X Plastaz

X Plastaz: from the Maasai village to the Embassy of East African hip hop

In the growing international African hip hop scene, the Tanzanian group X Plastaz is one of the most familiar names. Through concert tours in Africa, Europe and Latin America, a worldwide album release and tracks on compilations such as the Rough Guide to African Rap, they have become the ambassadors of East African urban music.

X Plastaz call their music ‘Maasai hip hop’, a unique mixture of traditional Maasai chanting and elements from hip hop, dancehall and even Hindi music. Their conscious Swahili lyrics strike a chord with the Tanzanian youth on the streets, who can relate to topics like Aids, unemployment, divorce or life in prison.
The group has worked hard to raise the standards of Tanzanian hip hop which is evident from their releases, music videos and stage shows. They have a faithful fanbase worldwide and are embraced by the press.

March 2006: The death of group member Faza Nelly

In March 2006, the saddest moment in the group’s history occurred when member Faza Nelly (born 1976 as Nelson Chrizostom Rutta) died after a stabbing incident as he was negotiating in an argument between neighbours.

Faza Nelly was one of the founders of X Plastaz. His sympathy for the poor and needy in society translated into all X Plastaz songs. His positive, unlimited energy and good wit made people fall in love with the group wherever they went.

X Plastaz have decided to keep the flame alive and continue on Nelly’s path of entertaining international crowds while sending out messages of peace and wisdom. Nelly’s last work was the song ‘Nini dhambi kwa mwenye dhiki’, dedicated to the poor and needy in Tanzania, whose video was shot on the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai, which had a major eruption on the day Nelly died. The video is one of the most popular African music videos on Youtube with currently 500.000 views.

The group

X Plastaz consists of six rappers/singers. Brothers Ruff, Gsann and Ziggy used to work in a haircutting saloon in Arusha, a city in the heart of Maasai land, and started rapping in 1995. Their first single ‘Bamiza’ became a big hit in East Africa in 1999. In 2001, their 13 and 11 year old brother and sister were added to the group, as well as Yamat Ole Meipuko, a Maasai singer who lives in a traditional and remote village.

Yamat has won various Maasai singing competitions, and adds a unique vocal element to the stew of Swahili rhymes and tough hip hop beats. In 2009, the youngest family member became a full group member: Maria, at the time only 12 years old yet gifted with a powerful singing voice hints at the new direction in which the group is taking for their second album.

X Plastaz perform in variable live settings, from two vocalists and their dj Threesixty (known from his work with Outsidaz, Freestyle Felowship, Redman) to the ‘full set’ of six artists and a dj.
After a period of silence following the death of Faza Nelly, X Plastaz are back in full performing mode with new shows and studio sessions planned throughout the year.

Some highlights:
-X Plastaz’ video ‘Aha’ featured in the HBO documentary ‘This is my Africa’ (2010)
-Gsan featured on BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher 2009 alongside veteran artists KRS One & dj Premier and newcomers Wale and Nipsey Hussle
-New single and video ‘Furaha’ featuring Fid Q released in July 2009, second album being recorded
-Concert tours in Europe (UK, Scandinavia, Benelux, 2001-2005), Brazil (Percpan 2005), Gabon (2006)
-Album release ‘Maasai hip hop’ (OutHere, Germany 2004)
-Compilations (Rough Guide to African Rap 2004, Global Hip Hop 2005…)
-Music videos on MTV Africa, Channel O, MCM/Trace TV, the Box (Netherlands), Brazilian national tv etc.
-Featured in documentaries and tv shows such as MTV Trippin (USA 2004), in a Landrover promotional campaign and on the National Geographic compilation Georemixed (2007).

X Plastaz on the web:
www.xplastaz.com
www.twitter.com/xplastaz
www.myspace.com/xplastaz
www.facebook.com/xplastaz