Bongo Flava
Encyclopedia
Bongo flava is a nickname for Tanzanian hip hop
music. The genre developed in the 1990s, mainly as a derivative of American
hip hop
, with additional influences from reggae
, R&B
, afrobeat
, dancehall
, and traditional Tanzanian styles such as taarab
and dansi
, a combination that forms a unique style of music. Lyrics are usually in Swahili
or English
.
The name "bongo flava" is a corruption of "bongo flavour", where "bongo" is the plural form of the swahili
word ubongo, meaning "brain", and is a common nickname used to refer to Dar es Salaam
, the city where the genre originated. In the bongo flava, the metaphor of "brains" may additionally refer to the cunning and street smarts of the mselah (see below).
The term "bongo flava" was coined,invented,created and first mentioned in 1996 by Radio One's 99.6 FM (One of the first private Radio Stations in Tanzania) popular,witty and charismatic Radio Dj Mike Mhagama (now residing in Los Angeles,California) who was trying to differentiate between American R & B and Hip Hop Music through his popular Radio show known as DJ Show with that of local youngsters music that didn't have,at that time,an indetification of its own.DJ Show was the first Radio Show that accepted young Tanzanian musicians influenced by their Brothers and Sisters in America to express themselves through Singing and Rapping.He said on air "After listening to "R & B Flava" titled No Diggity from the US of A,here comes "Bongo Flava" from Unique Sisters,one of our own".After he said that on his Radio Show,The rest was history with the term "Bongo Flava".
How did the music find its way onto radio? This IS the earliest and most reliable account of how "Bongoflava" found its way onto Tanzanian airways.
Taji Liundi also known as Master T, the original creator and producer of the Dj Show program on the private Radio One Stereo station had already started airing songs by fledgling local artists since late 1994. Mike Mhagama later joined the popular program as an under-study to Master T. He went on to produce and present the show alone after Master T had left Radio One in 1996.
"Bongoflava" existed well before the first audio or video recordings. Youth in Dar es salaam the capital were rapping at beach concerts(organized by Joseph Kusaga who owned Mawingu Discotheque, later Mawingu Studios and now Clouds Media Group), local concert halls and taking part in the first official Rap competition called Yo!Rap Bonanza series that were promoted by the late Dj Kim "And the Boyz" Magomelo!
Some of the youth were organized with fancy names, some were solo or formed impromptu groups at the event to get a chance to grab the mic. An Icon of the open performance artists in the early 90's was the late enigmatic Adili or Nigga One. The first influential dub artist of the genre was Saleh Jabir who rapped in Kiswahili over Vanilla Ice's, "Ice Ice Baby" instrumental, he was solely responsible for making Kiswahili a viable language to rap in. His version was so popular, it broke rank by receiving mild airplay in the conservative National Radio Tanzania. The first official "rap" to grace the Tanzania airwaves. Unfortunately, we cannot dwell on details of this growth phase for Bongoflava here.
One of the earliest group to actually record and deliver a CD to Radio One for airing was Mawingu band,an outfit that became hugely popular in early 1994. They recorded at Mawingu Studios! Members were Othman Njaidi, Eliudi Pemba, Columba Mwingira, Sindila Assey, "Angela", Robert Chuwa, Boniface Kilosa(Dj Boni Love himself)and later Pamela who sang the famous hook of their breakout first RnB/Rap single "Oya Msela". The song was so popular and ahead of its time that the Msela label stuck. Msela can be translated as Ruffian. Mawingu Band was arguably the pioneer of the RnB flavored type of Bongoflava.
Dar Young Mob were the first real hip-hop stylized group to record with Mawingu Studios under budding producer Dj Boni Love. They were the FIRST group to have their rap single aired on private radio in Tanzania.
Outside of its historical home of Tanzania
, Bongo Flava has become a resoundingly popular sound in neighboring, culturally related countries such as Kenya
and Uganda
. Bongo flava has even found a home outside of the African continent; the most popular artists in the genre have recently begin to address Western markets and the self-proclaimed "best internet station for Bongo Flava," Bongo Radio, happens to be based out of Chicago, Illinois.
