JJC

November 2004 - Hip-Hop in Kenya and Tanzania

Habari and welcome to another dose of African hip-hop. This time I am heading East, to Kenya and Tanzania.

• Nairobi Yetu
• Bongo Flava from Tanzania
• UK's East African Party Scene
• Kora nomination for JJC & 419 Squad
• JJC's Recommended CDs

Nairobi Yetu

Hip-hop in East Africa has been on the rise in the last few years. While Senegal may still be the hip-hop capital in Africa, there is also so much fantastic music coming out of Tanzania and Kenya. The East African region benefits from a common language in which the majority of the music is sung, Swahili, which means it is not unusual that the bigger artists are popular in their neighbouring country, too. I have worked with Tanzanian R'n'B star T.i.D. before, and listening to the albums below it would also be great to get in the studio with some of these guys.

Nairobi Yetu (meaning 'Our Nairobi') is a collective of 38 rappers and musicians from various slums in Eastlands, a notorious ghetto in Nairobi, Kenya. The album 'Kilio Cha Haki' - a cry for justice - was made possible by Dutch organisation UpToYouToo which financed and set up a temporary makeshift studio in a flat in the slums. For a month this became the local creative hangout of young aspiring Kenyan rappers.

Listening to the music it's hard to image the slum in which this project has been recorded - the albums sounds just excellent. Also it's amazing to think that the majority of the rappers on the album have never been in a recording studio before.  Living in the ghetto recording a single, let alone a full album, is simply beyond their means. This means a lot of raw talent is going to waste and the youths who want to escape by at least voicing their thoughts can't.

The hard-hitting lyrics put this album into context. This starts with the plaintively sung intro (in English): "I was born in the street. I was born in the slum, raised in the slum. In the valley of Mathare." (Mathare is the name of one of the slums in the Eastlands). While most of the remainder of the album's lyrics cannot be understood by non-Swahili speakers like myself, the booklet has the Swahili lyrics together with an English explanation. And this is where the reality of the slums hits you: here are songs about political corruption, AIDS, gun crime, poverty, abortions, rapes and death.

It's a long way from the bling-bling culture or glorification of violence in the majority of the US hip-hop lyrics. As one of the collective states: "There are a lot of talents in the neglected slums. We hope this will also inspire ghetto youths who are currently into crimes and drugs as, through us, they will see there is a possible bright future ahead and they will have some role models, someone to look up to for inspiration. Through the project we also hope other talented youths will have a chance to record music, without having to get money at gun point that they need to produce tracks."

The album was produced by Daan van West and Stije Hallema from the Netherlands, with involvement by some of the Kenyans, most notably Robert Matumbai (of famous Kenyan act Kalamashaka). Other important contributors are female rapper Rah Goddess from Brooklyn and Dutch vocalist Nynka Nauta (who also runs the UpToYouToo foundation). The Eastlands MCs impress with their brilliant flow which would put a lot of US rappers to shame, and musically this album is very varied with stand-out tracks being the jazzy "Fanya Tena", "Sisi" with its beatboxing and the dubby, Lingala-influenced "Pesa Pesa".

All participants have done so voluntarily. The project sends out a message of hope, love, positivity and unity, and their aim is to raise enough money from album sales to build a permanent studio in the Eastlands - I do hope this will come true. Some members of the collective may come to the UK for a show soon. Watch this space.

You can read more on the Guardian Web Site or on the projects  own site: www.kiliochahaki.com . Meanwhile to explore a variety of Kenyan music I can also recommend the compilation 'The Rough Guide to the Music of Kenya' (World Music Network/ RGNET 1137 CD) which my fellow host Shaheera Asante has reviewed.

Bongo Flava from Tanzania

There's an excellent new Bongo Flava compilation showcasing Swahili rap from Tanzania. Knowing that Jay Rutledge, journalist, radio DJ, and owner of the Munich-based indie label out | here rec, compiled this CD, I expected it to be of high quality and well researched. After all he was responsible for what was probably the first internationally released African hip-hop compilation back in 2001, the brilliant 'Africa Raps'. And I have not been let down. This CD is just so hot and whether you've ever had an interest in bongo flava or not, you shouldn't miss it. Fourteen tracks that offer a snapshot of what is played in Tanzania with the different subgenres of bongo flava, from conscious to party tracks, all being present.

The sound is overall upbeat with great melodies, very musical hip-hop. The sleeve notes are informative, and give you the story of bongo flava as well as background information on all the artists featured. These are the most popular artists in their country and there are many highlights including 'Umoja wa Tanzania' (Juma Nature feat. Professor Jay), 'Alikufa kwa ngoma' (Mwana FA feat. Lady JD), 'Zali la mentali' (Professor Jay feat. Juma Nature & Muny), 'Asali wa Moyo' (Gangwe Mobb), 'Wife' (Daz Baba feat. Mangwair) and 'Maji ya shingo RMX' (Daz Nundaz). A winner.

Meanwhile Tanzania's X Plastaz have just unleashed their 'Maasai Hip Hop' album. Three male rappers, a 13 year old girl, a 9 year old boy, and a Maasai warrior - not the line-up of your average hip-hop group, Tanzanian or otherwise. And X Plastaz are definitely not your average group.  After having released a few international singles, and having tracks featured on European-released compilations (including 'Global Hip Hop' and 'Rough Guide to African Rap'), they now release their first international album, entitled 'Maasai Hip Hop' which has been recorded in Tanzania and the Netherlands.

