East African urban music

East African urban music is a popular music genre of the three countries customarily grouped as "East Africa": Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The genre is basically an offshoot of western popular music, particularly hip hop and funk, somewhat influenced by more traditional African music. Kapuka, genge, and bongo flava are some of the sub-genres which have arisen in this style.

Description and history

The three countries involved in this genre share a common colonial history and close cultural and linguistic relationships. Especially since the 1960s popular musicians have shared their talents across the borders of the three nations and helped move the music of the area from traditional to benga/rumba and now Afro-urban music.

Musicians of the early 1990s, including Tedd Josiah (Kenya), P-Funk (Tanzania) and Steve Jean (Uganda), began to combine western influences with the area's more traditional popular music. Local radio stations were at first reluctant to experiment with this new music, until privately operated FM stations began to appear and needed new material to establish a market niche. By 2000 urban music groups like X-plastaz (Tanzania) and Kalamashaka (Kenya) had developed local followings and were beginning to tour abroad.

Production houses specializing in the genre — such as Ogopa Djs, Swahili Entertainment Africa, Samawati, Home Boyz and Bongo Records — have emerged. Problems with financing and technical infrastructure have hampered development, and the industry generally lacks executives well-versed in the music business. Some groups like Ukoo Flani Mau Mau, a slum-based hip hop organization with members from Kenya and Tanzania founded by the group Kalamashaka, have attempted to further development of the industry with the help of Foundation UpToYouToo.

In 2004 the Kilio Cha Haki, A Cry for Justice compilation appeared, featuring Rha Goddess, a performing artist and socio-political activist based in New York. Swahili Entertainment Inc. and Nomadic Wax Records combined in late 2004 to start the distribution and publishing of East African urban music. Other companies like Bab Kubwa and Project 254 Records are also working to develop and expand the market for this music. This uprise of this music can be well seen in the documentary HIP HOP Colony.

External links

• National Geographic web site on African music, including links to East African countries and their contemporary popular music