Tanzanian Bongo Flava
List of Best Tanzanian Bongo Artists
The Tanzanian bongo flava genre of music has become increasingly popular over the last decade. This unique style of music is a fusion of various musical elements, such as hip-hop, dancehall, Afrobeats, and traditional Tanzanian music. As of today, bongo flava music has gained popularity not only in Tanzania and East Africa, but its has become a cultural phenomenon, enjoyed by millions of listeners worldwide.
The origins of bongo flava can be traced back to the 1990s, if not before, when a group of Tanzanian bongo artists began experimenting with different musical styles. They blended the traditional rhythms of Tanzania with modern sounds, creating a unique and catchy sound that resonated with audiences, that often resembles afrobeats, dancehall, and South Africa’s amapiano sounds, performing in either English or Swahili.
Today, bongo flava music is a thriving industry in Tanzania, with many artists gaining international recognition. Some of the most popular bongo flava musicians include Diamond Platnumz, Rayvanny, AliKiba, and Harmonize. These artists have not only popularized the genre but have also contributed to Tanzania’s music and entertainment industry’s growth.
Top 20 Tanzanian Bongo Artists
1. Diamond Platnumz
Diamond Platnumz kickstarted his professional journey in the late 2000s with the release of his song “Kamwambie”. He gradually built his career and became a prominent figure in East Africa during the early 2010s. As a result, he was appointed as a brand ambassador for various world-renowned brands, received numerous awards and nominations in the global music industry, collaborated with international artists such as Davido, Ne-Yo, Omarion, Flavour, Rick Ross, and garnered millions of views and streams globally.
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2. Rayvanny
At the beginning of the 2010s, Rayvanny started his career as a member of a group and later ventured as a solo artist with his debut track “Kwetu” in 2016. Rayvanny is considered one of the brightest talents in East Africa, one of the leading Tanzanian bongo artists, and has achieved considerable international recognition and a massive following worldwide.
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3. Harmonize
Harmonize started his music career in the 2010s and released his debut single “Aiyola” in 2015. He quickly gained popularity and continued to rise in the Tanzanian bongo flava music scene with hit songs such as “Kwangwaru”, “Happy Birthday”, “Kainama”, “BADO”, and “Aiyola”. He has also released three albums, with his latest one, Made For Us in 2022, receiving high critical acclaim.
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4. AliKiba
One of the pioneering Tanzanian Bongo artists, AliKiba was first introduced during the late 2000s with the albums Cinderella and Ali K 4Real. Over the years his career expanded, working with renowned global stars like Fally Ipupa and R. Kelly, receiving numerous awards and accolades, and becoming one of the faces of East Africa’s music scene.
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5. Mbosso
Mbosso started his musical career in the mid-2010s as a member of a popular local band. However, he gained recognition for his own artistry after releasing multiple singles in 2018. Presently, Mbosso is considered one of the top artists of Tanzania, with no signs of slowing down.
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6. Marioo
Marioo, a rising artist from Tanzania, has achieved notable success within a few years of debuting in 2018, winning multiple awards and gained recognition internationally. Although he has released only a limited number of songs since his 2018 hit “Dar Kugumu,” he has just released his debut album, “The Kid You Know,” in 2022.
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7. Lava Lava
Lava Lava started his professional journey in the late 2010s after being signed by Diamond Platnumz. He later emerged as a prominent figure in the Tanzanian bongo flava genre and gained popularity with hits such as “Tuachane”, “Niuwe”, “Basi Tu”, “Gundu”, and various others.
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8. Aslay
Aslay started his career with the track “Naenda kusema” and has been on the rise ever since. He was initially a part of Yamoto Band in the early and mid-2010s but later went on to establish his solo career. Aslay’s music collection comprises numerous hits such as “Muhudumu”, “Angekuona”, “Natamba”, “Likizo”, “Pusha”, and “Ujsiitie”.
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9. Jux
Jux is a singer who specializes in R&B, Afropop, and Bango Flavo. He started his music career in the mid-2000s and has gained popularity as one of East Africa’s most prominent rhythm and blues artists. Although his music caters towards R&B fans, Jux also has a strong influence in Bango Flava, with hit songs such as “Sugua”, “Incase You Don’t Know,” “Unaniweza” and “Utaniua”.
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10. Ommy Dimpoz
After starting his career in the band T.I.D, Ommy Dimpoz entered the music industry with his first song “Nai Nai”. Over the years, he has launched several albums, including Dedication and Me N You, and has also delivered popular tracks like “Ni Wewe”, “Me and You”, “You Are The Best”, “Baadae”, and others, thereby establishing himself as a successful artist.
