“We knew it was a banger,” drawled rapper Allan “Manazz” Mojo, one-half of young Kenyan rap duo Wadagliz whose viral song has become the unlikely beat of anti-government demonstrations that have shaken the East African country. With its upbeat rhythm and catchy chorus, “Anguka Nayo”—literally “fall with it” in Swahili, but better understood by Kenyans as “roll with it” — does not sound like a protest rallying cry. But when youth-led anti-government rallies broke out across the country in June, the tune written by the 22-year-olds was suddenly everywhere accompanied by the pair’s online dance challenge.

Weeks later, sunglasses firmly in place even in the gloom of their studio, Mojo and Tony “Kantel” Otieno are reveling in their newfound success, which has seen them hit more than five million views on YouTube. “People are relating in their own way. (For) some it is a party song, some it is protests,” Mojo told AFP. Both Otieno and Mojo grew up in the lower-income Nairobi neighborhood of Eastleigh. They attended school together where they paid more attention to writing lyrics than their studies, Otieno said with a smile, his silver teeth glinting.

Afterwards, the two struggled to make ends meet, selling clothes as a side-hustle to their musical ambitions — typical of many in Kenya where despite President William Ruto’s promises, youth unemployment remains high and poorly paid informal work dominates. Such issues fanned the protests that were initially sparked by proposed tax hikes, and which turned deadly as disenchanted and furious young Gen-Z Kenyans marched.

But Wadagliz said “Anguka Nayo” was written about a year ago, sampling the 2018 Kenyan party tune “Kufa Juu”, as part of the Arbantone genre that blends the established with the new. “It is not a protest (song), it’s a club banger,” explained Otieno, his rings sparkling as he toyed with his diamante-encrusted belt. Still, stray onto TikTok and the track is the background to nearly half a million posts, many filmed during the recent rallies.

‘Good energy’

At protests in central Nairobi earlier this month, young Kenyans faced off against police as “Anguka Nayo” blasted through portable speakers. The small crowd broke out in frenetic dancing until they were scattered by tear gas. The freewheeling tune just provided “good energy”, according to demonstrator Wanjiru Stephens, 29. “It was a moment of joy, to actually enjoy the song,” she told AFP, especially with the online dance challenge gathering pace. “It’s all due to TikTok. That’s what made the song blow up,” producer Samuel Michaka, 22, told AFP.

Wadagliz and their team came up with the moves — outstretched hands as people slowly lower their bodies — in their Eastleigh studio. “That’s how the song was embedded into the protests,” he said. Despite emphasizing it was not a protest song at all, Michaka acknowledged the timing had caught the public mood. “Let’s just say ‘Anguka Nayo’ was a perfect match,” he said. “’Anguka Nayo’ is every day, anytime, anywhere, it doesn’t matter. Just fall with it.”

‘Song fits perfectly’

From George Ramogi’s song mourning politician Tom Mboya’s death to Eric Wainaina’s early 2000s anti-corruption anthem, music has consistently played a role in modern Kenyan history. But Arbantone songs like “Anguka Nayo” were something different, said Nerima Wako-Ojiwa, of Nairobi-based civic-tech group Siasa Place, which has monitored online protest chatter.

She said the use of social media — mostly TikTok and Facebook — had allowed new voices, like Wadagliz, to flourish. “’Anguka Nayo’ is not even like a patriotic song,” she told AFP. “But the fact that it’s being connected to the protests is so interesting, it’s like it’s developing a whole new kind of culture.” “That song, that phrase, fits perfectly with what’s going on,” said Wako-Ojiwa. — AFP