It is Thursday, marking a significant occasion. Today, we pay tribute to G.W.M with their song “Watapatapa,” one of the two tracks that heralded their arrival in the Tanzanian music industry.

G.W.M, which stands for Gangstas With Matatizo, is also known as Mazimwi, with “matatizo” meaning problems in Swahili. Adopting the persona of a U.S. gangsta-style rapper in Dar es Salaam certainly presents its own challenges.

Nevertheless, G.W.M has remained committed to reality rap, performing exclusively in Swahili and addressing the everyday struggles faced in the streets of Bongo. This term, a colloquial reference to Dar es Salaam, implies the necessity for intelligence to navigate life, as “bongo” translates to smart or clever in Swahili.

The group consists of three members:
D CHIEF (real name Robert E. Makala)
EASY DOPE (real name Richard Makala), who is the older brother of D Chief
K.R. MULLAH (real name Rashid Ziada)

The music of the 90s had its distinctive essence. Special recognition is due to DJ “Boniluv” (real name “Boniphace Kilosa“) for producing this track and their album “Mikosi.” Their most renowned song was “Cheza Mbali na Kasheshe” and “Kipe Kitu” where K.R. Mullah and D Chief formed an inseparable pair.

Furthermore, a special mention goes to Jumanne Thomas for providing the audio clip of this song. Enjoy this rare treasure and do not forget to follow all my social media @ngomanagwa

bongo90s #gwm #tmkstyle #tbt #bongothrowback🎼🎼🎼🔥🔥🔥🔥💯💯

Listen to “Watapatapa” featuring 2 verses from G.W.M below;