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11. Barnaba
Beginning his path in music within a church at a young age, Barnaba would eventually grow into one of the top East African singers and Tanzanian bongo artists, debuting during the early 2010s. After four albums, from 2012’s Kichwa Changa to 2022’s Love Sounds Different, Barnaba has emerged as fan favorite.
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12. Billnass
Billnass gained fame soon after his initial release “Raha”. He began his music career in the mid-2010s, and became well-known with hits such as “Puuh”, “Bugana”, and others. All of his work contributed to his growing reputation in the Tanzanian bongo flava music scene.
Instagram | YouTube
13. Ibraah
Linked with Tanzanian legend Harmonize and his Konde Music Worldwide label, Ibraah is a fast rising East African artist who first appeared in 2020 with the single “Nimekubali”. Since his hottest tracks have been “Nitachelewa”, “One Night Stand”, “Nani”, “Rari” and “Jipinde”, while not to leave out his statement project, The King of New School.
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14. Darassa
Darassa, a popular Bongo and hip-hop artist, burst onto the music scene in 2015 with hit tracks such as “Sikati Tamaa”, “Nishike Mkono”, and “Heya Haye”. Despite being recognized as one of the best rappers in East Africa, Darassa also established himself as a prominent figure in the emerging East African music genre known as Bongo Flava. He has released an album titled Slave Becomes a King and several other successful tracks, solidifying his place in Tanzania’s music and entertainment industry.
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15. Dogo Janja
Dogo Janja started his music career in 2011 with popular songs such as “Mtoto wa Uswazi” and “Anajua”. However, it was not until 2016 when he released “My Life” that he started gaining recognition. Some of his most well-known hits are “Banana”, “Ngarenaro”, “Yente”, and “Kidebe”.
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16. Ben Pol
Ben Pol made his debut in the music industry in the late 2000s and gained significant attention and acclaim after the release of “Nikikupata” in 2011. As a Bongo Flava and R&B artist, he has released three albums, including Ben Pol, Maboma, and IAmBenPol and has produced some of Tanzania’s most popular hits, including “Moyo Mashine”.
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17. Whozu
Whozu made his debut in late 2017 with a track called “Follow Unfollow.” He is an exceptional artist who has developed his own style, which combines Afrobeat, Bongo Flava, and Amapiano. Whozu’s unique style is evident in his other songs, such as “AAH WAP,” “Huendi Mbinguni,” “ROBOTI,” and several others.
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18. Kusah
From a young age, Kusah has been deeply involved in music. In 2015, he debuted with his first track, “Dakika”, but it was not until the release of “Kelele” featuring Ruby in 2019 that he gained recognition as a popular Tanzanian bongo and R&B artist.
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19. Chege
In 2015, Chege gained popularity with his Bongo Flava hit “Sweety Sweety”. He went on to have a thriving career and produced many well-known tracks including “Waache Waoane” which featured Diamond Platnumz, “Kelele Za Chura” which featured Nandy, “Kaitaba”, and many others.
Instagram | YouTube
20. Navy Kenzo
Navy Kenzo, consisting of producer Nahreel and vocalist Aika, made their debut in 2014 with the release of “Chelewa”. Their music incorporates various genres, including Afropop and Bongo Flava, and has garnered significant popularity in Tanzania through several successful albums such as “Most People Want This” in 2023, and hit singles like “Only One”, “Kamatia”, and “Katika”.
Instagram | YouTube
Honorable Mention Tanzanian Bongo Artists:
– Shetta Youtube: Shetta and Instagram: @Shetta
– Mac Voice Youtube: Mac Voice and Instagram: @Mac Voice
– Barakah The Prince Youtube: Barakah The Prince and Instagram: @Barakah The Prince
– Dully Sykes Youtube: Dully Sykes and Instagram: @Dully Sykes
– Rich Mavoko Youtube: Rich Mavoko and Instagram: @Rich Mavoko
– Christian Bella Youtube: Christian Bella and Instagram: @Christian Bella
– Killy Youtube: Killy and Instagram: @Killy
– Kayumba Youtube: Kayumba and Instagram: @Kayumba
– Nedy Music Youtube: Nedy Music and Instagram: @Nedy Music
– Mabantu Youtube: Mabantu and Instagram: @Mabantu
– Platform TZ Youtube: Platform TZ and Instagram: @Platform TZ
– Baddest 47 Youtube: Baddest 47 and Instagram: @Baddest 47
Top Tanzanian Bongo Flava Related Topics
1 Top 10 Tanzanian Female Artists
2 Top 20 Tanzanian Rappers
3 Top 25 Ugandan Artists
*Unofficial Order. The more popular artists that have a combination of the most followers, streams, views, and most recent releases are near the top.
*If any artists are missing from the list email media@kulturevulturez.com