The African American and Hip-Hop Cultural Influence in Kenya

Written by Rasheeda Campbell

Waking up in Nairobi is like waking up to a bustling city and quiet countryside simultaneously at the same time. You can hear a rooster at dawn crow and then suddenly hear the honking of multiple matatus (taxis) trying to drive their way out of the morning traffic. Nairobi was the first stop of my travels in Kenya. The first taste I was truly able to get of Nairobi was when I went to its Central Business District. I prepared myself for a culture shock, but to my surprise, there were many similarities that reminded me of home in the states. As an African American visiting the motherland for the first time, it was a big deal for me to go to Kenya to see and do as much as I can. This included meeting the locals and learning more about African culture while also having the opportunity to share with them a lot about the African American culture. But my first few moments of driving around Nairobi’s Central Business District, I realized how strong the African American influence actually is.

The images of famous African Americans from movie stars to activists were seen throughout Nairobi in ads and street art. However, the most African American influence I saw in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya was the influence of American hip-hop and rap. Almost every matatu I saw on the road had beautiful artwork painted on it that paid homage to a famous African American hip-hop/rap artist. There were artists such as Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, Megan Thee Stallion, and 50 Cent featured in a colorful, graffiti-like style on the matatus. Some matatus also play music to entertain their passengers. Some of the music that I heard playing from the matatus were songs by the Hip hop/rap artists that were also featured on the sides of their vehicles. I also noticed that a few barbershops and beauty stores had pictures of celebrities such as Ludacris outside of their shops as a way to attract customers. I noticed that the way that some Nairobians, especially the youth, dress and speak has similarities to African American culture. I was constantly mistaken as a native of Nairobi by locals before telling them that I am actually American.

I traveled to other parts of Kenya including Kisumu, Naivasha, Mombasa, and Diani Beach. I still saw the same type of influence in those other places, but not as much as I did in Nairobi. However, I was able to talk to some of the youth who shared with me some of the African American entertainment they enjoy. One boy I met, who is around 17 years old, told me that he really enjoys African American movies and that his favorite artist is 50 Cent. From certain slang words that they use to the t-shirts, they wear of their favorite Hip-hop artist, traveling to Kenya will allow anyone to see the influence that African Americans, especially African American entertainment, have on the modern Kenyan culture.