Bongo Flava has not only established itself as a genre reflecting the life experiences of the region but also as the new language of modern East Africa.
By Frank Njugi
Phillip Lopate, the American film critic and essayist, is known for introspecting on the suspect nature of the whole notion of a “golden age”. Lopate argues that it invites the sentimentality of fuddy-duddies who can’t seem to feel comfortable in the present and who discount the value of youthful creativity.
In music, the term has been tarnished by relentless repetition, and its previous sparkle has faded to a hollow echo of its former brilliance. However, in East Africa, one genre of music stands as an outlier, with no single period in its history considered more significant than the others.
Bongo Flava, a genre of music that originated in Tanzania during the late 1990s and early 2000s, is East Africa’s most renowned musical export. It is characterised by its use of Swahili lyrics and incorporates intricate rhythms and polyrhythms, hallmarks of East African musical traditions such as Taarab, alongside foreign soundscapes like Afrobeat, jazz, and Western pop.
With its name derived from ‘Bongo’, a slang term for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s capital city, and ‘Flava’, interpolated from the English word ‘flavour’, the genre has, for around three decades, not only achieved cultural and commercial success but has also come to be viewed as part of East African high art and the height of musical sophistication.
The birth of Bongo Flava can be credited to the arrival of American Hip-Hop and R&B recordings in Tanzania in the 1980s. Initially, high import duties on foreign music made these recordings expensive and accessible mainly to wealthier Tanzanians. Consequently, those with access to these foreign recordings in the early years were predominantly individuals from affluent backgrounds.
The liberalisation of media and a reduction in import duties in the 1990s played a crucial role in democratising access to Black American music. As media became more accessible, local artistes were able to experiment with and incorporate rap and R&B into their music more freely.
Bongo Flava emerged when the liberalisation allowed recordings to reach the hands of middle-class youth from Kinondoni District in Dar es Salaam. These youths mimicked the music they listened to and performed Swahili versions at beach concerts, local concert halls, and rap competitions. The first influential artiste to come out of these performing venues was Saleh Jabir, who rapped and later recorded Swahili lyrics over the instrumentals of Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby.”
Jabir’s rendition of this first hip-hop single to top the Billboard charts became the first rap song to receive airplay on Tanzanian radio. The original “Ice Ice Baby” borrowed its instrumental from Queen’s 1981 hit “Under Pressure”, a soundscape that connects to Freddie Mercury’s childhood in Zanzibar, which is part of Tanzania.
During the 1990s, Jabir’s work with “Ice Ice Baby” inspired other Tanzanian artistes, such as The Mac Mooger, Mr 11, and the Kwanza Unit Crew, to explore the African-American soundscapes now more accessible and release Swahili variations of the music. However, during this period, Bongo Flava was a genre whose melodies whispered of brilliance yet to be fully realised. Nevertheless, these early years saw notable hits like 1997’s “Run Tingz”, 1998’s “Sema Nao”, and 1999’s “Nje Ya Bongo”.
The turn of the century saw the rise of artistes such as Professor Jay, Ray C, and eventually Ali Kiba, who, among others, established Bongo Flava as the voice of Tanzanians. This genre resonated with the collective spirit and experiences of Swahili-speaking communities through heartfelt lyrics and timeless melodies.
The 2000s saw Tanzanian artistes releasing chart-topping singles, coinciding with Black American music, especially Hip-Hop, solidifying its position as a dominant influence on global youth culture. Bongo Flava, in particular, played a significant role in exploring Tanzanian social issues such as HIV/AIDS, wealth inequality, and political corruption. The genre gained massive popularity by capturing the pulse of societal struggles and triumphs, reflecting these themes in every beat and lyric.
Professor Jay made his debut with the ten-track rap album, Machozi Jasho Na Damu, which acted as a prologue to an era where he would establish himself as one of Bongo Flava’s and Swahili Rap’s biggest stars. Throughout the decade, he released notable tracks such as “Zali Za Mentali” (2003) and “Nikusaidiaje” (2007), both now considered Bongo Flava classics.
Alongside Professor Jay, Ray C also made her mark, demonstrating that female artistes could thrive in Bongo Flava despite the genre’s historically male-dominated landscape. Her songs: “Uko Wapi” (2003), “Wanifuatia Nini” (2003), and “Sogea Sogea” (2006) are celebrated as some of the best Bongo Flava tracks of all time.
Other Tanzanian artistes who made significant contributions during the 2000s include the East Coast Team, comprising Tanzanian A-list stars such as MwanaFA, AY, and Gk, who released the hit song “Habari Ndio Hiyo” (2008). Other notable acts were TID, Zanto, and Matonya, who achieved massive success with singles like “Zeze” (2003), “Binti Kiziwi” (2009), and “Vaileti” (2009), respectively.
