TEDGlobal 2017
Sauti Sol: The rhythm of Afrobeat
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From Beyoncé to Drake and beyond, the world is rocking to the rhythm of Afrobeat. Feel the music as Kenyan afro-pop superstars Sauti Sol take the TED stage to perform three songs: "Live and Die in Afrika," "Sura Yako" and "Kuliko Jana."
Sauti Sol - Afro-pop innovators
Sauti Sol blends warm resonant pop with traditional Kenyan influences. Their mélange of energetic rhythms has promoted the group to become one of Africa’s most celebrated. Full bio
Sauti Sol blends warm resonant pop with traditional Kenyan influences. Their mélange of energetic rhythms has promoted the group to become one of Africa’s most celebrated. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:15
(Music)
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(Singing) Ooh ooh
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She wants to be rich
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She wants to be famous
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She wants to have lots and lots of money
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Soar above the clouds
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She wanna be free
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Like Nelson Mandela
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Stand tall like a pyramid
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So, so courageous
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No place she'd rather be
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Oh na na na, oh na na na
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And there's no place she'd rather be
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Oh na na na, oh na na na
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Live and die in Afrika
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She wanna live and die in Afrika
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Oh lo lo lo lo
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Live and die in Afrika
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Live and die in Afrika
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I wanna feel love
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I wanna be remembered
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I wanna go down in history
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And make my mama proud
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The darker the berry
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The sweeter the juice
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Na sitoki nyumbani wacha mila ni mtumwa
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No place I'd rather go
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Oh na na na, oh na na na
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No place I'd rather go
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
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Live and die in Afrika
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Oh lo lo lo lo lo lo
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Live and die in Afrika
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Oh yeah yeah
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Live and die in Afrika
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Live and die in Afrika
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Live and die in Afrika
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(Applause)
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Bien-Aimé Baraza: Good afternoon,
ladies and gentlemen.
ladies and gentlemen.
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It's a pleasure and honor
to be here today.
to be here today.
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Onstage is the group called Sauti Sol.
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(Cheering)
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We have a couple of people paid
in the audience to make some noise for us.
in the audience to make some noise for us.
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(Laughter)
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The four of us met
in high school, 15 years ago,
in high school, 15 years ago,
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and at the time, we were famous
for singing Boyz II Men covers,
for singing Boyz II Men covers,
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because they were our biggest inspiration.
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(Laughter)
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And I remember, in a very pervy way,
in my room, I had a Mariah Carey poster
in my room, I had a Mariah Carey poster
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and a Britney Spears poster, too.
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(Laughter)
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And I can't help but feel
that times have changed.
that times have changed.
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Because what used to be
Mariah Carey in my room now,
Mariah Carey in my room now,
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in a 15-year-old boy's room,
is Tiwa Savage.
is Tiwa Savage.
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What used to be 50 Cent in my room then,
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to a 15-year-old boy's room now
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is Sauti Sol.
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(Cheering) (Applause)
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The role of Afrobeats in emancipating
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and getting over the colonial
mindset of the youth
mindset of the youth
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cannot be ignored.
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Afrobeats has played the strongest
role so far, if you ask me,
role so far, if you ask me,
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as far as emancipating
the youth is concerned.
the youth is concerned.
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We are now the superstars
of our generation, for our people.
of our generation, for our people.
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We are the solution
to their musical problems.
to their musical problems.
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(Applause)
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And people our age are no longer
looking for entertainment
looking for entertainment
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from America, from the West.
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We are the entertainment,
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and they're priming us above
any other form of art.
any other form of art.
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In 2015, President Obama came to Kenya,
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and we had the pleasure
of being the entertainment
of being the entertainment
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for the state dinner that happened
at state house, Nairobi.
at state house, Nairobi.
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And as we were performing,
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he jumped onstage with us,
and together, we did a cultural dance
and together, we did a cultural dance
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to a song that I want to share
with you guys right now.
with you guys right now.
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And wherever you are,
if you feel the music, dance.
if you feel the music, dance.
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Ladies and gentleman, "Sura Yako."
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(Cheering)
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(Music)
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Nimekuchagua wewe, nikupende
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Mama, sitaki mwingine
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Aushi usiniache, usinitende
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Mama, usipende mwingine
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Moyo wangu ni mwepesi
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Umenikalia chapati
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Nafanya vituko kama chizi
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Kukupenda sitasizi
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Moyo wangu ni mwepesi
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Umenikalia chapati
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Nafanya vituko kama chizi
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Kukupenda sitasizi
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Sura yako mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Na tabasamu lako maua
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Sura yako mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Piga dansi kidogo
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Piga da ... piga dansi kidogo
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Dansi kidogo
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Piga da ... piga dansi kidogo …
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Dansi kidogo
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Piga da ... piga dansi kidogo …
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Dansi kidogo
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Sura yako mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Na tabasamu lako maua
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Na sura yako mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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You're so, so beautiful
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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You're so, so
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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Mzuri mama
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(Applause)
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Savara Mudigi: Wow.
