What’s hot? Top artists to explore urban sounds of Tanzania at ACCES 2022

The discussion, titled Urban Sounds of Tanzania: Youth, Culture and Pan-Africanism, will start at 10am and will see the artists delve into the sounds that are popular on Tanzania’s radio stations and dance floors. They will talk about their personal experiences and the influences that led them to redefine Tanzania’s music scene. The discussion will also explore the current trends, performance circuits and strategies for breaking through as an artist, and what it takes to make your music resonate across the continent and the diaspora.

Fid Q is one of the most respected Tanzanian musical artists, particularly in the East African hip hop scene. With a career spanning more than two decades, his socially and politically conscious songs continue to spur discussions about the socio-political situation in Tanzania and Africa as a whole. Considered a polymath, Fid Q’s advice on staying true to the ideals of hip hop and keeping local traditions alive should be of interest to the younger generation of artists who want to use the genre to express themselves.

Fid Q will share the podium with Sholo Mwamba, another legend in the Tanzanian music scene. A leading pioneer of singeli, the uptempo musical style that was born in the backstreets of Dar es Salaam, Mwamba will offer insight about how he found success through the genre-bending sound. He will also perform at ACESS’ showcase venue Brake Point Makumbusho (Village Museum) alongside acts drawn from the entire African continent.

Also on the all-Tanzanian panel is bilingual rapper and political activist Wakazi, who will offer his unique take on the state of hip hop across the continent, having had the privilege of working in the US before returning home. He is expected to talk about the place of activism in hip hop and the importance of building progressive and equitable communities as an artist.

“I strive to talk about issues that are relevant in my community, about gender discrimination, child abuse and trauma,” Wakazi told Music In Africa in 2020. “I would give up a popular hit song and all the commercial attributes that come with it just to do a socially conscious song that could make a difference and uplift my people.” 

Representing a new generation of Tanzanian artists is Abigail, the musical prodigy who was signed by Sony Music Africa in June. At just 19, Abigail will offer her perspective as a young woman in a male-dominated industry. The singer, who is currently working on her self-titled EP, says she hopes her work can relay her true essence to the world and make a distinct etch on the Tanzanian, African and global music scene. 

“I have to be aspirational so that it allows me to push the boundaries of my musical talents, my entertainment value and my brand,” Abigail told Music In Africa in August.

The panel discussion will open the ACCES 2022 conference programme, which will also feature keynotes, presentations, workshops, exhibitions, networking sessions and music showcases. ACCES takes place at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (conference sessions) and Brake Point Makumbusho (showcases) on 24, 25 and 26 November.

Register for ACCES 2022 here. African delegates register for free.

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African trade show for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. ACCES is held in a different African city every year, attracting active music industry players from across the globe. ACCES 2022 is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, Alliance Française, Ziiki Media, Wasafi Media, the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports of Tanzania, the National Arts Council of Tanzania (BASATA), SACEM, and Salon des Industries Musicales d’Afrique Francophone (SIMA). See all our wonderful ACCES 2022 sponsors and partners here.

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