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This was during the FAO
1998 Telefood telecast that was aired live by two TV station throughout the
country from the Sheraton. Present were the First lady Mama Anna Mkapa, The
Zanzibar President Dr. Salmin Amour, The media tycoon Mr. Reginald Mengi,
the FAO representative to Tanzania Suleyman Mb'oob, World Food Program's
Irene Lacy, the retired football star John Fashanu and diplomats. KU went to
the stage to perform Msafiri and were later joined by the veteran
singer King Kikkii. Kikkii is the original composer of that song.
"It
was the biggest achievement to me seeing all these people listening and some
nodding to the hiphop beat. No one can deny that hiphop is now recognized by
everyone in the country".
Well
that's true because even the president was watching this live at Morogoro
and he greeted the nation. In short, Kwanza Unit took hiphop to another
level.
^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^
MSAFIRI,
SPARKING UP NOSTALGIA
In
swahili, Kwanza means first, and Kwanza Unit have always been the first
ones. They were the first local group to use scratch in their records. Now
they became the first to fuse hiphop beat with the afro Cuban beat, through Msafiri.
"When I first gave the idea everyone thought I was crazy, even the
producer himself Master J". Msafiri was planned to be the first
to be recorded but it was left to be the last.
But
when the producer succeeded in synchronizing the beats, everyone was crazy
including Master J, Tanzania's top ranking knob turner. Everyone wanted to
do a verse. The song contains a sample from a song earlier done by King
Kikkii. The chorus is reminiscent, the rhythm nostalgic, the message
underground. The single stayed at Radio Ones top positions for more than two
months, which is quite remarkable. The single is contained in
Kwanzanians album. Another single from this album
is Run Tings. Its video clip is off the hook. First it is
black and white. Secondly it is very raw, shot right there in the studio,
you can see the hand written lyrics, the rotating plastic wheels, a guitar
flashes by and MCs coming coolly on the mic. Above all, the song is funky.
It is one of the best videos produced within the country.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THE
KISWACENTRIC CONCEPT
Rhymeson
says the idea of KU is to make sure the concept and whole meaning of their
rhymes are centred in Kiswahili. They rhymes can be in English but should
never loose meaning when translated. "when I say my rhymes are fat
like an elephant, this is definitely Kiswacentric, you can't have something
like this from New York". Back in the days there was a local DJ who
used to translate the chant Ice Ice Baby into meaningless Barafu barafu
mtoto. Or others who translate the word player into mchezaji thus
loosing its meaning. This is because the whole concept of a player is not kiswacentric.
Kiswacentric aims to give hiphop a cultural image, relating hip hop with the
Tanzanian environment.
KWANZANIA,
A NEW NATION IS BORN
Rhymeson
says it is good thing now that people have felt the impact of Tanzanian
hiphop. He says they will keep on sampling from the old tunes, to bring the
old guard back into the scene. " Why sample from James Brown while
there is a lot of stuff down here ?". The biggest achievement to him
will be the realisation of
the
Kwanzanian nation, a nation whose cementing force is hiphop culture. It is
hiphop that will bind together the members of this nation. A unique nation
with its own way of life. Own culture, own values, own goals.
He says they can't force people to join them. KU knows its target
audience and whoever is down with them is a bona fide Kwanzanian. He denies
that KU represent the middle to upper class Dar Es Salaam residents.
"It's all wrong. I, for one come from Temeke, we call it TMK"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHIEF
RHYMESON LIVE AT ROCKERS
"When
we started it was really tough/ no support from the media/ criticisms from
the public and so on/ then came the FM radios and TV stations/ and things
started to change/ a biggest moment was when were invited to perform at the
Telefood Telecast/ at The Sheraton/ attended by the first lady Mama Anna
Mkapa/ the Zanzibar president Dr. Salmin Amour/ businessmen and diplomats/
it was the biggest achievement for me seeing all these peolple listening and
some nodding to the hiphop beat/ no one can deny that hiphop is now
recognized in the country/ it was on that day that a line in Kwanzanian page
got fulfilled, that:.. For so many years we been doing this/ from
underground to the clubs/ Back to the concrete clubs/ Straight up mental
style...". on that day people felt the new dimensions digitally/
spiritually and musically".
MAAAD
PROPS FROM KU: To all the people who support us. To DJ Bonny Love and
the Clouds family; Nuff respect to Master J; To Patrick Kamera, Piku, Kaniki
(Nuff love); Nuff respect to the Soundcrafters and everyone supporting the
family.
September
1999 Rockers meet K Single at Kilimanjaro Hotel's Pool Side : it
is the launching of Mr II's much awaited album, Nje Ya Bongo. K Singo
is destined to be the MC. Off stage he bumps into Rockers. "You know
what I said about keeping it real can bring a lot of confusion. Today I may
be talking about drinking Coca Cola because that's what I can afford. But
once I get much money I may start drinking Alize. Then I can talk about
Alize in my lyrics. Today I cannot talk about driving Mercedes while in real
life I travel in Daladalas But in the future I might afford to buy a
Mercedes. Then I can talk about Mercedes in my lyrics and I'll still be
real. That should never be taken as a contradiction in my lyrics. It is all
about reality".
November
1999, Rockers receives an E-mail from Chief Rhymson, All the way from
Toronto: Chief
Rhymson was told by someone in Toronto that Rockers is on the internet. He
sent Rockers an e-mail. He says that for the first time Tanzanian artists
have got a media they can rely upon. "For the first time I have read an
un-cut interview, no gimmicks" he says. "I have been with
Tanzanian media for more than five years, I have never seen something like
this (KU article)". He says peolple in Toronto could not believe that
there are such talented youth in Tanzania. "Keep it up wazee" he
finishes.
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