Members from the United African Alliance Community Center (UAACC) in Tanzania, a costal nation in East Africa, presented in the EMU Monday their vision of how conscious hip-hop not only informs people but provides a solution to societal problems.
Although few onlookers could understand Anwary Msechu’s Swahili lyrics in his hip-hop and spoken word performance, the artist kept heads nodding. His rhythmic verses, harmonic choruses and constant movement around the makeshift stage held the audience’s attention – especially when he sat next to spectators, looking into their eyes and singing his song as if every word was written for that person.
“We have to change society,” Anwary Msechu, filmmaker and hip-hop artist said. “The good way of changing the society is to talk truth.”
Hip-hop is a tool to inform people about problems plaguing communities such as HIV/AIDS, violence, drugs and a loss of culture, he said. Contrary to many American mainstream musicians who preach on community problems, conscious hip-hop music suggests a solution, he said.
“Artists have to know the history of the people they’re talking about if they want to solve the problem,” Msechu said. “Artists must develop both talent and knowledge to convey their message successfully.”
Samuel Obae, Msechu’s filmmaking partner, said hip-hop fans in Tanzania fall into two categories: commercial and conscious. The commercial crowd is influenced by mainstream American hip-hop such as 50 Cent and Jay-Z. Listening to these rappers, who Obae said glorify money and objectify women, causes the youth to equate happiness and success with poor values, Obae said.
“These kids are losing their culture. They are disrespecting their elders and lost in mainstream America,” Obae said. “I’m going back to Africa to break their stereotype. I’m going to tell the youth this is not how America really is.”
Another way Msechu and Obae help the Tanzanian youth is by volunteering at the United African Alliance Community Center. The UAACC offers programs that educate the youth and give them opportunities to empower themselves financially with knowledge and life skills.
“If the community center wasn’t there, kids would engage in anti-social activities,” Obae said. “They would be smoking weed, stealing and end up on the street, homeless and poor.”
This is the first time Msechu and Obae have visited America. Their visit has taken them to universities in New York, Chicago, Kansas, California and now Oregon. Accompanied by UAACC co-founder Charlotte O’Neal, the group addresses University students about the conscious hip-hop movement in Tanzania
During a three-month architecture internship in Tanzania, University senior Kai Yonezawa met O’Neal and invited her to visit the University on her tour.
O’Neal and husband Pete O’Neal founded the UAACC in 1995 as an extension of their community service work for the Black Panthers during the 1960s and 70s. Community service was the pinnacle of the Panther movement despite the media’s portrayal of a violent people, O’Neal said. O’Neal’s resentment of the media’s misrepresentation of Panthers fuels her determination to help disenfranchised youth.
She said more than 150 students come to the community center everyday and learn essential life skills. The center offers courses in health and nutrition, architecture, electrician skills, basic computer communication and design skills, romance languages, a recording studio and radio station.
Offering aspiring Tanzanian hip-hop artists a recording studio and radio station to broadcast their music makes them feel like they are making progress in their art. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and forms a willingness to learn more, Obae said.
Conscious hip-hop is turning youths’ lives around, O’Neal said.
“When you find someone putting out a positive message, you got to support them,” she said.