Tag: Swahili
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Highlighting Tanzania’s female lyricist
Though there isn’t much on the internet to go off of for Chemical Flo, a.k.a. Claudia Lubao, her energy and spirit come through very clearly in her work. Today I’m going to look at Chemical Flo’s song Mary Mary. First, Chemical Flo’s mix of Swahili and English is much more subtle and quick than other…
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Hip Hop African Podcast Episode 58: The Tanzanian and Diaspora Artists Behind The Lounge Tanzania Mixtape
The Lounge Tanzania Mixtape Volume 1 is a project that brings together Tanzanian and Diaspora singers, rappers, and poets. The project features artists that are internationally known, as well as artists just starting their careers. In this conversation with seven of the artists, we talk about the evolution of the project and how the project…
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Celebrating Tanzania’s new Generation of Sound: The Lounge Tanzania releases its first mixtape
Celebrating Tanzania’s New Generation of Sound, The Lounge Tanzania Releases Its First Mixtape and It’s a Must Listen The Lounge Tanzania Mixtape Vol. 1: The Modern Voice of Bongo in 17 Tracks “The Lounge Tanzania Mixtape is an amazing body of work. The level of talent and skills displayed on the Mixtape has surpassed most…
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HHAP Episode 57: Octopizzo on Hip Hop, Refugees, and POlice Brutality in Kenya
An MC, activist, and actor, Octopizzo was born in Nairobi, in the notorious Kibera slums, one of the largest slums in the world. His mixtape and album releases include: The Come Up V 1 (2008; Mixtape), El Classico (2014; Mixtape), Chocolate City (2014; album), LDPC (2015; album), Refugeenius (2016, album), and Next Year (2018; album).…
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La Fete- Falz
Folarin Falana, better known by his stage name Falz, is a Nigerian hip hop artist, songwriter and actor. He is well-known by his collaborated acts with the Nigerian star, Yemi Alade. The video above is Falz’s song entitled “La fete”. In this song, he incorporates different languages including: Yoruba, French, Swahili, and the Nigerian dialect “Pidgin…
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The face of Kenya’s Hip Hop Scene: Khaligraph Jones
Khaligraph Jones a.k.a Papa Jones born Brian Robert Ouka is an influential Kenyan Rapper who came to the scene when he was 19 years old, during ‘The 2009 Channel ‘O’ MC Africa Challenge’. Tracing his roots from Kayole, Nairobi, this artist had humble beginnings and has used that to shape his music and sound which…
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HHAP Episode 32: Wakazi Bringing Bilingual & Bicultural Elements to Tanzanian Hip-Hop Culture
Wakazi is a bilingual Tanzanian hip hop artist. He grew up in Dar es Salaam, but spent several years in the United States, where he was active in the Chicago hip hop scene. Like many MCs who spend several years abroad, when he returned to Tanzania he had to prove himself on the local scene.…
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HHAP Episode 30: Hip Hop Producer Duke on Boombap & Hip Hop Production in Tanzania
This is an interview with Tanzanian hip hop producer Duke, founder of M Lab records, Tamaduni Muzik, and the Hip Hop Kilinge (cypher). The interview is mostly in SWAHILI, but we switch back & forth a lot. The Hip Hop African podcast celebrates the various elements of hip hop, but this is our first interview…
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Stella Mwangi’s Koolio
Today I picked Kenyan-Norweigan rapper Stella Mwangi because I thought she ties in all of the themes we talked about in class very well. Additionally, I believe that her use of language in her song Koolio is interesting and bridges two different cultures together.