TED2019
Muthoni Drummer Queen: Creativity builds nations
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In a hopeful talk followed by an empowering performance, musician and TED Fellow Muthoni Drummer Queen shares how industries like music, film and fashion provide a platform for Africans to broadcast their rich and diverse talents -- and explains how the shared experience of creativity can replace attitudes of exclusionism and othering with acceptance and self-love.
Muthoni Drummer Queen - Musician
Muthoni Drummer Queen's thought-provoking music fuses traditional African drum patterns with modern styles like hip-hop, reggae and blues. Full bio
Muthoni Drummer Queen's thought-provoking music fuses traditional African drum patterns with modern styles like hip-hop, reggae and blues. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Between 2004 and 2008,
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I unsuccessfully tried to get
into the Kenyan music industry.
into the Kenyan music industry.
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But the recurring answer from producers
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was I was not Kenyan enough.
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Meaning what?
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I didn't sing fully in the slang
derivative of Kiswahili
derivative of Kiswahili
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and I didn't sing enough party tracks,
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so they said Kenyans wouldn't listen
to a Kenyan who sounded like me.
to a Kenyan who sounded like me.
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This idea of otherism,
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the exclusion of a person
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based on their perceived
deviation from the norms,
deviation from the norms,
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goes to the root of the problems in Kenya.
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And it runs deep.
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Kenya was invented
by colonialists in 1895,
by colonialists in 1895,
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and with it, came the erasure
of our identity
of our identity
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and the class system built on otherism.
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So by 1963, when we received
our independence,
our independence,
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these ideas had already become
the new normal.
the new normal.
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01:02
Now, we've tried a lot of different ways
to move forward since.
to move forward since.
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We have a common language,
currency, infrastructure,
currency, infrastructure,
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basically all the things
that make a country a country.
that make a country a country.
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01:11
But all these efforts at nation-building
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do not go to the heart of the matter.
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Which is this:
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we cannot build what we do not truly love.
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01:20
And we cannot love
until we love ourselves.
until we love ourselves.
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The thing we have to heal, us Kenyans,
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is our lack of self-love,
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our deep self-hate
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and our existential identity crisis.
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And this is the work of nation-building
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that only the creative industry can do.
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The idea that Kenya
can only include some of us
can only include some of us
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led me to found a music festival in 2008
called Blankest and Wine,
called Blankest and Wine,
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to give a platform to myself
and other misfits.
and other misfits.
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Ten years later,
we've programmed over 200 bands
we've programmed over 200 bands
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and put at least 100,000 dollars
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directly into the hands
of artists and managers,
of artists and managers,
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who have in turn spent it
on technicians, rehearsals,
on technicians, rehearsals,
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music videos and other things
along the music value chain.
along the music value chain.
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Our platform has allowed
for multiple Kenyan identities to exist,
for multiple Kenyan identities to exist,
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while inspiring the industry
to discover and engage
to discover and engage
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the wide variety of Kenyan music.
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What we do is necessary but insufficient.
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And we must urgently pivot
into a live music circuit.
into a live music circuit.
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But there are other ways
music can help heal the nation.
music can help heal the nation.
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02:26
According to a 2018 state of media report,
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traditional radio is sill by far
the biggest distributor of ideas in Kenya,
the biggest distributor of ideas in Kenya,
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with 47 percent of Kenyans
still choosing radio first.
still choosing radio first.
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This presents an opportunity.
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We can use radio to help Kenyans hear
the diversity that is Kenya.
the diversity that is Kenya.
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We can reserve 60 percent
of all programing on Kenyan radio
of all programing on Kenyan radio
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for Kenyan music.
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We can break down ethnic barriers
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by playing Kenyan music
done in English, Kiswahili
done in English, Kiswahili
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and other ethnic languages,
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on what is now
single-language ethnic radio.
single-language ethnic radio.
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Radio can help stimulate
interest and demand
interest and demand
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for Kenyan music by Kenyans,
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while also providing
the much-needed incomes
the much-needed incomes
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by way of royalties.
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But more importantly,
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radio can help us build a more inclusive
narrative about Kenya.
narrative about Kenya.
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For you cannot love
what you do not know exists.
what you do not know exists.
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Other creative industries
too can do the work.
too can do the work.
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When you consider
that 41 percent of Kenyans
that 41 percent of Kenyans
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still choose TV as their primary medium,
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it's obvious that film
has a huge potential.
has a huge potential.
