Dully Sykes
Encyclopedia
Bongo Flava
Bongo flava is a nickname for Tanzanian hip hop music. The genre developed in the 1990s, mainly as a derivative of American hip hop, with additional influences from reggae, R&B, afrobeat, dancehall, and traditional Tanzanian styles such as taarab and dansi, a combination that forms a unique style...
musician from Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
Biography
Also known as Mr Misifa or Mr Chicks, Dully Sykes is a dancehallDancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
artist in Tanzania http://www.fly.co.uk/fly/archives/africamiddle_east_reviews/va_african_rebel_music_root_re.html. He has performed in the UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/africabeyond/africaonyourstreet/hosts/jjc/18570.shtml. Following the footsteps of his father Ebby Sykes, a "Manu Dibango
Manu Dibango
-External links:*...
-type musician", Dully Sykes is one of the pioneers of Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
dancehall in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
and widely known for dropping hits like 'Julieta', 'Salome', 'Historia ya Kweli', 'Leah'. Some of the tracks he has written are based on true life stories. After the first album 'Historia ya kweli' which was released in 2003 people started calling his music 'Mwanasesele', Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
for a high squeaky noise. With the song 'Handsome' and album by the same name, he became one of the biggest names in young urban music in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. In his third album, he proved that he is not only an artist but a fully-fledged musician by mixing different music styles showing his versatility without compromising or changing his unique African voice. To prove that he is multi-talented, he has been producing music at his newly formed Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
record label called 'Dhahabu Records' and continues to write songs. He has delivered hooks to lots of artists from Man X's 'Nimechezea Bahati' to P-Funk's 'Please Forgive Me'. One of his tracks titled 'Handsome' can be found on the African Rebel Music "Roots reggae and dancehall" CD compiled by international record label, Out Here Records
Out Here Records
Out Here Records is an independent record label founded in 2004. The label is dedicated to Urban African music. It was set up by German American music journalist Jay Rutledge. The albums the label releases give a first hand view of the local popular music scenes of Africa...
. Being in the limelight, Dully is no stranger to controversy or headlining the gossip columns of newspapers. From being caught by traffic police driving a mini-bus when he was at the age of 12 to using pepper-spray at a concert after having a row with the boyfriend of a girl he was flirting with, newspapers always have something to talk about him.
At the 2004 Tanzania Music Awards
Tanzania Music Awards
Tanzania Music Awards are national music awards held annually in Tanzania. It is also known as Kilimanjaro Music Awards or Kili Music Awards after its sponsor . The awards were established in 1999 by the National Arts Council under the Tanzanian Ministry of Education and Culture.- External links...
his album Handsome was nominated in the best Hip Hop Album category. His song "Dhahabu" featuring Joslin
Joslin
Joslin may refer to;As a ruaname*Derek Joslin, Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman*Elliott P. Joslin , first doctor in the United States to specialize in the treatment of diabetes*Jeff Joslin, retired Canadian mixed martial artist...
and Mr. Blue
Mr. Blue
"Mr. Blue" is a popular song written by and first recorded by DeWayne Blackwell in 1959. It became a hit for The Fleetwoods, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1959 and giving the group its second chart-topping hit of the year.-Cover versions:...
was nominated in the best collaboration category at the 2007 Tanzania Music Awards. At the 2008 Tanzania Music Awards his song "Baby Candy" received a nomination in the Best Reggae/Ragga Song category.
Dully Sykes, Nyambizi, and Controversy
Not only has Dully Sykes received controversial attention for his actions and police record, but he has also garnered criticism for his lyrical content and the images in his videos. To date, his most controversial song in probably Nyambizi, a tale of his sexual experiences with a "nyambizi", which is slang for a "large voluptuous woman." Released as a single in 2001, the song was attacked by various organizations for its lewd lyrics, which include lines like "Aah! Nyambizi can't you feel sorry for me? I'm tired of jackin' off. Please give it to me" and "We did it till dawn, she didn't want me to stop, we did it without a condom."Critics had a few reasons to complain about the single. Because Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
has such a strong Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
influence, sex talk in public is considered a taboo and thus avoided at all cost. Furthermore, with HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
being such a huge problem in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, to seemingly glorify unprotected sex was seen as both dangerous and stupid. In response to the public outlash, radio stations refused to play the song, but it nevertheless continued to be requested by radio listeners and the single sold well.
Dully Sykes' music videos are also full of controversial images. Videos for some of his songs like "Kuche Kuche" and "Hi" are full of dancing scenes that depict men and women freaking or grinding to the beat, a popular yet racy style of dance. Another video in which Sykes is featured, "Suga Mami" by Mac Dizzo, shows consumption of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and more sexually suggestive images. In a country like Tanzania, where a large percentage of the population has decided Christian or Muslim values, these actions are taboo, but in Sykes' videos they are glorified. Whether these images detract from or add to his sales and popularity is up for debate, but as it is now, Dully Sykes is a very popular bongo flava
Bongo Flava
Bongo flava is a nickname for Tanzanian hip hop music. The genre developed in the 1990s, mainly as a derivative of American hip hop, with additional influences from reggae, R&B, afrobeat, dancehall, and traditional Tanzanian styles such as taarab and dansi, a combination that forms a unique style...
artist in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
today.
Compilations
- Bongo Hottest Flavas: Volume 1
- Ndani ya Bongo: Volume 1
- Kwa Fujo Deejayz: Volume 1
- Kwa Fujo Deejayz: Ladha Zaidi
- Kwa Fujo Deejayz: Mlipuko wa Bongo Cuts
- Gede Records: Pasua Kichwa
- Bongo Halisi (2004)
- G-Project: Bongo Project Volume 1 (2005)
- Fungua Mwaka 2005 (2005)
- Pamoja Ndani Ya Game (2006)
- African Rebel Music: "Roots, Reggae and Dancehall" (2006)
External links
- Dully Sykes at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....