You can’t talk about Bongo Flava without Diamond Platinumz’s name popping up. That’s because the artist has contributed greatly to what Bongo Flava is today.
His charisma, talent, and dedication to introducing the genre to the world have caught our eye today. That’s why we’ve taken the time to prepare this article specifically to explore how Diamond Platinumz remains a boss in terms of Bongo Flava as well as his impact on the genre.
Diamond Platinumz
Diamond Platinumz is an international music act that hails from Tandale, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. His real name is Nasibu Abdul Juma Isaack. Diamond Platinumz comes from humble beginnings and even dropped out of school at 14 years old to pursue his music career. The music maestro went through a lot of hurdles at first, but he didn’t let all the obstacles in his way stop him, instead, he kept pushing. At the moment, his songs have been listened to worldwide and he stands out from the sea of African artists. Some of his viral hit songs include ‘Nana’, ‘Kidogo’, and his most recent track ‘Gidi’
Diamond Platinumz has come a long way in the industry. Apart from being an exceptional singer, he is also a fantastic dancer, TV station owner, media CEO, and record label boss. Needless to say, the star is multi-faceted and that is part of what lends to his persistent success in the industry.
Bongo Flava
Bongo Flava is a genre of music that is very popular in Tanzania where it originates from. It is essentially a nickname for Tanzanian music and a symbol that represents the modern Tanzanian sound. Bongo Flava has been appreciated for decades due to the socio-political messages seamlessly weaved into the songs without sacrificing the catchy beats and melodies that the Tanzanians were already used to. It is the dominant music genre in many parts of East Africa that merges American Hip-hop with traditional elements of East African music. The style of music emerged in the 90s. Songs like ‘Kwa Ngwaru’, ‘Chombo, and ‘Likizo’ are popular tracks under Bongo Flava. The genre is appreciated by Tanzanians including the youths, yet at some point, it wasn’t appreciated globally.
When musicians like Diamond Platinumz, Harmonize, Zuchu, and Ali Kaba entered the industry, a lot changed for Bongo Flava for the better. All these artists are notable acts in terms of Bongo Flava, but I’m going to focus on Diamond Platinumz and how he is still influential in the Bongo Flava community.
How Diamond Platinumz has made an impact in Bongo Flava
Diamond Platinumz’s performances have taken Bongo Flava from a relatively unknown genre that used to be sung in the nooks and crannies of Tanzanian suburbs to a widely acknowledged genre that has seeped onto international stages. Diamond Platinumz has always been one to never be ashamed of his roots and culture. Right from the early days of his career, his style of music has always been proudly Bongo Flava.
His passion for music and ability to easily adapt to trends in the industry has made Bongo Flava more mainstream leading to raving fans of his work, some of which are not even Africans and do not understand the language. He was one of the first East African artists to merge Afrobeats with Bongo Flava thus creating an appealing new sound. Diamond’s knowledge of the trends in the Tanzanian music scene enabled him to always deliver a Bongo Flava tune that his fans would always receive joyously. In doing so, he turned Bongo Flava (which was not so profitable) into a genre that is now worth millions of dollars in the entertainment industry.
Diamond Platinumz is a man of many achievements and is still very much at the peak of his career. The WCB label boss recently became not just the first Tanzanian to perform at the Grammy Global Spin, but the first East African artist to do so. The event was hosted in October 2021 and it showcased artists performing different kinds of music from all over the world. On the global stage, he performed ‘Gidi’ one of his new songs. That stellar performance proves that Diamond Platinumz remains a big force as long as Bongo Flava is concerned.
Also, the number of international awards that Diamond Platinumz has won tells you that he has played a big role in taking Bongo Flava places. He won also won prestigious awards like the Best International Act in 2021. According to reports, the singer is the most awarded artist in East Africa which is no small feat. His Bongo style of music seems to have won the hearts of many around the world.
When counting the most successful artists in Africa, Diamond Platinumz stands out strongly among notable icons like Wizkid, Davido, and 2Face Idibia. Diamond Platinumz has continuously waved the flag of Bongo Flava high with his multiple awards. At one point, he even shocked the world in 2013 when he broke a record by winning 7 awards at the Tanzania Music Awards. At the moment, one award that Diamond Platinumz is eager to win for the first time is the Grammy which by all indications is not too far from reach.
As for endorsements, Diamond Platinumz is no stranger to high-profile endorsement deals. He has worked with some of the most reputable brands across the world like Pepsi, Bel Air, and Cocacola.
These are just some of the achievements that prove that Diamond Platinumz was and still is a big force in terms of Bongo Flava. The records, awards, international performances, and global acceptance all point to the fact that Diamond Platinumz deserves the hype he gets due to his excellence in the Bongo Flava genre.
Conclusion
You could say that Diamond Platinumz and Bongo Flava are like 5 and 6 because the genre is at the core of his career and success as a musician. It is truly a delight to see African artists like Diamond Platinumz who are not afraid to display their cultural identities to the world. Because of his significant contribution to music, Platinumz’s platform has served as a springboard that has catapulted the genre onto the international scene.
