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For more information about X Plastaz check out these sites.
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xplastaz.comX Plastaz home web site
myspace.com/xplastaz
africanhiphop.com
The Africanhiphop.com site serves the goal of unifying everybody who's inspired by hip hop and by the cultures of Africa and of African origins. The info at Africanhiphop.com is 100 percent independent, uncensored and provided mostly by the artists themselves, and edited by the Africanhiphop.com web team in Amsterdam, Holland
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English lyrics
Article
Extracts taken from X Plastaz website (www.xplastaz.com)
In 2002, X Plastaz recorded the track 'Nini dhambi kwa mwenye dhiki' to a beat supplied by dj 360 in Amsterdam. The video was shot in September 2004 on the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai (the Mountain of God to the Maasai people) and in the slums of Arusha. The editing had just been completed in April, 2 days before Nelly was stabbed. In the same week he died, the volcano had its first major eruption in years... This video is among the last works that Faza Nelly completed on this earth, and it is being distributed in his memory.
The video was planned to be released along with a new single containing a double a-side: the new track 'Hiyo' and 'Nini dhambi kwa mwenye dhiki'. Since Tanzania's Channel 10 did a report about Nelly's funeral, they premiered the video on Tanzanian television on the 8th of April. The video is on its way to other stations including MTV Africa and the Hiyo! single is being pressed. The track 'Nini dhambi kwa mwenye dhiki' is about the poor and have-nots of society. Nelly wrote the song from his own experiences and from talking to other people in the streets. This is one of X Plastaz songs that shows the exceptional talent Nelly had for painting a vivid picture with his lyrics.
The video shows Nelly in three settings: Unga Limited, a poor and dangerous slum in Arusha; Eluwai, the Maasai village of X Plastaz member Yamat; and the top of the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano. The latter (also the setting of the Tomb Raider 2 movie) is located in a remote and hard to reach part of Tanzania, and X Plastaz (Gsan, Yamat, Nelly and Juma4) had to get a Landrover, drive out there and climb at night (60% steep rock path) to reach the summit at sunrise, to film between the smoking hornitos which spit lava regularly. Although the volcano was slumbering when the video was recorded, it spit out a large and dangerous lava flow in the same week Nelly's died, and thousands of people in the area had to be evacuated.
About X Plastax
In the vibrant Tanzanian hiphop scene, the group X Plastaz is one of the most familiar names, with a huge following especially among the common people. Their conscious Swahili rap lyrics strike a chord with the Tanzanian youth, who can relate to their topics like Aids, unemployment, divorce and even life in prison. Their music is a unique mixture of traditional chanting and elements from hip hop, ragga and even Hindi music.
Six plastaz
The group consists of six rappers/singers. The three brothers Ruff, Gsann and Ziggy used to work in a haircutting saloon in the heart of Maasai land (northern Tanzania). In recent years they have joined forces with Yamat Ole Meipuko, a Maasai singer who still lives in a traditional Maasai dwelling on a 2 hour's drive from Arusha town. Yamat has won various Maasai singing competitions in his age category, and adds a unique vocal element to the stew of Swahili rhymes and tough hiphop beats. The rappers also tour with their 14 and 16 year old rapping brother and sister who are well known for winning numerous talent awards, defeating even adult rappers. Today, all of them make up the group X Plastaz.
Arusha to nationwide
Between 1997 and 2001, the group has become the most popular rap group in their region Arusha and they are well known on a national and international level. Since 2001, the group has done 3 European tours during which they did concerts, workshops and recorded music videos and their first album. The music videos Aha (filmed in a traditional Maasai village) and Ushanta ended in the Tanzanian national video top 5, and are played frequently on Channel O (South Africa). In December 2003 they released their new single and music video Msimu kwa msimu which is currently receiving regular airplay on all Tanzanian stations and on Channel O.
