Bongo Flava

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Bongo Flava is a nickname for Tanzanian hip hop music. The genre, which is based out of the city of Dar es Salaam, takes its name from the Swahili word 'ubongo,' meaning “brains” [1]. Bongo Flava incorporates Afrobeat and arabesque melodies, dancehall and hip hop beats, Swahili lyrics and English phrases, combining aspects of the global hip hop scene with an East African flavor to form a unique style of music [2]. The genre has immense popularity, reflected in the Tanzanian media outlets dedicated to the promotion of Bongo Flava. "TV and radio programs are dedicated to Bong Flava, which is also reflected in the sales figures of some of hip hop albums."[3] Outside of its historical home of Tanzania, Bongo Flava has become a resoundingly popular sound in neighboring countries such as Kenya[4], which has a comparatively better hip hop scene. Bongo Flava has even found a home outside of the African continent: the self-proclaimed "best internet station for Bongo Flava,"[5] Bongo Radio, happens to be based out of Chicago, Illinois.

Although Bongo Flava has been a hit in the United States as well, the sound remains particularly unique. 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"[6]. 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”[7]. The very African roots and identity of this genre of music reveal its political nature and are problematic to the fact that “the biggest stars of the genre are now setting their sights on northern hemisphere”[8]. Artists often strive for global success and mass appeal despite their very African roots with their “mixture of Afrobeat and arabesque melodies, dancehall and hip hop beats, Swahili lyrics, and a low budget European production style” [9]. Bongo Flava “mixes up a whole host of styles and influences from Black American music…its 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”[10]. Bongo Flava often incorporates social themes such as HIV/AIDS and community struggles, in a form sometimes characterized as "edutainment."[11] However 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.[12]

Popular Bongo Flava artists include Juma Nature, Professor Jay and Dully Sykes, the former of whom was featured on the 2004 recording "Bongo Flava: Swahili Rap from Tanzania," produced by Out Here Records[13] Other artists featured on the same album include X-Plastaz, a northern Tanzanian group who have developed their own sub-genre within Bongo Flava known as Massai Hip Hop.[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bongo Flava :: Tanzanian Hiphop Fusion Onine :: Swahili Music
  2. ^ Mueller, Gavin. "Bongoflava: The Primer." Stylus Magazine, 12 May 2005
  3. ^ Quade, Birgit and Martin, Lydia. "Top of the Hip Hops Bongo Flava and more in Dar es Salaam, 2004." <http://www.afropop.org/multi/feature/ID/426/Dar+es+Salaam-Hip+Hop-2004>
  4. ^ Mueller, Gavin. "Bongoflava: The Primer." Stylus Magazine, 12 May 2005.
  5. ^ "About Us." Bongo Radio. 2004. 6 March 2006. <http://www.bongoradio.com/aboutus.htm>
  6. ^ Bongo Flava :: Tanzanian Hiphop Fusion Onine :: Swahili Music
  7. ^ Bongo Flava :: Tanzanian Hiphop Fusion Onine :: Swahili Music
  8. ^ Mueller, Gavin. "Bongoflava: The Primer." Stylus Magazine, 12 May 2005
  9. ^ Mueller, Gavin. "Bongoflava: The Primer." Stylus Magazine, 12 May 2005.
  10. ^ Bongo Flava :: Tanzanian Hiphop Fusion Onine :: Swahili Music
  11. ^ Top of the Hip Hops
    Bongo Flava and more in Dar es Salaam, 2004
  12. ^ Top of the Hip Hops
    Bongo Flava and more in Dar es Salaam, 2004
  13. ^ Martin, Lydia. "Bongo Flava: Swahili Rap from Tanzania (CD review)." Afropop <http://www.afropop.org/explore/album_review/ID/2604/Bongo+Flava:+Swahili+Rap+from+Tanzania>
  14. ^ Bongo Flava: Swahili Rap from Tanzania