Kirani Ayat – Guda

Kirani Ayat – Guda

Kirani Ayat is a growing voice in Ghana’s hip hop scene. Probably the most influential voice in his home turf of Madina, one of Accra’s most populated areas, Ayat is dedicated to speaking the language of the people, in Madina’s case Hausa, which is also one of the most broadly spoken languages in West Africa. Originally from Nigeria and parts of Niger, Hausa has been adopted in Ghana as the language of the zongos, urban areas where northern migrants first settle. These areas are known for their bustling activity, diverse cultures and heritage, as well as social woes – fertile terrain for Ayat to develop his message.

“The Hausa language is very masculine yet sexy and commanding, thus very appealing to many young people in the zongo” Ayat tells me. He adds: “There’s a stereotype about Hausa speakers and Muslims in Ghana being violent and uneducated, so people tend to stereotype the Hausa language itself as well, so I’m glad to be a figure of change and break those stereotypes.”

Guda in Hausa means one. The chorus goes nabasu guda guda, which means I am the one giving them gem after gem. Beyond the hip hop bravado, the song is really a tale of struggle, perseverance, determination and the will to succeed and become the one. Guda is produced by Nova, who often produces for Joey B. He and Ayat met at Villain Studios in 2017, where they realized they were both fans of each other’s work, and were keen to collaborate on a track that would fit Ayat’s uplifting message and social commentary.

 

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Kirani Ayat – Guda

Kirani Ayat is a growing voice in Ghana’s hip hop scene. Probably the most influential voice in his home turf of Madina, one of Accra’s most populated areas, Ayat is dedicated to speaking the language of the people, in Madina’s case Hausa, which is also one of the most broadly spoken languages in West Africa. Originally from Nigeria and parts of Niger, Hausa has been adopted in Ghana as the language of the zongos, urban areas where northern migrants first settle. These areas are known for their bustling activity, diverse cultures and heritage, as well as social woes – fertile terrain for Ayat to develop his message.

“The Hausa language is very masculine yet sexy and commanding, thus very appealing to many young people in the zongo” Ayat tells me. He adds: “There’s a stereotype about Hausa speakers and Muslims in Ghana being violent and uneducated, so people tend to stereotype the Hausa language itself as well, so I’m glad to be a figure of change and break those stereotypes.”

Guda in Hausa means one. The chorus goes nabasu guda guda, which means I am the one giving them gem after gem. Beyond the hip hop bravado, the song is really a tale of struggle, perseverance, determination and the will to succeed and become the one. Guda is produced by Nova, who often produces for Joey B. He and Ayat met at Villain Studios in 2017, where they realized they were both fans of each other’s work, and were keen to collaborate on a track that would fit Ayat’s uplifting message and social commentary.

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Rophnan – Reflection EP

Rophnan – Reflection EP

Rophnan is pioneering Ethiopia’s electronic music scene; for years he’s been performing in Addis Ababa’s top venues, hosting his own radio show and writing and producing his own music, fusing distinctly Ethiopian ingredients into his tracks, edits, remixes and popular mixtapes. Rophnan has not only established the DJ as a pivotal figure in today’s Ethiopia, but he also has the chops to understand, dissect and reincorporate Ethiopia’s rich traditions into the futuristic language of electronic music.

The Reflection EP has been years in the making: Rophnan has been carefully selecting its ingredients, studying the deep roots of traditional music from different parts of this vast country, working with master instrumentalists, exploring sounds and rhythms to incorporate into his musical matrix, and then fine tuning his sound to perfection.

The EP is the culmination of this work, where a wide range of Ethiopian rhythms and scales can be heard, such as Guragigna, Gamo, Kemise and the famous Ambasel, all of it distilled into Rophnan’s powerful electronic arrangements.

The full length album was released in Ethiopia a few weeks ago and was received with great enthusiasm from both Rophnan’s grassroots following and new audiences, who were exposed to this kind of music for the first time, through mainstream media and digital channels alike. While it’s too soon to tell the impact of Rophnan’s novel sound, waves of support are growing, independent events dedicated to his music are popping up in different parts of the country, and even mainstream artists are joining the movement led by Rophnan, straddled between electronic music’s universal appeal, and the distinct sounds of Ethiopia’s diverse yet unifying traditions.

RELATED

Rophnan – Reflection EP

Rophnan is pioneering Ethiopia’s electronic music scene; for years he’s been performing in Addis Ababa’s top venues, hosting his own radio show and writing and producing his own music, fusing distinctly Ethiopian ingredients into his tracks, edits, remixes and popular mixtapes. Rophnan has not only established the DJ as a pivotal figure in today’s Ethiopia, but he also has the chops to understand, dissect and reincorporate Ethiopia’s rich traditions into the futuristic language of electronic music.

The Reflection EP has been years in the making: Rophnan has been carefully selecting its ingredients, studying the deep roots of traditional music from different parts of this vast country, working with master instrumentalists, exploring sounds and rhythms to incorporate into his musical matrix, and then fine tuning his sound to perfection.

The EP is the culmination of this work, where a wide range of Ethiopian rhythms and scales can be heard, such as Guragigna, Gamo, Kemise and the famous Ambasel, all of it distilled into Rophnan’s powerful electronic arrangements.

The full length album was released in Ethiopia a few weeks ago and was received with great enthusiasm from both Rophnan’s grassroots following and new audiences, who were exposed to this kind of music for the first time, through mainstream media and digital channels alike. While it’s too soon to tell the impact of Rophnan’s novel sound, waves of support are growing, independent events dedicated to his music are popping up in different parts of the country, and even mainstream artists are joining the movement led by Rophnan, straddled between electronic music’s universal appeal, and the distinct sounds of Ethiopia’s diverse yet unifying traditions.

RELATED