Swahili Nation
Encyclopedia
Swahili Nation was a Sweden
-based Swahili language
R&B
and Hip hop
music group. The group was started in the 1990s by Kenyan brothers Andrew Muturi and Robert Muturi and the Tanzania
n Cool James
. In 1992, after Cool James went solo, the group was joined by the Uganda
ns Ken Kayongo and Charlie "King" Todwong.
Nigeria
n born Dr. Alban
signed them up with his Sweden based Dr Records in 1996. Singer Wayne "Tatz" Beckford from London
joined the group. They produced the singles "Malaika", "Nyama", and "Hakuna Matata", for which they received a nomination to Channel O Music Awards in South Africa
.
Through the popularity of "Hakuna Matata" in East Africa
, Swahili Nation had a big influence on the use of Swahili language
in R&B and Hip hop.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
-based Swahili language
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...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and Hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
music group. The group was started in the 1990s by Kenyan brothers Andrew Muturi and Robert Muturi and the 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...
n Cool James
Cool James
Cool James, real name James Maligisa Dandu also known as "Mtoto wa Dandu"or CJ Massive was a Tanzanian musician....
. In 1992, after Cool James went solo, the group was joined by the Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
ns Ken Kayongo and Charlie "King" Todwong.
Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n born Dr. Alban
Dr. Alban
Alban Uzoma Nwapa , known by his stage name Dr. Alban, is a Nigerian, Sweden-based musician and producer with his own record label dr-records. His music can best be described as a Eurodance/hip-hop reggae with a dancehall style. He is most famous for his worldwide 1992 hit "It's My...
signed them up with his Sweden based Dr Records in 1996. Singer Wayne "Tatz" Beckford from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
joined the group. They produced the singles "Malaika", "Nyama", and "Hakuna Matata", for which they received a nomination to Channel O Music Awards in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Through the popularity of "Hakuna Matata" 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:...
, Swahili Nation had a big influence on the use of Swahili language
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...
in R&B and Hip hop.