BONGO FLAVA: SWAHILI RAP FROM TANZANIA | FLY | AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: REVIEWS

This isn't a safe, stylised and exportable version -- these artists and their sounds are pounding the nation's airwaves as we speak.

The first track, 'Umoja wa Tanzania' by Juma Nature stands as a sort of anthem, a reminder to any listener that Bongo Flava is more than a music style but a mouth piece for and to the youth. In this track Juma Nature celebrates his roots, his country and the sense of unity Tanzanians enjoy. This may seem like a clichÈ to a non-African, but considering the state of play on the continent it is something to be celebrated. Juma Nature's rap flows easily, accompanied by simple synthesised drum beats, keyboard, guitar and violin -- it's rap in its purest form. The words and rap rhythms take centre stage and have such a strong sense of story-telling that the roots of rap are right there to hear.

The difference between LWP Majitu and the rest of the featured tracks is huge. LWP stands for Live With Purpose -- these guys are seen as the wild boys of Bongo Flava. The rapping is 'hardcore' -- harder, slower and harsher than any of the other tracks on the album.

Sista P, the only female rapper featured on the album and one of very few in the Bongo Flava scene, pounds her way through her track 'Anakuja (She's Coming)'. She fights her corner with fast aggressive rapping backed up by synthesised drumbeats, charting her career with clever word play and rhythms and she shows she's a force to be reckoned with.

The last track on the album comes from X-Plastaz who are from Northern Tanzania, near the heartland of the Maasai people -- a self-contained tribe with their own language and identity fiercely guarded by its people. By creating 'Maasai Hip hop' and incorporating Maasai chanting and sounds X-Plastaz are taking Bongo Flava in a totally new direction. The rap booms out, complemented by the unique pitch of Maasai singing and deep acapella chanting. An exciting head-bobbing mix.

Out Here Records should be applauded for what could be seen as a risky release but there will be many Tanzanians out there saying 'I told you so'.

Bongo Flava: Swahili Rap from Tanzania released by Out Here Records.
Visit their site for more info on www.outhere.de
The album is distributed by Sterns Music www.sternsmusic.com

Further reading:
See our feature on Who's Who in Bongo Flava, and the feature on The Evolution of East African Music as well as the recent Mapito review.

i think rap in tanzania needs to stop being gay with there ryhems and talk more shit that gangster will like were getting fed up with girls wait till i holla back in zanzibar and dar ill drop and album for de homeboiz

hi what is up ?hay marapa wa bongo jaribu kukamuwa kisawa sawa,na kama huwezi achia ngazi watu tunataka hisiya sio upuzi kazi ngumu inaza matunda, sawa mchizi ,kuwa juu kama sugu mchizi wenu phil sydney australia

I would love to join more Tanzanian websites’, but I don’t no any.. really good ones…. Can anyone help me out.

p.s a small comment for the NIGGA thug; grow up and look around you…your comments are ignorant and stupid!!! it wouldn’t surprise me if your not gay yourself… come out the closet maifren….

hey vijana zetu mambozi? o’pe not bad jus let u kno dat i’m really impressed with u guyz and i mean it

n-way dnt worry wat plp say
watasema mchana na usiku watalala ao sio? so guyz keep it up we r on yr backs 4 n help lol

WELL DONE U LOT!!!

hi, mimi ni mbongo mwenzenu lakini naishi sweden sasa kaka yangu alinitumia cd ya nyimbo zenu yaani huku wazungu wanaipenda ile mbaya sasa nilikuwa naomba contact ya mr.blue kwani wanataka kuwasiliana naye sina mengi

Bravo Bongo flava and the bongos thats more than perfection ur rap songs are romatic and teach alot in life we should focus more in distribution of such kind of knowledge and moral to those who dont know, for the past three years MUMEWATISHIA wa KENYA they will never reach ur level …..cheers to kigweno,Feroz,Juma Nature, Bushoke,Prof. J,Ray C,and the rest

This is nice, but we would like to see Mr.Blue,and many other Tanzanian Musicians. Wawaa fagilia Bongo.We would like to see more pictures please. Other than that tis is a good website. We would to holla at Uncle Philemon and friends in Bukoba,Tanzania.From the CO.a.k.a. the USA
peace out to all my peoples Tanzania and the USA.

sio siri muziki wa bongo unatisha kinyama yani, am so proud of my country tanzania. sasa nyie haters kama mnaona bongo flava inaboa si muache kusikiliza!!! if u cant handle the heat just get the hell of out of the kitchen, acheni kuua wakati nyie hamna lolote hata kuimba hamjui, waacheni wenye hiyo nafasi washamiri.mtasema saaaaaana usiku lazima mtie mbavu. this is for u haters!!

keep the East Coast floating keep all Wanainchi rocking. i will like to hear more political stuff young people respect and listen to you all over the coast keep it positive and bring about political change in the region.

peace

dustyfoot

Wasap Bongo Niggaz

masela na machizi wote wa bongo flava na kufagilieni Mazee mambo poa!!!
Tunakoma na mistari yenu vitu bab K.

