The main aim of this article is to show through a brief recount of the history of rap in Tanzania the social and political contents of Tanzanian hip-hop songs, mentioning the characteristics of the messages and their impact on Tanzanian youth. This article also remarks on the local elements, beside the use of Swahili language, contained in Tanzanian rap that are inherited from Swahili precolonial poetry. Finally, it gives several examples of the social and protest contents in songs of remarkable Tanzanian hip-hop artists, such as Mr. II, Professor Jay and Wagosi wa Kaya.
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