Despite the popularity of bongo flava and the large number of well-known artists throughout Tanzania, copying of music is widespread and most artists are unable to make a living selling their music. They must alternatively rely on income from live performances to support themselves.
The typical bongo flava artist identifies with the mselah, meaning a smart juvenile who is free from the prejudices of the society, but at the same time is committed and honest. It is in this sense that, for example, members of the hip hop crew Afande Sele call themselves watu pori, i.e., "men of the savannah" (meaning ineducated, free men). A sort of manifesto
of mselah ideology is given by the song Mselah Jela by bongo flava singer Juma Nature
, who defines the mselah, amongst other things, as a "honest person of sincere heart". Following the tradition of western hip hop (as represented by the pioneering hip hop group Afrika Bambaataa
), bongo flava lyrics usually tackle social and political issues such poverty, political corruption, superstition, and HIV/AIDS, often with a more or less explicit educational intent, an approach that is sometimes referred to as "edutainment". Afande Sele, for example, have written songs that are intended to teach prevention of malaria
and HIV
.
(also known as Sugu or 2-Proud), that in 1985 released the first bongo flava hit single, Ni Mimi ("It's me"). Mr. II is still active (his last recording, Coming of Age
, was released in 2007). The first Tanzanian hip hop crew, Kwanza Unit
, began in 1993; they originally sung in english
, but eventually switched to swahili. In the late 1990s, one of the most popular bongo flava groups was the Hard Blasters; one of the former members of the group, Professor Jay
, is currently one of Tanzania's most popular hip hop artists.
Among today's most popular bongo flava artists there are Juma Nature
and Afande Sele. Some groups are very popular in their ethnic group
; examples include the Maasai X Plastaz
(who developed their own sub-genre known as "massai hip hop") and Mr. Ebbo. Other popular names are Gangwe Mobb
, Lady Jaydee
, T.I.D.
, Wagozi Wa Kaya, Dully Sykes
, Bizzman and Daz Baba.
Tanzanian hip hop
The widest form of Tanzanian Hip-hop music is known as Bongo Flava. Bongo Flava encompasses a large variety of different sounds, but it is particularly known for heavy synth riffs and an incorporation of Tanzanian pop...
music. The genre developed in the 1990s, mainly as a derivative of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, with additional influences from reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, afrobeat
Afrobeat
Afrobeat is a combination of traditional Yoruba music, jazz, highlife, funk and chanted vocals, fused with percussion and vocal styles, popularised in Africa in the 1970s. Its main creator was the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who gave it its name, who used it to...
, dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
, and traditional Tanzanian styles such as taarab
Taarab
Taarab is a music genre popular in Tanzania and Kenya. It is influenced by music from the cultures with a historical presence in East Africa, including music from East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe...
and dansi
Muziki wa dansi
Muziki wa dansi , or simply dansi, is a Tanzanian music genre, derivative of Congolese soukous. It is sometimes called Swahili jazz because most dansi lyrics are in Swahili, and "jazz" is an umbrella term used in Central and Eastern Africa to refer to soukous, highlife, and other dance music and...
, a combination that forms a unique style of music. Lyrics are usually in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
or English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
The name "bongo flava" is a corruption of "bongo flavour", where "bongo" is the plural form of the swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
word ubongo, meaning "brain", and is a common nickname used to refer to Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
, the city where the genre originated. In the bongo flava, the metaphor of "brains" may additionally refer to the cunning and street smarts of the mselah (see below).
The term "bongo flava" was coined,invented,created and first mentioned in 1996 by Radio One's 99.6 FM (One of the first private Radio Stations in Tanzania) popular,witty and charismatic Radio Dj Mike Mhagama (now residing in Los Angeles,California) who was trying to differentiate between American R & B and Hip Hop Music through his popular Radio show known as DJ Show with that of local youngsters music that didn't have,at that time,an indetification of its own.DJ Show was the first Radio Show that accepted young Tanzanian musicians influenced by their Brothers and Sisters in America to express themselves through Singing and Rapping.He said on air "After listening to "R & B Flava" titled No Diggity from the US of A,here comes "Bongo Flava" from Unique Sisters,one of our own".After he said that on his Radio Show,The rest was history with the term "Bongo Flava".