X Plastaz make conscious bongo flava, as opposed to the partying sub-genre of 'rap katuni' (meaning 'cartoon rap'), with lyrics dealing with issues such as drugs, unemployment, poverty and child abuse. The group from Arusha, a city in Northern Tanzania, initially started out as a three-piece, with rappers Ruff-Nell, Gsan and Ziggy-Lah. Through a chance meeting Yamat joined, a Maasai warrior who then adapted his traditional hunting and initiation songs to fit X Plastaz's hip-hop beats. Later, to complete the group, the two children, Dineh and Steve, joined.

X Plastaz are proud of Tanzanian traditional culture and want to encourage a generally disinterested Tanzanian youth to embrace it more. Initially their inclusion of a traditionally dressed Maasai warrior raised a few laughs as city dwellers often wrongly regard the Maasai as backwards. X Plastaz who mix traditional Maasai a cappella chants and rap in Swahili and Haya want to change this perception. This is a strong album throughout with the stand-out tracks being 'Aha!' and 'Msimu kwa msimu'.

Check out the Xplastaz website for more information.

Finally, Tanzanian hip-hop pioneer Sugu returns with a self-titled album. Sugu is regarded as one of the true pioneers of the bongo flava scene having been active for a good decade. Also known as Mr II, he had a massive hit a few years ago with 'Bongo Flava' - an anthem of the genre. Sugu now presents his eightth album, the first after a long break. Most of the album was produced by London-based Kenyan producer Sir Prestige, and it features special guests Dineh (of X-Plastaz), Samia X, and Plan B (of Real Elements). An interlude comes courtesy of Kenyan superstar DJ Pinye, a definite seal of approval.

Lyrically, Sugu isn't afraid to tell it like it is and his songs deal with prostitution, street children, emigration and so on. The first single off the album, the catchy 'Moto Chini', is already a hit in Tanzania.  Another stand out track is the opener 'Kwenye Mbio' with its jazzy influences.

Sugu is also the organiser of the Tanzania Hip Hop Summit to be held in Dar es Salaam in December. The summit, the first of its kind in East Africa, aims to attract recording artists, underground artists, studio producers, promoters, distributors, DJs, TV representatives and many more.

UK's East African Party Scene

Let's get down and party East African style! Without having to board a plane, let me give you a quick run-down of where to experience the East African scene in the UK.

On 27 November the 'Kenyan Society Awards' Gala will include awards for Kenyan's favourite venue in the UK (nominees are Lincolns Bar, Club Afrique, Club Meantime and Club Desire - see below) and the best UK-based Kenyan DJ (nominees are DJ Billie, DJ Viagra, DJ Dubwise, DJ Ken and DJ Edu). For more info and to reserve your tickets visit www.kenyansociety.co.uk .

In December there's Tanzanian Independence Day Party (10 December 2004) in Tottenham, north London, and Jamhuri Day (11 December 2004) at Stratford Rex celebrating Kenya's 41 years of independence. Jamhuri Day has a line-up featuring the best of Kenyan musical talent, including the mighty Redsan, Kenya's Darling Wahu and 'King of Bling' Prezzo. If Prezzo's past entrances are anything to go by, appearing on stage on a motorbike and arriving for the Kisima awards by helicopter, expect the unexpected! With his female entourage and his heavily jewelled body Prezzo, allegedly the wealthiest rapper, oozes bling on the Kenyan rap scene. With DJs including Kenya's superstar DJ Pinye, BBC 1Xtra's Seani B and many more top Kenyan DJs.

Meanwhile, you can check out East African sounds any week of the year in East and South-East London.  Club Desire is at the Three Blackbirds in Leyton (640 Leyton High Road, Leyton, London, E10 6RN, tel:020 8556 5348) on Wednesday nights and weekends featuring the best of Lingala & Kenyan tunes, Bongo Flava, Kwaito and other African vibes. Club Afrique in Canning Town plays a variety of African music, including East African, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Club Meantime in Greenwich (Boord Street (off Mellenium Way) Greenwich, SE10 tel: 07990 530 555) plays soukous, bongo flava, afro pop and  rhumba on Thursday to Sunday nights. The predominantly Kenyan nights are Fridays and Saturdays, and many popular Kenyan artists have performed there too (in 2004 they've had GidiGidi MajiMaji, Necessary Noize, Nonini, Dully Sykes, The Homeboyz, etc.) Finally Lincolns Bar in Leytonstone (566 High Road, Leytonstone, London, E11 3DH, tel: 020 8539 3552) has African sounds on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Check out the menu featuring some of the most favourite Kenyan dishes i.e. Kuku choma, Matumbo, Sukuma wiki, Kienyenji, traditional Kenyan soup, along with Tilapia fish, Nyama Choma and Fry.

Kora nomination for JJC & 419 Squad

Finally, a little announcement: JJC & 419 Squad have been nominated for a Kora award ('Best African Group').

For those who don't know, the Koras are kind of the African Grammies, a huge spectacle to be held on 12 December 2004 in South Africa and to be viewed by a TV audience of about 700 million throughout Africa and the rest of the world. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Kwaheri ('goodbye' in Swahili) and until next time.

JJC

JJC's Recommended CDs

Various Artists - Nairobi's Rednose Distrikt presents: Kilio Cha Haki - A Cry for Justice

Various Artists - Bongo Flava - Swahili rap from Tanzania

X Plastaz - Maasai Hip Hop

Sugu - Sugu

Check out my recommended CDs this month in the CD Reviews section or go to Music Search to look at our archive of recommended CDs.