For three months in 2019, While I was working as an intern with Daily Monitor publications, I was lucky enough to travel to our neighbours Tanzania and lived in the small city of Iringa, in Tanzania’s southern highlands. Many aspects of Tanzanian culture had a profound impact on me, with the sights, smells and most importantly the sounds staying with me long after I had returned. As in many cultures across the continent, music and dance holds a special position within Tanzanian society. It was clear that the country’s music industry was a source of great pride. The music that surrounded me was not the western pop I was accustomed to, but a new, vibrant, homegrown sound that managed to seem familiar while also entirely alien. I was soon to learn that this was Bongo Flava, Tanzania’s own brand of hip hop. New releases gripped the entire country, blasting from speakers, phones and TV screens all around. It was impossible to not be swept up in this musical circus and I must confess I have an ever growing Bongo Flava playlist on my Spotify. I was determined that when I returned I would continue my education and seek to understand the roots and significance of this genre.
A distinct musical style is nothing new to Tanzania. The Taraab and Dansi music incorporated a number of differing influences to create music that was popular for much of the twentieth century. Bongo Flava began initially as an underground movement in the 1980s. Inspired by the hip hop and rap of the United States, the Tanzanian youth began to imitate their favourite artists, learning the lyrics to their biggest hits. Unlike their American counterparts however, the early hip hop artists in Tanzania were from the more affluent parts of society. These individuals had more access to outside influences, having possibly spent time in Europe and America, or have relatives that had done so. Successful artists such as Professor Jay made no secret of their wealthy upbringing, with the realities of the time meaning the wealthy were in more of a position to take advantage of this exposure. However, the rap game soon began to develop. The breakdown of socialism in the 1980s and careful liberalisation of the economy meant that there was greater political freedom and far more influences permeating Tanzania from the outside world.
Bongo Flava began to spread throughout society. Rap was soon to be found on every street corner, as global culture entered the lives of Tanzanian people. Large rap groups could have a real mix of individuals from all walks of life, each with their own story to tell while having the shared experiences that made them so relatable. Due to the limited access to recording equipment and lack of distribution infrastructure, most of the early rap artists struggled to record their music. Their influence and fame was spread through word of mouth, with live performances at beach concerts or clubs becoming central to the growth of the genre.
Due to the disorganised nature of the early rap scene, there were simply too many rappers to be listed here. However, well known people inevitably developed. Names such as Mr. II, Kwaza Unit and Professor J have stood the test of time, while Jacob Knight credits the popularity of Bongo Flava to the producer P Funk. A defining moment in the history of Bongo Flava came in the early 1990s, when Saleh J rapped in Swahili over Vanilla Ice’s ‘Ice Ice Baby’. The use of Swahili over a popular beat proved the language’s potential as a medium of expression. The song was both a commercial and artist’s success. This monumental step gave Bongo Flava a new meaning, tying it more intimately to the country and identity of the people. With a base established, artists could focus on the most important aspect of their work; the message.
Similar to its American cousin, Bongo Flava seeks to give a raw portrayal of life. Tanzanian rapper’s focused on what they saw around them. They rapped about poverty, the dangers of HIV, corruption and general hardships of growing up in a developing nation. This trend of making the lyrics specific to the country was ‘Kiswacentricism’ and was an important way that the youth of Tanzania could voice their grievances while educating each other on important issues. Mr. II’s song ‘Hali Halisi’ took direct aim at the government and the police, giving a scathing critique that was powerful in its bluntness. According to Kiswahili Rap Keeping it Real ‘Realness’ has become a competitive element. Rappers have criticised each other for trying to portray themselves as something they’re not, with it being seen as trying to copy wealthy American rappers.
Of course, Bongo Flava has many styles within it, and over time artists have taken different directions. Part of the reason for the success of the genre is its versatility. Some have moved from rapping about politically charged topics to focusing on the party scene, with lyrics more positive and romantic. This style has proved commercially popular and certainly when I was in the country, this was the predominant form of Bongo Flava I heard, with individuals enjoying the fun nature and escapism it promoted. Bongo Flava has been challenging its reputation ever since the beginning.
Gangster rap was popular in American hip hop during the 1980s and 90s, and this was inevitably imitated in Tanzania. At the beginning, rap, and those who practised it, were seen as ‘uhuni’ or gangster, associated with crime or drugs. This tied into a wider stigmatisation that the youth suffered, of being seen as dangerous and threatening. Saleh J explains that this reputation lasted for many years, with an ‘entire generation of Tanzanian rappers having to cope with disapproval by their families, teachers etc.’ However, hip hop moved away from gangster rap as Tanzanian society does not welcome violence and vulgarity in its music with open arms. According to Pieter Remes, rappers wanted to be seen not as wasi (thieves) but as wasela (urban sailors); a tough, city-smart character with a positive message for their peers (Pieter Remes).
Like all great music, Bongo Flava gives us a window into the lives of not only the individual but the collective. It is a lens through which we can better understand the hopes, dreams, grievances and plight of the youth. As Pieter Remes states ‘The youth have a limited political voice, however rap provides them with a platform to speak, a method to deliver a message, and a medium to participate in the social debate about what being Tanzanian means and where Tanzania is heading.’ Bongo Flava ties into the country’s past as well as its future. It raises debates on the post-colonial influence of the West on developing nations. If Tanzanians are copying American rappers, does this imply a cultural domination from the latter?
Traditionalists within African societies have often seen the adoption of western culture as an abandonment of their heritage and a way through which ex-colonialists can still exert power over their former colonies. However, I would argue that Bongo Flava should be seen as an example of the exact opposite. Sure, Tanzanians have been inspired by American hip hop artists and sure, early Bongo Flava used American lyrics and beats. However, if you look at the development of the genre it is clear there is a striking individuality and desire to imprint Tanzania’s own culture on the music. Bongo Flava is very much viewed as African music and there are some that question whether the genre can even be called hip hop anymore, due to the amount that it has been changed, to create something entirely new. Tanzanians have been able to marry the best aspects of Western culture with their own musical and dance traditions, which is the ultimate expression of post-colonial confidence.
Bongo Flava has developed from street corner rapping to the regional giant it is today, with tremendous cultural influence over all of East Africa. The genre will inevitably continue to grow and change, in response to the changing political and cultural landscape of Tanzania. Researching and learning more about Bongo Flava has proved a tremendously enjoyable and eye-opening experience. I would encourage anyone who reads this to listen to some Juma Nature, Gangwe Mob, Diamond Platinums or the many other Bongo Flava artists creating music, for it is both enjoyable and a unique look into young African lives.
