Singeli Movement: Greed for Speed

Among the African countries, Tanzania is considered one of the most successful in decolonization. With the departure of the British in 1961, the government of Julius Nyerere seized power. He built the state on the basis of the philosophy of "familyhood" (swa. "Ujamaa"), in a broader sense encompassing not only the loved ones but also the entire society. This state did not repeat the mistakes of many neighbors and did not create pathologies in the form of wars, corruption, hunger or an explosion of social injustice. Internationally, Nyerere was one of the most prominent defenders of the interests of third world countries. After his death in 1999, Tanzania gave up its unique policies to implement liberal-capitalist reforms.

While the music of the Ujamaa generation is slow and dignified Taarabu, the generation of transformation has created Singeli - a genre with a rate of over 200 beats per minute and vigorously spit out vocals. This sudden acceleration in music seems symptomatic of the moods present in similar social circumstances, where there is an imperative to work beyond one's own strength, haste, strong competition and individualism. The discrepancy between the remnant ideals of Ujamaa's philosophy and the new capitalist reality is perfectly represented in Singeli music, which makes it unique. Singeli artists represent a modest attitude full of concern for the local community and call for cooperative action. They often talk about educating the audience. They deal with topics that are universal and different from the message of western rap music: instead of cult of money here we find mindfulness regarding obligations, stories of everyday hardships and the struggle with poverty. Singeli is the music of political transformation, which talks about its benefits and costs. And this issue is for the author, as a person born at a time when similar changes were taking place in Eastern Europe, personally important. For many viewers, the reflection in the mirror of a country with a less privileged position may allow them to understand the genealogy of their own axioms and the universal mechanisms to which those who try to break out of poverty are subject.

The film is shot and told in a way that corresponds to the aesthetics of its subject, i.e. Singeli music. Fast, dynamic, direct, authentic, aiming straight at the goal, virtuoso at times. The protagonist around whom the narrative is structured is the Operator moving through the territory of the Mburahati slum, often recording the first conversations with the people he meets. His camera sometimes changes hands, gets out of control, and captures more than he could possibly imagine. However, the actual protagonist of the film is the community of Singeli music artists - singers, producers, their families and neighbors, and its action - the fate of their careers, fights for fame, travels abroad and everyday life.