How did the music find its way onto radio? This IS the earliest and most reliable account of how "Bongoflava" found its way onto Tanzanian airways.
Taji Liundi also known as Master T, the original creator and producer of the Dj Show program on the private Radio One Stereo station had already started airing songs by fledgling local artists since late 1994. Mike Mhagama later joined the popular program as an under-study to Master T. He went on to produce and present the show alone after Master T had left Radio One in 1996.
"Bongoflava" existed well before the first audio or video recordings. Youth in Dar es salaam the capital were rapping at beach concerts(organized by Joseph Kusaga who owned Mawingu Discotheque, later Mawingu Studios and now Clouds Media Group), local concert halls and taking part in the first official Rap competition called Yo!Rap Bonanza series that were promoted by the late Dj Kim "And the Boyz" Magomelo!
Some of the youth were organized with fancy names, some were solo or formed impromptu groups at the event to get a chance to grab the mic. An Icon of the open performance artists in the early 90's was the late enigmatic Adili or Nigga One. The first influential dub artist of the genre was Saleh Jabir who rapped in Kiswahili over Vanilla Ice's, "Ice Ice Baby" instrumental, he was solely responsible for making Kiswahili a viable language to rap in. His version was so popular, it broke rank by receiving mild airplay in the conservative National Radio Tanzania. The first official "rap" to grace the Tanzania airwaves. Unfortunately, we cannot dwell on details of this growth phase for Bongoflava here.
One of the earliest group to actually record and deliver a CD to Radio One for airing was Mawingu band,an outfit that became hugely popular in early 1994. They recorded at Mawingu Studios! Members were Othman Njaidi, Eliudi Pemba, Columba Mwingira, Sindila Assey, "Angela", Robert Chuwa, Boniface Kilosa(Dj Boni Love himself)and later Pamela who sang the famous hook of their breakout first RnB/Rap single "Oya Msela". The song was so popular and ahead of its time that the Msela label stuck. Msela can be translated as Ruffian. Mawingu Band was arguably the pioneer of the RnB flavored type of Bongoflava.
Dar Young Mob were the first real hip-hop stylized group to record with Mawingu Studios under budding producer Dj Boni Love. They were the FIRST group to have their rap single aired on private radio in Tanzania.
Popularity
Today, bongo flava is the most popular musical style amongst the Tanzanian youth, something that is also reflected in the vast number of TV and radio programs dedicated to this genre as well as the sales figures of bongo flava albums.Outside of its historical home of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Bongo Flava has become a resoundingly popular sound in neighboring, culturally related countries such as Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. Bongo flava has even found a home outside of the African continent; the most popular artists in the genre have recently begin to address Western markets and the self-proclaimed "best internet station for Bongo Flava," Bongo Radio, happens to be based out of Chicago, Illinois.
Despite the popularity of bongo flava and the large number of well-known artists throughout Tanzania, copying of music is widespread and most artists are unable to make a living selling their music. They must alternatively rely on income from live performances to support themselves.
Characteristics
While bongo flava is clearly related to American hip hop, it is also clearly distinguished from its Western counterpart. As the bongoflava.com website puts it, "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 sound "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".The typical bongo flava artist identifies with the mselah, meaning a smart juvenile who is free from the prejudices of the society, but at the same time is committed and honest. It is in this sense that, for example, members of the hip hop crew Afande Sele call themselves watu pori, i.e., "men of the savannah" (meaning ineducated, free men). A sort of manifesto
Manifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
of mselah ideology is given by the song Mselah Jela by bongo flava singer Juma Nature
Juma Nature
Juma Nature a.k.a Sir Nature is a Tanzanian hip hop artist and a singer. He is the founder and member of a Temeke group called Wanaume, an informal group of rappers from the poor side of Dar es Salaam...
, who defines the mselah, amongst other things, as a "honest person of sincere heart". Following the tradition of western hip hop (as represented by the pioneering hip hop group Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
), bongo flava lyrics usually tackle social and political issues such poverty, political corruption, superstition, and HIV/AIDS, often with a more or less explicit educational intent, an approach that is sometimes referred to as "edutainment". Afande Sele, for example, have written songs that are intended to teach prevention of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
.
