Freemuse Defending Artistic Freedom
Tanzanian hip hop artists Diamond Platnumz and Rayvanny have been banned indefinitely from performing in the country and abroad.
Read More »Tanzania: Hip hop artists banned from performing indefinitely
2 January 2019
Tanzania: Actress charged, banned from film industry over ‘explicit’ images
7 November 2018
Tanzanian actress Wema Sepetu has been banned from acting and charged with posting sexually explicit content after sharing images on social media.
Read More »Tanzania: Musician blocked from travel over new arts council regulations
1 August 2018
Tanzanian musician Diamond Platnumz was blocked from leaving the country for not having an overseas performance permit from the national arts council.
Read More »Freemuse concerned about full-year trial delay for two Tanzanian artists
27 September 2017
The case against Tanzanian musician Mwana Cotide and music producer Mussa Sikabwe has been postponed for a twelfth time to 11 October 2017.
Read More »Tanzania: Two rappers and a producer abducted from studio by unknown people
7 April 2017
Tanzanian rappers Roma Mkatoliki and Moni, and producer Bello bin Laden, went missing on 5 April 2017 after unidentified people abducted them from a studio.
Read More »Tanzania: Rapper released after being detained over song
29 March 2017
Rapper Ney wa Mitego was released on 27 March 2017 without charges after being held for nearly 2 days for a new song that allegedly ridiculed the government.
Read More »Tanzania: Artists’ trial postponed for a fifth time
28 February 2017
The case against Tanzanian musician Mwana Cotide and music producer Mussa Sekabwe has once again been postponed, for a fifth time, until 9 March 2017.
Read More »Freemuse calls for charges dropped against Tanzanian musicians ahead of trial
8 November 2016
Musician Mwana Cotide (real name: Fulgency Mapunda) and music producer Mussa Sikabwe are set to go trial on 9 November 2016 on charges that their recent song ‘Dikteta Uchwara’ (Petty Dictator) contains “seditious and offensive” content towards Tanzanian President John Magufuli. The artists are also charged with “distributing the song …
Read More »Tanzania: Two artists arrested for allegedly insulting president in latest song
5 October 2016
Tanzanian musician Mwana Cotide (real name: Fulgency Mapunda) and music producer Mussa Sikabwe were arrested for allegedly producing, singing and distributing a song called ‘Dikteta Uchwara’ (Petty Dictator) that contained “seditious and offensive” content against Tanzanian President John Magufuli, reported the Swahili Times on 29 September 2016. The two artists …
Read More »Tanzania: Rapper banned from music industry indefinitely
10 August 2016
The Tanzanian National Arts Council (Basata) banned popular rapper Nay wa Mitego (real name Emmanuel Elibariki) from participating in the music industry indefinitely due to “immoral content” in his latest song ‘Pale Kati Patamu’, reported Tanzanian news outlet The Citizen on 28 July 2016. “We have barred him from performing …
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