236 african appropriations
and “Ayoba,” a slang expression of amazed approval originating in South
African township culture. In terms of lyrical content, it is safe to say that
EES’s and W hite Nigerian’s song lyrics are very simple. They boil down to
celebrating the moment (“Boys and girls, if you wanna have a good time,
let me see you wind it, wind it... ,” W hite Nigerian—“Taka Rawa”) or
l i fe i n genera l (“Li fe is what you ma ke it, so let ’s ma ke it beaut i f u l, because
that’s what it is... ,” EES—“Mahambeko”). In this sense, their lyrics are
similar to those of many other singers the world over—not just African.
Mzungu Kichaa departs from this observation, as several of his songs
contain prosocial messages. His song “Jitolee!” (Volunteer!), for example,
is a reflection on the deplorable condition of present-day social relation-
ships and a plea for compassion and to help others selflessly. He displays
an attempt to educate his audience through music. This kind of edutain-
ment is typical of many Bongo flava musicians who are keen to deliver
social messages and therefore follow in the tradition so well developed in
Tanzania (Reuster-Jahn and Hacke 2014). On the one hand, this is hardly
astonishing, as Mzungu Kichaa wrote his master’s thesis on music in de-
velopment and also has worked in some development contexts himself.^8
On the other hand, it demonstrates that Mzungu Kichaa cast his artistic
work with a strong orientation toward local popular culture, and it may
also be read as an appeal for sameness. In terms of sound, all three artists
tune in to the localized African variants of global pop music. With EES,
it is Kwaito; with W hite Nigerian, electronic music, such as house and
hip-hop of a particular Nigerian type; and with Mzungu Kichaa, Bongo
flava—Tanzania’s specific blend of hip-hop, R & B, reggae, and local music
traditions. In short, the sound of their music is comparable to the sound
of the latest urban trends within the particular music environments they
subscribe to.
EES, W hite Nigerian, and Mzungu Kichaa frequently collaborate with
other artists. These collaborations take the form of “featuring,” which is
a well-established practice in the global pop music business and quite
common in the music economies of Namibia, Nigeria, and also Tanzania.
Featuring may be used for symbolic reasons and marketing purposes, and
it usually implies a certain hierarchy between the two musicians involved.
Mostly, the featured artist is a well-established musician and his guest ap-
pearance in a newcomer’s song and video can be read as a solid stamp of