Notable artists
A pioneer of Tanzanian hip hop is Mr. IIMr. II
Joseph Mbilinyi , known for his stage names Mr. II and Sugu and 2-proud, is one of the founders of the hip hop music scene in Tanzania. He was also elected to the Tanzanian Parliament in 2010....
(also known as Sugu or 2-Proud), that in 1985 released the first bongo flava hit single, Ni Mimi ("It's me"). Mr. II is still active (his last recording, Coming of Age
Coming of Age
Coming of age is a young person's formal transition from adolescence to adulthood.Coming of Age may also refer to:- Music :* Coming of Age , a 1990s American R&B group* Coming of Age , or the title song...
, was released in 2007). The first Tanzanian hip hop crew, Kwanza Unit
Kwanza Unit
Kwanza Unit was an early Tanzanian hip hop group. Its name means "First Unit" and it was formed in 1993 by a merger of several groups and solo artists. They started rapping in English, but later used Swahili as well....
, began in 1993; they originally sung in english
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, but eventually switched to swahili. In the late 1990s, one of the most popular bongo flava groups was the Hard Blasters; one of the former members of the group, Professor Jay
Professor Jay
Joseph Haule , popularly known as Professor Jay, is a Tanzanian hip hop artist. He is one of the prominent representants of the "Bongo Flava" Tanzanian hip hop subgenre, which mixes elements from both Western hip hop and the Tanzanian tradition Joseph Haule (born December 29, 1975), popularly known...
, is currently one of Tanzania's most popular hip hop artists.
Among today's most popular bongo flava artists there are Juma Nature
Juma Nature
Juma Nature a.k.a Sir Nature is a Tanzanian hip hop artist and a singer. He is the founder and member of a Temeke group called Wanaume, an informal group of rappers from the poor side of Dar es Salaam...
and Afande Sele. Some groups are very popular in their ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
; examples include the Maasai X Plastaz
X Plastaz
X Plastaz is a Tanzanian hip hop musical group based in Arusha and founded in 1996. They are one of the most popular acts in theTanzanian hip hop scene. Their style mixes elements from international hip hop and traditional Maasai music, represented by Maasai singer Merege. While Merege sings in maa...
(who developed their own sub-genre known as "massai hip hop") and Mr. Ebbo. Other popular names are Gangwe Mobb
Gangwe Mobb
Gangwe Mobb is a Tanzanian hip hop group. They come from poor Temeke neighborhood in Dar es Salaam. It has two members: Inspector Haroun and Luteni Kalama . The group was established in late 90's soon after Kwanza Unit, Mr. II and other had popularized swahili hip hop music in Tanzania...
, Lady Jaydee
Lady Jaydee
Judith Daines Wambura Mbibo, known as Lady Jaydee is an R&B/Hip-hop singer from Tanzania. She was voted Best Tanzanian Female R&B Artist in 2002, performed at the Kora All Africa Designers Competition, and was awarded "Best R&B Album" at the Tanzania Music Awards on August 6, 2004. In July 2005,...
, T.I.D.
TID (musician)
TID is a Bongo Flava musician from Tanzania, whose real name is Khalid Mohamed . TID is an acronym of Top in Dar, in which "Dar" refers to Dar es Salaam, his hometown. He is best known for his hits "Zeze" and "Siamini"....
, Wagozi Wa Kaya, Dully Sykes
Dully Sykes
Dully Sykes is a Bongo Flava musician from Tanzania- Biography :Also known as Mr Misifa or Mr Chicks, Dully Sykes is a dancehall artist in Tanzania . He has performed in the UK...
, Bizzman and Daz Baba.
Discography
- Bongo Flava - Swahili Rap from Tanzania, Out Here RecordsOut Here RecordsOut Here Records is an independent record label founded in 2004. The label is dedicated to Urban African music. It was set up by German American music journalist Jay Rutledge. The albums the label releases give a first hand view of the local popular music scenes of Africa...
(compilation of popular bongo flava hits)
External links
- BongoFlava.net Article on bongo flava at Antenne di Pace
- Who's Who in bongo flava from Global Music Culture
- BongoFlava.com
- Bab Kubwa, online bongo flava and Tanzanian social network
- Bongo Radio, online bongo flava radio
- Africanhiphop.com