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Tanzania’s hip-hop politician

Tanzania’s hip-hop politician

Joseph Mbilinyi pioneered Swahili rap and then turned to politics, but ended up in jail

Lives Less Ordinary · BBC World Service

April 30, 202340m 49s

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Show Notes

Joseph Mbilinyi pioneered Swahili rap and then turned to politics, but ended up in jail.

In the 1990s he'd become one of Tanzania's biggest stars under the stage name Sugu. He'd released albums, toured the country and abroad, and helped create a new genre called Bongo Flava. He's known for hard-hitting, often political, lyrics. In 2010 he took that message to parliament when he was elected as an opposition MP. But he ended up being jailed after speaking out against the president of the time.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Rob Wilson Editor: Munazza Khan