Exclusive Interview With Tanzania’s Top Emcee

by Evarist Chahali
(Glasgow, United Kingdom)

The following is a transcript of an exclusive interview with Mwanafalsafa, Tanzanias top emcee. Popularly known as MwanaFA or Binamu, this flawless performer has won fans beyond the countrys borders especially after spending a year doing his postgraduate studies in the West-Midland city of Coventry in the United Kingdom. Some of his biggest hits include Mimi na Mademu Damu Damu, Ingekuwa Vipi (featuring Jay-Mo), Alikufa kwa Ngoma (featuring Lady Jaydee), Unanitega (featuring Noorah), Nangoja Ageuke (featuring his closest pal AY) and many others. Undisputedly, MwanaFA remains one of the best Bongoflava lyrical assassins, and with his over one-year stint in the UK he has some very bright prospect of becoming one of the fewest Tanzanian artists to break into the international hip-hop scene.

KULIKONI UGHAIBUNI (K.U.): First of all, Id like express my heartfelt gratitude for your decision to grant us an exclusive interview. Secondly, Id like to congratulate you for a successful completion of your postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom.
You are famously known as Mwanafalsafa (a philosopher) or Binamu (cousin).Where did you get these names or what do they mean?
MwanaFA: Thanks. Its my first producer Dj Boniluv who gave me the name Mwanafalsafa.I had a song called Mwanafalsafa (in my first album) and Boni thought it would be a good idea to use the name mainly because of my lyrics are massively philosophical. I eventually got the name Binamu which expresses my interactions with my intended audience. As their cousin I find it easy to tell my audience stuffs that could otherwise be hardly told by their sisters and brothers due to our cultural norms. I therefore make use of my interactions and closeness to deliver such messages.
K.U: What has made you remain such top notch performer in the Bongoflava (Tanzanias own version of hip-hop) scene for all this long?
MwanaFA: Ah, the first thing I know is Im really lucky, and I thank God for that…because there had been several artists with talents to remain top dogs but they are no longer there due to one reason or another. I usually endeavour to tell people stuffs they would like to hear, and perhaps they never expected them. I find a way of playing with ideas and create a logic…the rest is the politics of music.
K.U: Lets now focus on your time out of Tanzania (abroad).As an artist whats your view of Bongoflava in the international scene?
MwanaFA: Its unfortunately gloomy, honestly. Its got quite a long way to go…There are a number of things we must accepts first, for instance the question of language barrier…this is not a minor issue, and Im saying so because in order to perform successfully at a local (Tanzanian) scene an artist has to use Kiswahili, which has been quite hard to be exported beyond Swahili-speaking areas…The quality of our music and its lack of originality; the contemporary bongoflava is full of influence from hip-hop, r&b, afro pop, zouk, kwaito, lingala, etc which makes hinders affording it opportunity to dominate beyond its catchment area. Perhaps its high time we start working on these two important issues: language and originality.

K.U: Did you manage to do any collaboration with foreign artists when you were away from Tanzania? Do you have such plans in the future?
MwanaFA: I didnt, honestly…I nearly worked with Amit (a UK-based music producer) but his and my schedules were so tight that we couldnt make it happen…I still have plans to work with artists from Nigeria and South Africa…at the moment Im only focusing on working with my fellow African artists…so Im initially thinking of Nigerian and South African artists.
K.U: Fame is sometimes accompanied with certain inconveniences. How did you manage the challenges of being famous when you were busy with your studies in the United Kingdom?
MwanaFA: I had been a student for quite some time before I went to the UK, and Id been known to many people during all that time (I wouldnt describe myself as being famous)…See, Ive been an artist for nearly 9 years now and Im quite used to the challenges posed by being a well-known person…I studied at the Institute of Finance Management (IFM in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) for a couple of years and I still managed to focus on my stuffs despite being famous. So its even easier for me when I was overseas because only a few people knew me there as compared to how its in Tanzania.
K.U: Its obvious that due to your advanced level of education youll be faced with other non-music/artistic responsibilities (e.g. a professional career).How you plan to balance such responsibilities/commitments while making sure you remain a top dog in Bongoflava?
MwanaFA: For a start, Ive appointed A.Y. (a popular Bongoflava artist in Tanzania) to manage my music stuffs so that I could manage my other responsibilities.AY owns a music management company known as Unity Entertainment…This leaves me with just a task of performing at live shows which is something Im quite used to…Im still looking at ways of making sure that my responsibilities wont interfere with each other…However, Im not trying to create barriers to things I can manage to do regardless of how many they are. Im fighting to succeed in life and Im trying to straighten things up in my life as much as I could.
K.U: Do you think with your recent academic achievements your fans could have higher expectations from you, especially in the themes of your music?
MwanaFA: yeah, Im learning through living…every step I took in my life has been a lesson to me and through my music I intend to keep my fans posted of my experiences and life journeys…so even with my academic achievements I feel I have gained more knowledge and skills to interact with my audience. Its not academic but rather in the way the streets (audience) would understand.

K.U: A related question. With your academic achievement, should the society expect a new point of view in the messages found in your music?
MwanaFA: The answer is exactly the same as for the previous question. All that I could pin-point is I dont want to mix my academic achievements with music expect in business and some few areas where education is needed to run them effectively….You dont need a Masters degree to make a good music…My music is for the streets, and Ill keep on doing my stuffs for the streets….you know what Im saying? More than often, here at home (Tanzania) some people get misunderstood simply because they seem to know too much (i.e. its an unpopular idea in the street to be a know-all).
K.U: As one of the most educated artists in Tanzania, what is your advice to fellow artists on educating themselves?
MwanaFA: Only way to compare this is, lets not our lives as artists to be part of the music we make…but rather the music we make should be part of how we live. I decided to go back to school (university) because I want to remain Mama Hamiss son, and in order to do what I would have otherwise done if I were not an artist. Music, especially ours, leaves a lot to be desired. It does not necessarily pronounce success in your life and your closed ones. Its therefore imperative to have some contingency plans.
K.U: From the experience gained from your long stay on overseas, what advice could you offer to your fellow artists on the feasibility of selling their artistic works, especially music, beyond the Tanzanian borders?
MwanaFA: Its like Ive already answered this question…Weve to get out of the present denial state…lets accept that we first need some serious changes in our music, and then we would be in a better position of taming international scenes. Otherwise, we will continue performing before 200-300 Tanzanians (dismally slim audiences) when we embark on international tours.
K.U: Finally, do you have any message to your fans? Should they expect some new material soon?
MwanaFA: yeah, keep your ears out for some new stuffs…Ill drop some new material soon.
K.U: This blog wishes you all the best in your endeavours.
MwanaFA: Thanks very much. I thank you…and apologies its taken that long to respond to your questions…daily hassles, you know…I hope you and your blogs readers would understand that.

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