New Ayatollah Record on Soundchron
August 1, 2006 | Leave a Comment
NEW AYATOLLAH INSTRUMENTAL RECORD FROM SOUNDCHRON!
AVAILIBLE AUGUST 8TH 2006!
For most hip hop fans, Ayatollah needs no introduction. Over the years, he’s produced many highly-respected underground hits, as well as gold selling records, for artists such as Rakim, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Ghostface Killah, Pharoahe Monch, Lloyd Banks and many others.
Ayatollah was a pioneer of soul and vocal sampling – much imitated, but never duplicated. His signature sound played a key part in the beat-driven explosion of underground hip hop 1990′s, for which he is regularly under credited .
Listen is the latest offering in Ayatollah ‘s impressive string of instrumental albums. Heard for years with rap’s most talented MC’s, Ayatollah continues to shine on his own as his soul samples, cracking drums and melodic keyboards create musical masterpieces .
East African Urban Release!
August 1, 2006 | Leave a Comment
NEW RELEASE FROM SWAHILI ENTERTAINMENT
This is a compilation representing the new Urban culture from Kampala ,Dar Es Salaam to Nairobi. Since the 60′s the three countries Uganda,Kenya and Tanzania have shared the same culture in music and now with the new rise in Afro-Urban music , East Africa has become a buzz with music.This compilation showcases the talents of various acts from all this countries.
In this volume we intended to introduce the world to one of Africa’s best kept secrets
” EAST AFRICAN URBAN REVOLUTION ”
A BRIEF HISTORY
Some may question why most define East African music in terms of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania but the reason is because of the three countries colonial roots and how since the 60s artists have been sharing their artistic abilities across the three borders. Since the 60s, the region ’s music has transformed from traditional to benga/rumba and now Afro-urban music.
To many, this new style came into the mainstream in the early 90s with people like Tedd Josiah (Kenya), P- Funk (Tanzania) and Steve Jean (Uganda), who were among the first producers to fuse the local music with some influences from the West. Although there was much production during this period, no local radio station were willing to take a chance on playing the locally produced music. This all changed around 1996 with the advent of private-run FM stations which were competing against each other — hence they needed new material to make them unique.
It has been over 10 years since this new movement started and a lot has been achieved, production houses like Ogopa Djs, Swahili Ent. Africa, Samawati, Home Boyz and Bongo Records have emerged. With these developments arise problems caused by lack of infrastructure and proper finances to make this emerging industry into a more vibrant one. Most of the people involved in the music industry in this region are not well-informed about the music business.
Moves are currently in place to enable the artists/producers learn more about the business side of the music. Groups like Ukoo Flani Mau Mau, a slum based hip hop outfit with members from Kenya and Tanzania founded by the legendary Hip Hop group Kalamashaka, have been educating their fellow artists on ways to better themselves in terms of production and strategy with the help of Foundation UpToYouToo.
In 2004 they were able to record the ground breaking Kilio Cha Haki, A Cry for Justice Compilation featuring Rha Goddess, a performing artist and social/political activist based in New York. As part of these moves, Swahili Entertainment Inc. and Nomadic Wax Records joined hands in late 2004 to start the distribution and publishing of East African Music. This relationship has led to other companies who have interests in the region like Bab Kubwa and Project 254 records joining in and hence making access to East African music more easy to the public.
More still needs to be done but East African Urban Music is on the rise.
Special Thanks to Mtaa FM ( East Africa’s #1 online radio)
