Hip-Hop Asili Festival

The Hip-Hop Asili Festival (HAF) is an annual celebration of Hip-Hop music and culture in Tanzania. It is produced by local artists and supported by French Embassy in Tanzania.

History
Hip Hop Asili Festival began three years ago in June 2021, by supporting Tanzanian and East African Hip-hop talents and helping them move forward with a professional career, give artists a right platform to showcase their talents and improve their knowledge of the music industry. This is the first International Hip Hop Festival in East Africa, performing at Alliance Française and Nafasi Arts Space in Dar es Salaam. The festival aims to enhance the cultural expressions of Hip-hop by empowering young people to engage their skill in a way that uplifts their communities and inspires them to undertake in a sustainable and socially responsible way.

Overview
Rappers, DJs, breakdancers and graffiti artists entertained and educated in a celebration of hip-hop culture. In June 2021, emerging and established artists from across the country came together at the Dar es Salaam arts centre as it hosted the first ever Asili Festival with support from the French Embassy in Tanzania. The three-day event began with workshops from the likes of veteran rappers Nash MC and Jay and Dar graffiti collective Wachata Crew. There were also live performances from homegrown talent such as Juma Nature, Nikki Mbishi, Mex Cortez and JCB Makalla and US rapper Balance Thee Ekwayzion. The festival finale was an amazing performance by SwahiliFrench band East Africa Riseup. The Nafasi stage also hosted a series of competitions to find the country's best rappers, DJs and breakdancers. Arusha confirmed its place as Tanzania's hotbed of hip-hop talent with artists from the region claiming all the top prizes. RMC was named best rapper, DJ Cent255 won the DJ award and one vs one Kilimbo Skills took home the breakdancing trophy.