In the male-dominated field of Hip Hop, Ssaru(Sylvia Saru) is a fresh breath of air for the scene. With 55 thousand monthly listeners on spotify, she does, in fact have a consistent following/platform. She has a powerful delivery that caused her to blow up back in 2019 from her witty freestyles. The song I would like to highlight today is her 2024 song Maintain(Ivo Ivo), one of her most popular songs with over 1 million streams on the music app Spotify.

What makes the song special is that it is not just the catchy beat that people like. The way Ssaru takes control of the song with her energy and intention is what really makes the song stand out. The part that is the most noticeable is her voice. Ssarus’ voice is sharp, rhythmic, and goes well with the song.

The song is about being confident and strong and not giving up when things get tough. This idea she spreads is one of positivity, while also being powerful. She does not apologize for it because the social norm for women in hip-hop is often expected to act in certain ways.

Ssaru is also part of a change in hip-hop. More and more women are making music. Changing what the genre of African hip-hop is about. She is showing that women can be successful in hip-hop without having to fit into brackets and guidelines.

Ssaru is part of a movement that is helping people see artists from East Africa. People are getting more interested in music from Africa, from countries like Kenya. As people become more open to kinds of music and cultures, artists like Ssaru can do well without having to change who they are. Maintain (Ivo Ivo) is an example of how music can be both local and global at the same time.