Around the world: Tanzania to Holland, UK to Brazil
In November 2002, X Plastaz performed in Amsterdam (Holland) as the main act in a show on World Aids Day in the Tropical Institute. In July 2003, their European tour led them to Couleur Cafe Festival (Brussels), Rita Ray‚ the Shrine night (London) and the Respect Festival at the Millennium Dome (London). Both the audience as well as the press considered their performances to be highlights of the evening. Promo copies of X plastaz songs have started to create a buzz among world music radio dj‚ in Europe such as Russ Jones (Future World Funk) and Francis Gay (WDR) and their track 'Msimu kwa Msimu' was considered one of the highlights of Worldmusic Network's compilation 'Rough Guide to African Rap'. In 2005, X Plastaz are playing at PercPan festival in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador (Brazil).
Releases
In 2002, X Plastaz recorded new tracks with well known Dutch producers Precise, 360 and Kid Sundance. Their first full album ‚Maasai hip hop‚ will be released on August 16, 2004 on the new label OutHere records (owned by Africa Raps compiler Jay Rutledge).
The group is managed by Madunia music, a Dutch NGO which also runs the popular Africanhiphop.com website.
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Lyrics
Lyrics: Nini dhambi kwa mwenye dhiki?
Translated from Swahili into English - original lyrics by Nelson Buchard for X Plastaz
What's the offense of the poor?
All my people
East Africa
Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya
Dar es Salaam, A town
Wherever you are
Kneel and pray to God
Is this politics, religion, tyranny, slavery, judgement day, Sodom and Gomorrah?
Hold on strong, take a look around each corner
Left, right, front, back, make sure you look everywhere
And if you persist, just listen and be patient, so that you won't regret later on
This goes out to my people
The cripple, blind, albinos and the insane
Street children, beggars, the poor and those who are mentally sane
This is a thick rope
You should know that we are pulling it against those in power
Fat bellies and cheeks
It's no longer a fair game
The referee is biased
The field itself is dry
Work is hard to find, payment is little
What's left is to play the hard way
We're tired of the upper class, capitalism and dictatorship
This is the time
This is the redemption
And I order that those who are down must get that wine
I tighten the strap of your opponents
I pour poison over them
So that they will scratch themselves without shame
First of all, a salute to those who passed away before us
Second, let's pray to God
Our father, please give us our daily bread
Fill us with strength
So that we can succeed in the game
When we pass away, the day of judgement
Give us the chance to regret
Because we know that we act evil
We eat forbidden fruits
We use every possible method
Juju or crime...
So that we can get food & clothing
But that shouldn't be a reason for other people to be robbed of their rights
To prevent us from fulfilling our destiny
To call us infidels and insult us
Because what's the offense?
Chorus:
What's the offense of the poor
What's wrong, what is right
Everyone just wants his destiny
Riddle: stir up the match
You can't look into the future
Why? Ask the question, if we would all be intellectuals and rich
Who would do the dirty and dangerous work like working in the mortuary
Everyone here in town came for a 'business
Everything and everywhere
And even a human skin is for sale
Others are fake witches and wizards
Conmen, illegal travellers
While others are gentle-mannered like the Born-again Christians
In the afternoon offices are buzzing
While the night is hard, prostitutes,
Sugar daddies, criminals, and other things to be covered up
There are those who died when fighting for their lives
Their memories have remained in the graveyard
And there's those who lost the hope that they will ever win
You'd think they have taken their souls out of mortgage
When they stop you in the road
You have to give them your last remaining salary for this month
(Chorus)
Really, in Tanzania it's a matter of finding your way
You will regret when you find out that you don't even have a pair of shorts
Your decision, just hold it like a goalkeeper
And those who you'd depend on until the end will let you drown
You're not educated, don't have any special talent
But strength, tongue, economy you have it, you sit on it
Remember
To gain and to loose, it's all normal
Sometimes you sleep and dream and eat
You drink, you French kiss
And make love to a lovely girl
To your surprise you find that the place is empty
There's nothing
(Chorus, Yamat singing a traditional Maasai song)
Copyright - Lyrics by X Plastaz - Rumba-Kali publishing
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