Interview: Jay Maumau on Using Hip-Hop for Social Change and African Identity

Source: FabStyle

FAB: What made you realise that hip-hop could be more than just beats and rhymes, but a tool for social change?

Jay Maumau: I was actually born in Mombasa, Kenya, and spent most of my childhood with my grandfather. He was deeply into politics, and we often had long conversations about the progress of our country. He inspired me a lot — he was a teacher, and I even went to the same school where he taught.

Growing up in the eastern part of Kenya, particularly during my high school years, also had a big influence on me. I started developing a passion for being a voice for the voiceless, representing the people in my community. I knew I wanted to represent my community, and hip-hop felt like the right way to do that — connecting it to my roots, using the art of storytelling.

FAB: How do you think hip-hop is shaping the future of African identity?

Jay Maumau: Hip-hop has become the voice of the voiceless. It reflects society and helps create leaders and builders. There's a rapper from the U.S. who once said, “African hip-hop is the future.” We have artists rapping in multiple languages, from Cape Town to Cairo, connecting with the youth across the continent.

I've initiated projects like Africa Is Now and Hip-Hop Beyond the Mic, aimed at bringing African youth together. I've traveled to Uganda and Tanzania, where we launched the Back to the Source project — combining hip-hop with initiatives like farming and entrepreneurship, helping young people understand their community's potential.

FAB: How important is it for you to use Kiswahili in your music, aiming to appeal to a global audience?

Jay Maumau: The global audience craves something authentic. They appreciate originality. When it comes to delivering my core message, Kiswahili allows me to express it best. As Africans, it's time we also start valuing and promoting our languages. Even here in Europe, when I perform my hip-hop in Kiswahili, people are intrigued — they want to know what I'm saying, and they're drawn in by the uniqueness of it.

Read the full interview at FabStyle.