Hip-hop in Tanzania: Documentary Screening and Discussion

Hip-hop in Tanzania: Documentary Screening and Discussion

Hip Hop Dar es Salaam: Muziki Ya Kizazi Kypia (45 mins)

Speakers: David Kerr, Hashim Rubanza, O-Key, Justin Williams

Presented in Collaboration with the Centre for Black Humanities

With food by Jikoni East Africa and music and new commissions by Vice Beats

Event Timings (estimated)

6pm-Event Begins

6:15pm-Welcome and Introduction to the film

6:30pm- film screening

7:15pm- 30 min Q&A

7:45pm-food and music

9pm-event ends

Description

As rapper and record producer Doug E. Fresh said:

“Hip-hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change.”

We are proud to screen an early in-progress version of the documentary film Hip hop in Dar es Salaam: Muziki Ya Kizazi Kypia (dir. O-Key, 2025) which has been part of the wider ‘Hip-hop knowledge’ research project led by Prof. Justin Williams.

Hip Hop Dar es Salaam tells the story of the early history of hip-hop in Tanzania through in-depth interview with two of the first generation of hip hop producers, Enrico Figueiredo (Sound Crafters studio) and Boni Luv (Mawingu Studio). Their role in the development of Tanzanian hip-hop is an important part of East African musical history which has yet to be fully or widely told. In making the documentary we adopted equitable methods of collaboration with hip hop practitioners which centred their knowledge of both Tanzanian hip hop history and creative practice. For the hip hop practitioner with whom we were working hip hop was not only something they knew about but was a practice which had enabled them to gain knowledge and skills which they could bring to documentary film making. This film draws on hip-hop approaches to cultural industry, and work through theories of knowledge flows and musical (and musicians) migrations. After opening comments from our collaborators, we will screen the documentary and follow this with a discussion. After this there will be music by Vice Beats and food from Jikoni East Africa to help celebrate the making of the documentary and cross-continental collaboration.

Participant Bios

Octavian Thomas aka O-Key (Director & Editor) started his career as a rapper, releasing a number of songs and working with influential producers Messen Selekta and Sallii Teknik. Following his initial success in the rap game, O-Key began producing music videos and has worked with many of the major artists in Tanzania and Kenya. O-Key’s distinctive style as a music video director has brought him accolated from the music industry across East Africa. He is currently working as a filmmaker and director.

Hashim Rubanza (Producer & Researcher) is an activist, poet, entrepreneur, writer, and retired rapper. His career started in the studios of Dar es Salaam some 30 years ago when he began recording songs to address the social challenges following the country’s neo-liberal economic changes. He has been working with artists in Dar es Salaam over the last 20 years to develop their visions and has worked with all the major studios in the city.

David Kerr (Executive Producer & Research Lead)

Dr David Kerr is currently the Head of Programmes at the Africa-Oxford initiative and a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg. With over fifteen years of experience in fieldwork in Dar es Salaam, he has published on Tanzanian hip-hop in the fields of cultural and social anthropology, cultural studies, and media studies.

Prof. Justin Williams is Professor of Music at the University of Bristol and is PI of the “Hip-Hop's Fifth Element: Knowledge, Pedagogy, and Artist-Scholar Collaboration” (Ref AH/V002988/1) funded by the AHRC-DFG (Project dates January 2021-July 2025).

Vice Beats

Vice Beats is a Bristol-based music producer, educator, promoter podcast host known for blending soulful, jazz-laced samples with Boom Bap influence. He gained widespread recognition for Dilla: The Timeless Tribute, the UK’s only officially endorsed J Dilla tribute project to date. His 2023 album Aspects explores themes of identity, mental health, and connection, with features from Blu, Napoleon Da Legend, and more. Through his platform EQ Music, Vice Beats fuses creativity and community, using music as a tool for social impact. His work is supported by tastemakers including KRS One, DJ Koco, Gilles Peterson and DJ Premier. He is also the creator of the An Afternoon Of Dilla events and involved in Hip Hop Coffee Shop.

Location: Watershed (1 Canons Road), Harbourside, Bristol BS1 5TX

For more information, contact justin.williams@bristol.ac.uk