Ali Kiba, Bongo Flava’s first international star, released his legendary track “Cinderella” in 2007. Just a year later, he collaborated with R. Kelly, Fally Ipupa, and other African musicians on the One 8 project, marking the biggest international feature for Bongo Flava at that time.
“Cinderella” became the biggest-selling record in East Africa in the year leading up to its release, and Ali Kiba’s 2009 album, Ali K 4 Real, continued to deliver mega-hits and best-selling Bongo Flava singles, including “Nakshi Mrembo” and “Usiniseme”.
While earlier variations of Bongo Flava had become a powerful voice of the people, channeling their struggles, triumphs, and aspirations through dynamic rhythms and impactful storytelling, Ali Kiba’s Bongo music transcended the genre’s national origins and made it a regional phenomenon. His releases earned him the title of King of Bongo Flava.
Around 2011, Ali Kiba took a hiatus from the music industry. During this period, a singer who would later become the most decorated music artiste in East and Central Africa, Diamond Platnumz, emerged on the scene. Having released the hit single “Kamwambie” in 2010, he enjoyed a meteoric rise as his soulful voice and poignant lyrics quickly established him as the region’s musical sensation. Between 2011 and 2014, Platnumz released hit songs such as “Mawazo,” “Zigo” featuring East Coast Team member AY, and “Number One.”
If Ali Kiba’s contribution had been tuning a niche genre into a regional sensation, bridging cultural gaps and making this Tanzanian pop music a regional phenomenon with unprecedented international appeal, with his approach to Bongo Flava, Diamond Platnumz not only redefined the genre but also elevated its commercial viability, setting new standards for success in the industry.
In the second half of the 2010s, Platnumz and artistes from his record label, Wasafi Classic Baby (WCB), which included Harmonize, Rayvanny, Mbosso, Zuchu, Lava Lava, Queen Darleen, and D Voice, ruled the airwaves with hit singles such as 2016’s “Kwetu”, 2017’s “Kijuso” and “Happy Birthday”, and 2019’s “Wana” and “Kainama” featuring Burna Boy. It would seem as though Platnumz was competing with Ali Kiba, who had returned to the industry in 2014 with another legendary song, “Mwana” and subsequently released other mega-hits through the years such as 2015’s “Chekecha Cheketua”, 2016’s “Aje”, and 2018’s “Kadogo”.
It is well understood that the core phenomenon of musical culture is evolution, with sonic trends changing over time as new music-making mechanisms emerge and previously unheard artistes introduce fresh sounds into the local scene and, eventually, to the world.
In the realm of Afro-Pop, the global perception of African music has shifted with the rise of Amapiano’s distinctive blend of deep house and piano influences from South Africa, and Afrobeats’ infectious rhythms from Nigeria. These genres have captivated audiences worldwide and reshaped how contemporary African sounds are viewed.
In the 2020s, the Bongo Flava soundscape appears to be evolving as Swahili artistes incorporate the rhythmic complexities and vibrant beats of Afrobeats and Amapiano into their music. This dynamic fusion enriches Bongo Flava’s sound and broadens its appeal across the African continent. Artistes such as Harmonize have released Afrobeats and Amapiano-influenced songs that have become major hits, including “Teacher” (2021) and “Mang’dakiwe” (2021).
We also have artistes who have fully embraced one of the two genres and established Swahili variations of them, representing the vibrant and evolving African music scene that reflects Africa’s rich culture and its influence on global music trends. A prime example is the duo Navy Kenzo, comprised of Aika, a female singer and rapper, and Nahreel, a singer and award-winning producer. They have released notable tracks such as 2022’s “Mazense” and 2023’s “Company”.
Bongo Flava has not only established itself as a genre reflecting the life experiences of the region but also as the new language of modern East Africa. It serves as a soundscape for those living in a digital age, when the world is more curious than ever about our stories. Its beauty lies in its power to capture the essence of the experiences of Swahili-speaking people, using their own authentic language, Kiswahili.
This is why the genre is East Africa’s soundtrack. As this soundtrack continues to evolve, the horizon shimmers with promise and whispers of innovation suggest a future where boundless creativity within the Bongo Flava sound may continue to reign.
Frank Njugi is a Kenyan Writer, Culture journalist and Critic who has written on the East African and African culture scene for platforms such as Debunk Media, Republic Journal, Sinema Focus, Culture Africa, The Elephant, Wakilisha Africa, The Moveee, Africa in Dialogue, Afrocritik and others. He tweets as @franknjugi.