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Thank you, thank you so much.
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(Applause)
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So, afrobeats, afrobeats.
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Afrobeat is a force,
it's a force in the world right now.
it's a force in the world right now.
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Just last year, in the last year alone,
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Africa had songs in the Billboard charts.
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"One Dance," written by Wizkid,
performed by Wizkid and Drake.
performed by Wizkid and Drake.
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"Unforgettable" by French Montana.
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For those who know or don't know,
French Montana is Moroccan.
French Montana is Moroccan.
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Artists who the world
has normally considered as mainstream
has normally considered as mainstream
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are now realizing
they're late to the party.
they're late to the party.
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And they are knocking on the door,
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and because we are good people,
we are going to let them in.
we are going to let them in.
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(Laughter)
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(Applause)
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When we look at an artist,
Queen B herself -- in brackets, Beyoncé --
Queen B herself -- in brackets, Beyoncé --
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(Laughter)
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Beyoncé has African
influence in her music.
influence in her music.
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A couple of years ago, in 2011,
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through YouTube, she saw
these dancers called Tofo Tofo dancers,
these dancers called Tofo Tofo dancers,
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from Mozambique,
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and she flew them all the way
from Mozambique to Los Angeles
from Mozambique to Los Angeles
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to teach her and her dancers
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the now signature dance moves
that you see in her song,
that you see in her song,
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"Run the World (Girls)."
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Yeah. (Laughs)
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So, with social media and a vibrant,
vibrant African diaspora,
vibrant African diaspora,
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more and more the world
is dancing to our rhythm
is dancing to our rhythm
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and talking our pidgin.
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Yeah? (Laughs)
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Thanks, Nigeria, we'll use that
for across the board.
for across the board.
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(Laughter)
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Our next song, "Kuliko Jana,"
had a viral video
had a viral video
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that was posted by Snoop Dogg,
Ne-Yo, Talib Kweli.
Ne-Yo, Talib Kweli.
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And the general feedback of this song,
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especially in the black community
in the United States,
in the United States,
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was that this song gave them
a feeling or a sense
a feeling or a sense
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of spiritual repatriation.
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So, ladies and gentlemen, "Kuliko Jana."
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(Cheering)
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(Vocalizing)
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(Vocalizing ends)
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Bwana ni mwokozi wangu
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Tena ni kiongozi wangu
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Ananipenda leo kuliko jana
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Baraka zake hazikwishi
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Si kama binadamu habadiliki
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Ananipenda leo kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana
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Wewe ndio nategemea
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Kufa kupona Baba nakutegemea
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Chochote kitanikatsia
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Kuingia mbinguni utaniondolea
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Wewe ndio nategemea
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Kufa kupona Baba nakutegemea
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Chochote kitanikatsia
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Kuingia mbinguni utaniondolea
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Wewe ndio nategemea
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Kufa kupona Baba nakutegemea
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Chochote kitanikatsia
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Kuingia mbinguni utaniondolea
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Wewe ndio nategemea
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Kufa kupona Baba nakutegemea
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Nakutegemea
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Na Bwana ni mwokozi wangu
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Na tena ni kiongozi wangu
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Ananipenda leo kuliko jana
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Baraka zake hazikwishi
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Si kama binadamu habadiliki
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Ananipenda leo kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Kuliko jana
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Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana
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Na Bwana ni mwokozi wangu
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Na tena ni mkombozi wangu
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Ananipenda leo kuliko jana
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Amen
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Baraka zake hazikwishi
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Amen
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Si kama binadamu habadiliki
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Amen
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Ananipenda leo kuliko jana
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(Music ends)
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Thank you very much.
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(Cheering)
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sauti Sol - Afro-pop innovatorsSauti Sol blends warm resonant pop with traditional Kenyan influences. Their mélange of energetic rhythms has promoted the group to become one of Africa’s most celebrated.
Why you should listen
Sauti Sol is an award-winning Afro-pop group from Kenya, crowned Best Group (Africa) at the MTV Africa Music Awards in 2016, along with the 2016 Soundcity MTV Awards and African Muzik Magazine Awards. Comprising Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Polycarp Otieno and Savara Mudigi, the group mixes their soulful voices with vocal harmonies, guitar riffs and drum rhythm. In 2016 Sauti Sol made history by being the first Kenyan artists to run a successful and professional nationwide tour. After the Kenyan completion of Sauti Sol’s Live and Die in Afrika tour, it took onto the world stage with a focus on African countries and a detailed American tour.
Sauti Sol’s discography includes three albums: Mwanzo (2008), Sol Filosofia (2011) and the blockbuster Live and Die in Afrika (2015), as well as a 2012 self-titled collaborative EP with South African avant-garde rapper/producer Spoek Mathambo.
Sauti Sol | Speaker | TED.com