AY, The Pathbreaker of Bongo Flava

Disco rap era ya Swahili Rap ilikuwa 1990s. Game haikuchukuliwa serious. Ghani zilifanana. Wachache waliojitengenezea identities ndiyo wali-dominate.

Ujio wa milenia ulileta balehe ya Swahili Rap. Michano ya kisasa, styles na ladha anuwai, viling'arisha culture. Japo wakati huo ilionekana ni counterculture.

Mnyaki traveller city to city. Mbeya City home, raised in Dodoma City, kwa ubishi wa kufukuzia ndoto, akawa analala kwenye kontena Upanga, Dar City. Siku alipomchania mistari Mdachi P-Funk, akapewa certification: “Mzee wewe una-rap commercial.”

Ambwene Yessayah, trade name ni AY. Identity moniker ni Mzee wa Commercial. Ngoma “Raha Tu”, siyo kwamba ilimtambulisha AY kwa kishindo early 2001, bali ilibadili game kwa jumla.

AY aliingiza sound mpya, new styles, brand new cultivation kwenye game. Ilikuwa bonge la burudani kumsikiliza AY anavyopita kwenye midundo kwa umahiri mkubwa. Majority ikasema, AY anavyonata na beat, hana mfanowe.

Jizuie kiduchu kumwaga sifa za AY kwenye ngoma ya “Miiko 10 ya Rap”, mali ya GK, au “Biashara ya Utumwa” ya Sir Nature. Kisha fungukia lile balaa la “Raha Tu Remix”, shughuli ya mtu bee, AY feat Complex.

Star TV walipata mshawasha kuingia ulimwengu wa video production. Waliona Raha Tu Remix ni tobo la kujitambulisha kibiashara. Vijana wote wajanja wa Mwanza na maduu waliotikisa jiji, walifurika Capripoint, kushiriki video ya “Raha Tu Remix”. AY, alisimamisha jiji.

Potezea AY alivyofunikana na FA kwenye “Hii Leo” ya GK, au “Nawakilisha” ya Prof Jay, ambayo AY alitamba “yeye na Jay ni kama Snoop na Dr Dre”, kuna “Safi Hiyo” ambayo AY amewashirikisha FA, Ray C na Banana Zorro.

Mizozo ilianza. Ooh, AY anafanya muziki wa kujirusha, hana ujumbe. Kila domo lilifungwa ilipoachiwa project “Machoni Kama Watu” aliomshirikisha Mama Somefood Lady Jaydee. Hii haitoshi kuiita lifetime hit, ni masterpiece of a lifetime.

Hii story lazima iendelee. Maana Aprili 26, 2024, Warehouse Arena, Oyster Bay, AY atakuwa inducted kupitia Bongo Flava Honors. Ni tukio kubwa ajabu. Maana AY ni pathbreaker wa Bongo Flava.

Ndimi Luqman MALOTO