Kenyan Rap and Hip Hop Culture Flashcards
diaspora
dispersion or spread of a people from their original homeland
maracatu
genre associated with ceremonies of African diasporic groups in northeast Brazil
Rhythms and instruments in maracatu evoke…
African musical roots and cite African continent for lyrical inspiration.
_____ and _____ have dominated Kenyan popular music since the beginning of the 21st century.
Rap; gospel
Rap and gospel have dominated Kenyan popular music because…
they are available and accessible.
rap
semi-spoken declamations against a rhythmic backdrop
gospel rap
rap that contains religious lyrics
Rap is performed by…
(1) soloists
(2) groups of 2+ people
(3) leader with backup vocalists
Rap is primarily disseminated through…
radio.
gospel
bible-based lyrics, social/moral message and Christian religious ideas
Gospel performed by…
(1) soloists
(2) Family and small chamber groups
(3) Choirs of 12-100 members
Gospel primarily disseminated through…
rise of Christian denominations in Kenya.
What became widely accessible in Kenya in 2003?
MTV (music video industry)
Rap initially emerged in…
African American communities in the Bronx, NY in the late 1970s.
Emerging 1970s rap was popularized by…
MCs, DJs, break dancers, graffiti writers
The significance of Tafsiri Hii by Kalamashaka was that…
Kenyan rap became a national phenomenon.
Tafsiri Hii by Kalamashaka addressed…
poverty and injustice.
Tafsiri Hii by Kalamashaka was written in…
street Swahili (Sheng); a language associated with a particular section of Nairobi.
Swahili
language of urban middle and low class
Sheng
dialect based on Swahili and English
The significance of Unbwogable by GidGidi and MajiMaji was…
it demonsrated that rap was by Kenyanized by more than just a street language.
The lyrics Unbwogable by GidiGidi and MajiMaji are…
rebellious from a youth/social perspective and politican position.
The anglicization of lyrics in Unbwogable targeted a broader audience by…
(1) grounding itself in tradition
(2) using Kenyanized English
Examples of representation and association within genre of Kenyan rap include…
(1) Various locations and social/economic layers
(2) Language (dialects/slang/idioms/street talk)
(3) Urban youth
(4) DJing at clubs, events, competitions, radio, TV, emceeing, dancing, graffiti art
Subject matter covered in Kenyan rap lyrics includes…
(1) Familial/Social relationships, territory, disenfranchisement, representation, repression, social/political ills
(2) Critiques of political/ethnic/generational ideologies
Kleptomaniax is significant because they…
provided perspective of current Kenyan issues, trends and developments in entertainment/social affairs.
Kleptomaniax faced challenges in the United States because…
obtaining a visa is difficult without credibility (i.e. travel experience, manager, CD, etc.).
Kleptomaniax was successful due to…
language, lyrics, themes of homeland, and unique style.