Ngwea> mikasi and Bling bling is the great tune!! Dooog u score.
Misosi!! where r u! come back nigga!! umetumaliza na kitu chako mazee! Ntoke vipi!!

keep it real all bongoMcs!!!
PEACE&LOVE
ABS G>CHIC,USA

Masela what’zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz up?
Our music ie BONGO FLAVOUR ni nzuri ila tujitahidi kuwasaidia wasanii kwani kazi wanayofanya ni nzuri ila tatizo ni jinsi unavyokuwa produced na mshiko bila kusahau tupende kutumia vyombo vya mziki,sio kinanda tuuuu.NITUMIENI OTHER WEBSITES
ZA BONGO.henryarson@yahoo.com
POA MASELA
TCHAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Hi masela wale wanaosema mr.blue anajipodoa wana wivu tu mr blue sasa ndio mkali wa new bongo flava everybody knows that right?:P anyway -yeah halafu kama inawezekana kupata contact na mr blue jamani watu watu wanataka kuendeleza kipaji chake pia nchi za nje;)

Yo Yow.. !! mazee vp // foreal .. nipo u lakini na miss bongo kinomaaa .. hapa kumamazao watu weupe ni machoko .. na miss masela .. hamna sehemu kama bongo .. una kula unatembea unakunya na unalala .. kama kuna demu yoyote aliyetoka bongo upo uk plz holla mimi nataka nioe mbongo ..!!!

hi there wud really appreciate if you guyz send me this pictures of this fine mamawho have sang this song nalia kwa furaha with this dude called bushoke
Will really appretiate
Thanx in advance
ps am inlove with her from the time i saw her on televitoin

Ya man, napenda sana muziki lakini Bongo flavour artist wengi wanachengua .Sababu hawaimbi manzali halisi ya bongo. Wanageza sana ,mfano mtu anaimba `am driving BIMA“ Wakati hana hata gari na kwao wana LAND ROVER tena la baba.
LET KEEP REAL WITH OUR NATURE.MY SELF NAWAFAGILIA SANA HARBOUZ CREW-NI WAPYA LAKINI WAMO TENA DEEP VIBAYA MNO.
ONE LOVE.

oyaa asa ndo’ mchongo gani brazakaka unachukulia poa maisha nini asa waha wanusiana nini n ur music watu kama nyie ndo’mana mkija mabichi tunawachapa nao wa mbavu d.c a.k.a hussain boy a.k.a baharia my tribe z muha[kgm]n i don give fuck,been there gun dat flag la chuma speed tanali kama unayaweza njoo chaka uliwe kishuz juma nature ride them boy 3 time change their 4 fucksick keep it real JN uk tunakuskiliza

Hello my name is John-Peter.
would you please send me some music from my coutry

Thank you very much I will be very happy

My coutries favorite music are Tanzanian and Burundian. I am waiting Passionly.

Ebwana eeh WABONGO sasa kama NYC au Saint Lunatics vile wanatisha kwa pamba na muziki ndo usiseme wanakimbiza vibaya kama AY FID Q,STAN BOY,GK,MWANA FA, ISMAIL kutoka kundi la WASHIKAJI, MANGW-AIR, NOORAH M TO THE P,MEZ B,SHERIF,JAY MOE,PROF JEEZO,DULLY SYKES,HOT GIRLS MR.BLUE na MATONYA ni baadhi tu ya WABONGO Wanaokaza buti ktk anga ya muziki wa kizazi kipya

KAmueni wazeeeee, DUNIA YEEEETU HIIII.WAS UP TO MAMEN
KERO, ZINDE, KINGO, MWANZA, OCTA, DANI, WAITARA, MANP, BAMVUA, MARTINI, MARKET, BUSHOKE, EDO, KAMALEKI, MAJANI, NON SHOBO, MDENI, BIG CHURA, T.O, GAZA STRIP, MASAWE, KDINGI MRUMA, PROMOTA NA MASELAAAAAA WOOTE BILA KUSAHAU MAKUKU YOT

Oyaaa wabongo mlioko marekani kutukana sio dili wala nini huku bongo tumeshaacha mambo hayo nyie mfagilie msifagilie sie tunapeta tu maisha yamewashinda huku ndo maana mkaondoka sisi mambo saaaafi kichizi BONGO HOYEEE viva BONGO viva BONGO FLAVA

napenda sana kuona maendeleo ya wabonga lakini walio wengi wakipata juna kidogo wanaanza kuringa na dharau pia wanakuwa na tabia za kiajabu sana naomba tujitahidi wote kwa ujumla tushirikiane na tuwe kitu kimoja hapo tutainua jina la bonga flavour

I love this site very much because when i listened this music,i remembered my friends when we were together in Tanzania but i missed my friends when i came in United state so i want to thank for link this web on internet. i will together to spent alot of time with my favorite bongo flavor while i’m in united state of amarican.

salam kwa wa sanii wote wa bongo lakini wazo langu nikusema kwamba mimi nashangaa kwamba mnakata tamaa naku dharauliana nakupigana nakutukanana kwenye music sio vizuri
asanteni sina mengi yakuandika salam kwa Gk.
na AY.

