have been pulled apart and put back together with African hands. Bongo Flava mixes up a whole host of styles and influences from black American music -- hip hop, rap, R&B, soul, swing - and black American culture -- the clothes, attitude and street look. All of these ingredients are combined with what East Africans have played with for decades -- music styles such as African jazz, salsa, zouk, taraab -- and the reality that is contemporary East Africa.

Bongo Flava lyrics are sung in Swahili peppered with words and phrases in English and tackle subjects faced by the continent and the world over: poverty, ambition, success, money, HIV/AIDS, education and experiences we can all relate to such as love, jealousy, beauty and loneliness.

The liberalisation of the media in Tanzania, post the Nyerere era, has created the opportunity for emerging Tanzanian artists to be heard across the country and the East African region via the radio and TV. With this of course comes competition within the music industry which is as fierce as it's ever been. On the plus side, the easy access to national and international media is pushing up the standard of Bongo Flava writing and production. Bongo Flava makes up its own rules and these guys don't need to copy their brothers in America, but have a sure clear sense of who they are and what sound it is they're making.

The scene is small -- everyone knows everyone -- which means there's a lot of collaboration and exchange of ideas and styles, making it an exciting and dynamic place to be.

Tanzanian youth started rapping in the 1980s fascinated by black US HipHop. They soon developped their own way of doing it and today the music has become a style characterized by the use of local melodies, beats, topics and their own language Kiswahili. Don’t think anybody could have a hit singing in English nowadays. The first Tanzanian crew was Kwanza Unit, while the first mainstream hit was Mr. II's (then he recorded and performed under the name 2-Proud) "Ni Mimi" (1995). Other early group, Hard Blasters released their popular "Chemsha Bongo" hit in 2000. One member of the group, Professor Jay, is today a very famous solo MC. Gangwe Mobb were another notable group. Modern groups like X Plastaz ("Bamiza", 1998) have led the way for Bongo Flava by using unique styles derived from popular music and Masai vocals, as well as Swahili lyrics. Some musicians specialize in R&B, including Lady Jay Dee and TID. Other modern performers include Juma Nature and Dully Sykes, both have a distinguishive style of singing.

Most of the famous artists come from Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam, but there are exceptions, such as Wagosi wa Kaya from Tanga and X Plastaz from Arusha.

External links

• Mahusiano.com (Swahili / English, This is the land of Bongo Flava Music)
• Bongo Flava (Swahili / English, Tanzanian Hip Hop Fusion Online)
• mzibo.net (swahili / English)
• Bongo Explosions (swahili, only large web site on this topic that is operated from out of Tanzania)
• Africanhiphop.com (English, extensive web site about the entire African Hip hop scene)
• Early hip hop crews in Tanzania

records released internationally

Bongo Flava - swahili rap from Tanzania out here records a compilation with the most popular artists on the scene featuring: Professor J., Juma Nature, Mr. Ebbo, Wagozi Wa Kaya, Afande Sele and many more

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