Bongo Flava is a nickname for Tanzanian hip hop music. The genre, which is based out of the city of Dar es Salaam, takes its name from the Swahili word 'ubongo,' meaning “brains”. Bongo Flava incorporates Afrobeat and arabesque melodies, dancehall and hip hop beats, Swahili lyrics and English phrases, combining aspects of the global hip hop scene with an East African flavor to form a unique style of music. The genre has immense popularity, reflected in the Tanzanian media outlets dedicated to the promotion of Bongo Flava.
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Bongo Flava is a nickname for Tanzanian hip hop music. The genre, which is based out of the city of Dar es Salaam, takes its name from the Swahili word 'ubongo,' meaning “brains”. Bongo Flava incorporates Afrobeat and arabesque melodies, dancehall and hip hop beats, Swahili lyrics and English phrases, combining aspects of the global hip hop scene with an East African flavor to form a unique style of music. The genre has immense popularity, reflected in the Tanzanian media outlets dedicated to the promotion of Bongo Flava. "TV and radio programs are dedicated to Bong Flava, which is also reflected in the sales figures of some of hip hop albums." Outside of its historical home of Tanzania, Bongo Flava has become a resoundingly popular sound in neighboring countries such as Kenya, which has a comparatively better hip hop scene. Bongo Flava has even found a home outside of the African continent: the self-proclaimed "best internet station for Bongo Flava," Bongo Radio, happens to be based out of Chicago, Illinois.
