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)
Afrolution Out Now!
May 27, 2006 | Leave a Comment
AFROLUTION VOL. 1 – Out 26 June 2006
‘Afrolution Vol. 1′ epitomises the birth of a new movement fuelled by a fervent desire to create space for new expression in global hip-hop. The CD/DVD compilation serves as the grand inauguration to African hip-hop and no doubt will occupy a historical reference point for the future of this new genre.
With hip-hop boasting a copious amount of sub genres – commercial, gangsta, conscious, Latino and UK hip-hop to name just a few – why would anyone take another new genre like African hip-hop seriously? Judging by the CD it will be by the sheer quality and innovation of the music and thus will appeal to both hip-hop lovers and curious urbanites.
With Africa being such a diverse continent with many cultural dynamics and influences, it was never going to be an easy task putting this album together. After much in-depth research the final 13 tracks that made it onto the compilation display an eclectic mix of styles. It features tracks by artists from eight African countries, both Anglophone and Francophone: Kenyan producer/writer/ performer Wawesh , Tanzania’s Maasai hip-hop group X Plastaz , UK-based Nigerian award-winners JJC & 419 Squad , Malawi’s Real Elements , Smokey from Gambia, from Senegal Omzo and the pioneering Pee Froiss , from South Africa innovators Cashless Society and Emile YX , and finally from Zimbabwe Metaphysics (plus side project Migrant Souls ), DKR (Divided Kingdom Republic) and Begotten Sun .
On the accompanying DVD there are six music videos plus some amazing footage from the B-Boy championships at the African Hip-Hop Indaba event in South Africa. There are also seven interviews with some of the artists featured on the compilation, plus other industry figures, such as Arrested Development’s Speech and Patrick Neate (award-winning British author of global hip-hop book ‘Where You’re At’) and UK’s premiere African DJ Eric Soul , all giving an insight into African hip-hop and also a perspective on how non-Africans view the scene.
‘Afrolution Vol.1′ shows that the cross-pollination of hip-hop ideology and African urban culture has given birth to a proud new generation of African artists embracing global music, while keeping true to their roots.
To download the album on Calabash Music click here!
Information courtesy of Trenton Birch and Ilka Schlockerman
Tanzanian Hip-Hop Compilation on Nomadic Wax!
May 26, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Bab Kubwa Media (Tanzania/UK based African Hip-Hop Label) has teamed up with Nomadic Wax for the release of Mapito – the illest Tanzanian Hip-Hop release of 2006..
Mapito brings you 16 Tracks of Swahili Hip Hop, featuring the likes of Tanzanian Bongo Flava legends – Sugu aka Mr 2, Solo Thang and Mr Ebbo, and a host of hot underground Mc’s from Dar es Salaam and Arusha.
The project started two years ago when Ralph Godden aka the Funkdisaster, made a visit to Grandmaster Records of Arusha to arrange a remix collaboration between GM Records’ artists and various musicians and producers from around the UK.
This was followed by Godden making a second visit to Tanzania, armed with a Laptop and a few mics. With help from Music Crossroads and a few fortunate encounters during Music Maydays B-Connected festival, a host of live underground MC’s were recorded.
Another six months of production brought all of this together in the album that is Mapito – a unique combination of Bongo and UK Flava. Hip Hop knows no borders.
Released by Bab Kubwa media and distributed by Nomadic Wax. All profits made from the sale of Maptio will be donated to the World Swim for Malaria Foundation.
To buy the CD click here….
To download songs from the album, click here…
For more about Bab Kubwa click here..
