The US Vice President Kamala Harris who landed in Tanzania during his recent tour of Africa was quoted as saying she was listening to a number of songs by Tanzanian artists.
Somehow, she seems to prefer Alikiba to Diamond.
Blasting from her earphones are her choice bongo fleva tracks from the likes of Alikiba, Harmonize, Darasa, Marioo and Zuku.
For some reason, VP Kamala Harris doesn’t like Diamond Platinumz because the latter’s songs were missing from Kamala Harris’ playlist.
Vice President Harris had made public her official Spotify playlist of African music as a means of crystallizing her 2023 trip across the continent.
Now, this is according to the Billboard report which Tanzania Times managed to get.
According to Billboard, the playlist, titled “My Travels: Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia,” was live on the streaming platform, and is designed to “amplify the artists and sounds from my travels” across those countries, per its description.
The vice president arrived in Ghana on Sunday of March 26 for her first trip to Africa while in office and stayed in the country for three days.
Kamala later flew to Tanzania on the following Wednesday and Thursday; Zambia on Friday and Saturday, before returning to the U.S. on Sunday.
VP Harris curated the playlist by featuring Ghanaian and Ghanaian-American artists like Amaarae, Moses Sumney and Black Sherif.
Tanzanian and Tanzanian-American artists like Harmonize, Marioo, Darasa, Zuchu and Alikiba
Zambian and Zambian-American artists including Chile One Mr Zambia, Yo Maps and Chef 187.
Harris previously visited Vibrate Space, a Ghanaian music workstation that local collective Surf Ghana which opened in October 2022 with audio recording, mixing, mastering and editing equipment, along with consultations and Masterclass sessions.
Spotify supported the launch of Vibrate Space last year, and the vice president plans to meet with local artists — including some featured on her playlist — at the studio.
But did Kamala really listen to those songs, or it was just a political statement?
Media outlets in the US once claimed that the Vice President had once lied about listening to Tupac (2Pac) Shakur, whichever the case, here is her playlist from the continent.
VP Kamala Harris’ Songs from Tanzania and Africa
- 1. All My Cousins, “Act a Fool”
- 2. Moses Sumney, “Me in 20 Years”
- 3. T’neeya, “Pretty Mind”
- 4. Amaarae, “Reckless & Sweet”
- 5. Herman Suede, “Kumbaya”
- 6. Moliy, “Ghana Bop”
- 7. Ria Boss, “Call Up”
- 8. Harmonize, “Single Again”
- 9. Chile One Mr Zambia, “I Love You”
- 10. Black Sherif, “Kwaku the Traveller”
- 11. Jux, Marioo, Papi Cooper & Tony Duardo, “Nice (Kiss)
- 12. Zuchu, “Utaniua”
- 13. Yo Maps, “Aweah”
- 14. Alikiba, “Mahaba”
- 15. Jay Melody, “Sawa”
- 16. Mbosso feat. Costa Titch & Alfa Kat, “Shetani”
- 17. Sarkodie feat. Black Sherif, “Country Side”
- 18. Platform Tz & Marioo, “Fall”
- 19. Darassa feat. Bien, “No Body”
- 20. Chef 187 & Blake, “Nobody”
- 21. Kuami Eugene & Rotimi, “Cryptocurrency”
- 22. Coolguy Pro, “Cherry”
- 23. Marioo & Abbah, “Lonely”
- 24. M3NSA, “Fanti Love Song”
- 25. Baaba J, “Lumumba”