Abstract
This article describes the role of hip-hop in political transformation of African countries, citing examples from Tanzania. The article presents that hip-hop artists view the political systems of most African countries as the source of the continent’s socio-economic crisis and, therefore, demand for change of African political systems and behaviours. This article is a result of a qualitative research that deployed various research methods, including text collection and analysis, transcription, interviews, and administration of questionnaires. Hip hop texts were collected, transcribed, and analysed. Data collection, analysis and interpretation were guided by the reader response literary theory, which views the interpretation of literary genres—hip-hop poetry being one of them—as being determined by the reader/audience. Generally, our research revealed that many hip-hop artists in Tanzania call for political transformation. They call upon people to participate in elections, elect responsible leaders, and put an end to political corruption and favouritism. Other calls include political repentance, access to the constitution, and the separation between politics and business. Also, the article describes how hip-hop artists call for women’s participation in politics, formulation of new a constitution that will enable free and fair elections, and youth involvement in politics. The article places politics at the centre of initiatives to enhance socio-political and economic development of Tanzania and other African countries.
Recommended Citation
Samwel, Method
(2021)
"Hip-hop Poetry and Political Transformation: Citing Examples from Tanzania,"
Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences: Vol. 09
:
No.
3
, Article 4.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v9.i3.1