Rayvanny

Rayvanny first brought his uplifting Bongo Flava sound to a wider East African audience in 2016 via the official debut single “Kwetu,” issued through a label founded by fellow Tanzanian artist Diamond Platnumz; the pair would soon join forces on multiple tracks, among them the 2019 release “Tetema.” Born Raymond Shaban Mwakyusa in Mbeye, he participated in neighborhood freestyle rap contests while still a teenager and captured a nationwide competition held in Dar Es Salaam in 2011. The next year he became a member of the group Tip Top Connection. In 2015 WCB Wasafi Records, the imprint operated by Diamond Platnumz, signed him as a solo performer. His first single, “Kwetu,” appeared the following year and registered strongly both inside and beyond Tanzania’s borders, earning him a Breakthrough Act of the Year nomination at the MTV Africa Music Awards. Subsequent dance-driven releases included the Diamond Platnumz-assisted “Salome” and a guest turn on Queen Darling’s “Kijuso” in 2017. “Tetema,” another collaboration with Diamond Platnumz, arrived in 2019 and quickly ranked among his most successful efforts, its video amassing tens of millions of views; the duo reconvened a year later for “Amaboko.” Also in 2020 came the limited-edition Valentine’s Day EP Flowers, which included appearances by Karen, Mr. Blue, and Messias Maricoa.