Thomas Mapfumo - Nyamutamba Nemombe

South Africa is one of the biggest dance music nations, and now it seems like the whole world is dancing along to its amapiano (piano/yanos) beats, a genre that blends its kwaito roots with house, jazz and its signature log drum.

Afropop Worldwide first explored amapiano’s origins and growing popularity in October 2020, since then, the genre has seen explosive growth outside of South Africa. A combination of factors, such as: a fresh unique sound, social media, the African diaspora, hard work, and a bit of luck at the right time, has put Amapiano on the global stage. 

Amapiano is proving to be a genre that has both depth and breadth, but is it here to stay? We tackle this question, and explore how this homegrown sound is winning over the hearts of audiences across the world. We also speak to two of its rising stars: Teno Afrika and Luxury SA.

That’s all in this episode, Amapiano to the World. Produced by DJ Kix. 

APWW #867

Amapiano To The World

Producers Jayme Stone and Cory Seznec take us on a fingerstyle guitar journey through Africa.

Acoustic Guitar Heroes of Africa

CELESTINE UKWU & HIS PHILOSOPHERS NATIONAL『Ilo Abu Chi』

The climate in Nairobi is cool and perfect all year round, despite being on the equator, due to its high altitude.  The East African Rumba sound is also often cooler compared to Soukous from the Congo (NGOMA Classic vol. 1).  

I play this music in the seamless style of techno: this is the original minimalist dance music, with a driving, constant 4 on the floor kick, hypnotic motifs, and modular progression. There is a lot more going on here than the predominantly Luo popular style known as Benga, but also golden classics from the Kikuyu, Kamba, Luhya, and other tribes of Kenya. Grooves so sweet they ache the heart as they move the feet... Sounds difficult if not impossible to find outside of East Africa.

"I started playing music in school, and I had a cousin, Aoka Meja, who had a guitar. We copied the style of Adero Onani, who played traditional music on the guitar. In 1958, I got my first acoustic guitar and played Rumba. In 1965, I started to play Benga.

Benga was influenced by the beat of the nyatiti, and we interpreted that on the guitar. We also borrowed from the orutu, which followed the voice of the singer … I formed Sega Sega, and we … did a huge amount of studio work. And as Benga became popular, the three of us played on a lot of other people’s songs. This meant that our Luo sound was getting on a lot of records. The early ‘60’s was mostly about studio work, but by ’70 to ’71, when Benga was really at its peak, the Sega Sega band was very big. We were always performing at events and functions. We did okay, and I made enough to buy my farm and build the house in which I still live . . ."

---- Osumba Rateng, from Benga: The best of cultural integration, by James Allen

"Guitars had started gaining popularity in Kenya in the 1950s and it wasn’t long before Benga started taking form in the Luo speaking areas surrounding Lake Victoria in the early 60s. Misiani (commonly known as the "King of HIstory" and father of Benga, whose band is also on the cover of this mix - Zhao) was actually born across Kenya’s southern border in Tanganyika in 1940 in the Luo community of Shirati. His earliest years as a musician brought him numerous clashes with uthority and several escapes to safer ground to avoid punishment. It seems he and his music were very popular with schoolgirls and young women, but the parents weren’t too keen on his seductive love songs and the authorities didn’t appreciate the fights among the young men over the girls. Misiani recounted several times that his guitars were seized and smashed, and that he had to leave the village quickly. He would disappear for a while, wait for things to settle down and then return.

The songs of the early 70s have a lighter percussion with the beat kept by tapping on the rim of a snare drum. They also mastered a rhythmic clicking sound using the electric guitar pick-up that is heard in a number of pieces. From about 1976 this sound changes with the use of a full drum kit and the deeper sound of the kick drum, with now the high hat receiving most of the attention from the drummer’s sticks. The saxophone heard in some of the earlier songs is gone. By the late 70s, we’re into the mature benga sound exemplified by ‘Wang Ni To Iringo’ that propelled benga through the 80s and into the 90s.

Misiani was a composer without fear in an environment that threatened free speech and critical thought. In his early years, it was his love songs in his home village that had got him in trouble, and in the Shirati Jazz years (essentially the rest of his life after leaving the village), he was known for biting commentary on Kenya’s political, social, and economic institutions. However such criticism was never direct. His songs convey meaning at a deeper level. He would use a theme such as a verse or parable in the Bible, a piece of African history, a prophecy, or an animal fable that would allow listeners to draw a meaning relevant to the current events of the day. Periodically, when one of his songs could be interpreted as presenting the government or a politician in an unflattering way, the authorities would pick up Misiani and take him off to jail. At one point he was deported to Tanzania. Another time he was arrested – though not convicted – of being an illegal Tanzanian immigrant. Nairobi’s Nation newspaper quotes him in 2006 as saying: “Tell me, is there anything wrong with singing about what’s going wrong in our society? I just sing about what is happening and if some people are not happy, I can do little about it.” It is in this arena, I think, where Misiani really merits his King of History title. With its multiple layers of meaning, it accurately portrays both the status and the mechanism by which he achieved that status: keep it sweet, keep it entertaining but, at all times, keep it relevant.