I great all the tanzanian people. My name is medali raphael I wrote this message from Australia perth. I want to ask you all the gainster of Tanzania why you like to fight in music that is not good because all you are the some coulor and you all living in the some country. don’t fight and abease each other. I would like to great GK,AY,mwana FA and Juma Nature.
And thankyou for your patiant and read my E-mail.

me person,u beta call me da-prime,
Mimi kilasiku nikiwana rafiki zangu na tukianza kuongelea issue za wasanii huwa ninawapa kraiteria” za msanii ambaye mimi binafsi huwa ninamuona kuwa ni mfuniko “kraiteria” moja wapo kati hizo ni mkongwe yeyote ambaye bado anaekzist kwenye game basi yeye ni noma na msanii yeyote “krietivu” yaani ambye anatoa mawazo ambayo siyo rahisi kuyafikiria mtu wa kawaida kwa maelezo hayo machache kwanini usiwakubali prof.J,Mwna F.a,G.K,A.Y jos mtambo, na wengine ambao wapo ndani yaile kraiteria yetu? na kwa magroup ni group ambayo ina watu “walioelimika” najua kwa watu ambao hamjaelimika mtatafsiri kwamaana ya kwenda shule,no kuwaza+kujua mambo mengi ya maendeleo sasa kwanini wasiwe ECT??? wanaume niliwaona tangu muda mrefu nikajua tu kuwa wanatest kuwa na group na ndo hivyo wameshashindwa kwa marafiki zangu wa karibu wanajua nilivyokuwa nikiongea kuhusu hawa wanaojiita wanaume.
Nilishawahi kuongea na baadhi ya marafiki zangu wakiwemo Ernest na Jof Mtambo nikawaambia swala la hawa vijana kujiita kuwawenyewe ni wanaume wanamaanisha waakina nani ni wanawake? halafu hata hivyo kwanini wawashushe wanawake kiasi hicho na wakati hata mama zao ni wanawake? hawaoni kama watapata laana za mama zao bila ya wenyew kujijua? kama hiyo haikutosha nikaongezea kuwa leo wanajiona kuwa wenyewe ni wanaume,kesho kuna baadhi ya wanume haohao watawaona wenzao kuwa ni wanawake then the same formula will be applied until he came a real mwanaume mi nawashauri waache kudisplay ujinga wao,na kuna muda nahisi au wanatushika maskio tu kumbe wenyewe wanajkua wanafanya nini? aaaaaaah mi staki niumize kichwa changu next time tutaonana.

hata mimi namuunga bwana geofrey lakini nachangia mawazo wazo langu nikwamba AY apunguze meno hapa ambapo nipo kuna butcher lakupunguza meno.kwasababu akiimba tena hivyo atauma mic.Na GK punguza kigugumizi kwasababu umesha ambukiza kigugumizi mpaka miguuni
salam kwa wasanii wote namimi nina rangi nyeusi msijali juma nature mbona unazidi kukaa temeke huko ni porini sana njoo dar-es-salam bwana tuendeleze fun.

Nawapa mkono wa tahani wana bongo kwa utunzi wenu mwema. Mie nafurahia sana naposikiza mziki huu ulioenda shule, mziki ulikomaa na mziki teule.
Hongera.
Je, nawezaje pata maandishi ya nyimbo za mbongo? Je, kunayo tovuti au vipi?

vipi wanaume wa east coast mbona mmelala hau bado mnatunga sheria. lakini GK mistari imekupiga chenga kweli mpaka unaanzakutapika, kama mziki wa sauti ya manka kweli haukufanya chochote kweli labda AY pekeyake tu.

DazMwalim nilidhani kigogo kile cha namba 8 nichako kumbe ulikipiga loba sindio kumbe nivizuriwamekutimua kwenye kundi ungewaleteamatitizo zaidi Ferooz umefanyavizuri kwa kumtimua Dazmwalim.Hata Raphael anaungamkono

Wana music watannzania mbona unapenda majina yanao fanana naya wanamusic wa USA kwamfaano Snoop Dogg nawengineo wakimarekani ninyi watanzania mnataka kuma kufuta majina ya wa USA huko kwenu utasikia Mb Dogg nawengineo siwajui mnafwalilza na mindundo navinginevyo…

Hi Alikiba,Mine goes to Aly kiba kwa wimbo wake wa Cinderella .Mazee hapo ulifanya vitu vyako vya kutosha. Also it has some good teachings. Si upende Dem au Chalii halafu akulenge then after sometime sa ile umepata mshikaji wako wa nguvu .Anakuita eti” Can i talk to u plz” No way. Congrats alykiba .Am Tabu from Voi.{ remember railway club in Voi}