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Major Achievements of Bongo Fleva Music
1. From the Streets to Global Recognition
Bongo Fleva started in the 1990s as a street music movement in Dar es Salaam, combining hip hop, R&B, and Swahili vibes.
Today, it’s one of the leading music genres in East Africa and has gained worldwide attention.
2. Promoting Swahili as a Global Music Language
Through Bongo Fleva, Swahili has become an international language in music.
Artists like Diamond Platnumz, Alikiba, Harmonize, Zuchu, Nandy, and others have taken Swahili songs to global audiences.
3. International Collaborations
Diamond Platnumz has worked with Ne-Yo, Rick Ross, Omarion, and Alicia Keys (remix).
Harmonize collaborated with Burna Boy, Sarkodie, Khaligraph Jones, and more.
These collabs opened doors for Tanzanian music to break into international markets.
4. Winning International Awards
Bongo Fleva artists have won or been nominated for top awards like the MTV Europe Music Awards, BET Awards, AFRIMMA, and Soundcity MVP Awards.
5. Putting Tanzania on Africa’s Music Map
Alongside Nigeria and South Africa, Tanzania is now recognized as a major force in modern African music.
6. Growth of Tanzania’s Music Industry
Bongo Fleva has created thousands of jobs: not only for artists, but also for producers, DJs, video directors, stylists, and management teams.
Digital platforms (YouTube, Boomplay, Spotify, Audiomack, etc.) have become strong income sources for artists.
7. Record-Breaking Artists
Diamond Platnumz was the first East African artist to reach 1 million YouTube subscribers (now over 8 million).
Bongo Fleva songs regularly hit hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, which was once thought impossible.
8. New Generations of Stars
From pioneers like Fid Q, AY, Lady Jaydee, Dully Sykes, and Professor Jay… to Diamond, Alikiba, Harmonize, Nandy, Zuchu, Marioo, and now younger stars like Jay Melody, Kontawa, and Rosa Ree.