---- from liner notes of "D.O. MISIANI and SHIRATI JAZZ, THE KING OF HISTORY, CLASSIC 1970S BENGA BEATS FROM KENYA" (Sterns Music)

Tracklisting:  http://ngomasound.com/2014/11/28/ngoma-classic-3-mega-benga/

NGOMA Classic 3 - Mega Benga

Alhaji K.Frimpong - KyenKyen Bi Adi Mawu

KING TUBBY DUBS - SELECTION & MIX BY FROZENMX.

Frozenmx Dubwise Selection

King Tubby Dubmix V1

► Scenes from the ground at last year’s King Tubby’s Sound System, a Carnival staple since 1970.
► Follow us on SoundCloud: http://blrrm.tv/subscribe-sc

King Tubby's Boiler Room x Guinness Notting Hill Carnival 2016 Set

Johnny Osbourne Spotlight Mix 2012

Idea, Mix : Ton
Eq: R3g

Johnny Osbourne Spotlight Mix 2012

Fighting heaviness with heaviness. Despite the weight of the current Coronavirus Pandemic, DJ Coco Em channels the bass of Kenya & Uganda's  trap /rap scenes. A half hour mix of the freshest and loudest East African tracks!

Totsvi beat (Mutahi Kagwe) - Anybody can Gerrit
Boutross - Mbona
Wakadinali ft Dyana Cods - Morio anzenza 
Matata - Ruracio 
Nyashinski - Watch watch
Kagwe Mungai  - Mikonochallenge (Kibbythefreak edit)
Mastar VK - Nakuja 
Monski - John Cena 
Boutross ft Mastar VK, Wakadinali - Omoka
SSaru - Dose 
Mastar VK - Oyole
AD family - Shrapin diani
Monski - Out here 
Xprso - Woof dog 
Makadem - Plandemic 
Benzema, Nellythegoon, Dmore - Pandemic 
Woud Baba ft Emmz - Maki Ye 
Jimwat - Under 18 extended
Inde ft Jimito, Benzema - Breeder LW
Slapgeorge - Luuyithe
Bigtril - Parte after parte 
Denzel Kong - Jina ni King
Vallerie Muthoni - Vitu kwa ground ni different
KGG - Corona

Follow Coco Em on all platforms:

https://soundcloud.com/coco_em
https://www.instagram.com/coco.emmah/
https://www.facebook.com/coco.emmah/

SS006: DJ Coco Em (Kenya Shrap & Gengetone Mix)

Hello everyone and welcome to DJ ICHE's Nairobi Vol.1 Mix!

Watch the mix video now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Izefd3TRs
Listen now on
Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/janice-iche/dj-iches-nairobi-mix-vol1/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZpyg3iYDfQ&t=2195s

I wanted to put together a mix of some of my favourite music from the youth in the city, mostly women, to appreciate all the ways that Nairobi has added to my artistry and creative life. We definitely feed into each other and this is Vol.1 of the music and artists that have given me energy, inspiration and motivation to keep going at this.
I hope you enjoy. Please like, comment and send this to everybody! Let's share and spread the love.
A big thank you to all the artists who sent me their music, I hope we can continue working together in some way. Tushikiliane mikono twende pamoja!
Much love, Iche

Cover Art by Anthony Muisyo (@antownee_)

NAIROBI VOL.1 TRACKLIST
1. Band Beca X Naiboi - iNANiAFFECT
2. Alma ft. Ssaru - Wacha
3. Maandy X Exray (Boondocks Gang) X Dyana Cods X Breeder LW - Pon It
4. ShayDiva X Ssaru - Zungushiwa 
5. Alma X Kilundeezy X Izzy Blacko X Young Coole - Shikisha
6. KykiRapper - Makali Bila Chaser
7. Mr.Right - Tano Nane
8. The S3cr3t X Tulia X Alma - Real Good Life
9. Trio Mio - Cheza Kama Wewe Remix
10. Alma - Winner
11. Dyana Cods - Might Try
12. Wakadinali ft. Dyana Cods - Morio Anzenza
13. Lilywhite ft. Tulia - Lunch Money
14. Jeremy Maina - Stretchmarks Kwa Haga
15. Wakadinali - NyaraNyara
16. Buruklyn Boyz - Nairobi
17. Maandy - Shaash Na Lipgloss
18. Nah Eeto - Hunijui
19. Tulia - yH!
20. Groovy Jo - No Attitude
21. Dyana Cods - Atoti
22. Nah Eeto ft. Ssaru - D.R.U.M.
23. Movas Warombosaji Nation ft. Brandy Maina - Danger Dinji
24. Bad Manners (DJ IV Edit)
25. Bakhita - Mambah
26. Akoth Jumadi - Jangolo
27. NoniMusic - Eat.Smoke.
28. Maandy - Mister
29. Band Beca - Watch Your Mouth
30. Nabalayo - Domo Domo

This mix was performed live to an audience of neighourhood friends on 17th January, 2021 in Shanzu, Mombasa, Kenya.

DJ ICHE'S NAIROBI VOL.1 MIX

Santuri East Africa is a collaborative music project supporting underground electronic sounds, collaborative music projects, and innovation within the east African music scene.

SS006: DJ Coco Em (Kenya Shrap & Gengetone Mix)

Santuri East Africa

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