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The meager resources
that have been put into the sector
that have been put into the sector
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have already produced world-class acts,
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like Lupita Nyong'o and Wanuri Kahiu,
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but we are going to need
a lot more incentives and investments
a lot more incentives and investments
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to make filming in Kenya easier,
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so more Kenyan stories
can get on the Kenyan TV
can get on the Kenyan TV
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and spark off the really
difficult conversations
difficult conversations
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we need to have with one another.
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We're going to need to grow
a lot more home-grown stars,
a lot more home-grown stars,
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so we can reverse the idea
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that we have to blow up abroad
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before we get the acceptance
and validation of home.
and validation of home.
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04:04
Fashion too can do the work.
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We need to make it possible
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to affordably mass-produce
Kenyan clothes for Kenyan consumers,
Kenyan clothes for Kenyan consumers,
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so we don't all have to rely
on second-hand imports.
on second-hand imports.
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The first running shoe made in Kenya
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needs to be a local and global success
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as an ode to Kenyan excellence,
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epitomized by Kenyan runners,
who are literally world-class.
who are literally world-class.
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For these ideas to come to life,
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jobs will be created,
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and Kenyan ideas will be exported.
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But more importantly,
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Kenyans may finally
consider themselves worthy
consider themselves worthy
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of the love that we reserve for others.
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Kenya's creative industry is dynamic,
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cosmopolitan, forward-looking,
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and without a doubt,
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a true manufacturing industry
of the immediate future.
of the immediate future.
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But its true power lies in its ability
to help heal the psyche of Kenya,
to help heal the psyche of Kenya,
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so we can finally build a nation for real.
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05:01
Thank you.
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05:03
(Applause)
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05:08
(Applause)
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For this song, I'd like us all
to take a minute
to take a minute
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and think about immigrant communities,
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and especially refugee
immigrant communities,
immigrant communities,
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and the daily struggle
they have to endure,
they have to endure,
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building a life with dignity and meaning
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away from everything
they have loved and known.
they have loved and known.
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If you feel any empathy for this idea,
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I ask to see your fist
up in the air with me.
up in the air with me.
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05:32
(Music)
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"Million voice."
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The mandem make some noise
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05:39
With a million, million voice
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All the mandem make some noise
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With a million, million voice
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Can't stop I, won't stop I
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With a million, million voice
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Can't stop I, won't stop I
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With a million, million voice
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This one dedicated
to my people building something
to my people building something
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Working hard to make sure
that their children will lack for nothing
that their children will lack for nothing
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When them people come around
and treat them like they're basic
and treat them like they're basic
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I just want to LOL and tell them
to consider all their options
to consider all their options
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Caution, natural distortion
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You can't even kill us
we survive even abortion
we survive even abortion
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Say we cannot make it,
watch us how we make it
watch us how we make it
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Watch us in a minute
come and run and overtake it
come and run and overtake it
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TED, clap!
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06:28
Can't have enough of it
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This our only way of life
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Keeping, keeping on the grind
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TED, will you clap like this.
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Can't have enough of it
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This our only way of life
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Keeping, keeping on the grind
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Keeping, keeping on the grind
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06:53
The mandem make some noise
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06:56
Like a million, million voice
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All the mandem make some noise
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07:02
With a million, million voice
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07:06
Can't stop I, won't stop I
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07:09
With a million, million voice
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07:12
Can't stop I, won't stop I
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With a million, million voice
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Can I be your leader
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Can I be your Caesar
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If I show you how to make some more
will you pledge allegiance
will you pledge allegiance
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Is it always either
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Me or you or neither
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If I show you where I'm coming from,
will you take a breather?
will you take a breather?
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Cos what you'll find -- what you'll find
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What you'll find
guarantee will blow your mind!
guarantee will blow your mind!
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I'll blow your mind -- I'll blow your mind
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And then you'll see the reason
I stay on my grind
I stay on my grind
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Would you clap!
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Can't have enough of it
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It's our only way of life
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Keeping, keeping on the grind
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Keeping, keeping on the grind
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Can't have enough of it
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It's our only way of life
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Keeping, keeping on the grind
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Keeping, keeping on the grind
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08:10
The mandem make some noise
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08:13
(Cheering)
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(Applause)
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08:24
This next one is partly in Kiswahili,
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which is what we speak in Kenya.
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And it's about female friendship
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and female power.
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And girls coming together
to build something that lasts,
to build something that lasts,
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a true legacy and intergenerational worth.
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08:41
"Suzie Noma."
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(Drum music)
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Sitting at the corner
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Me and Suzie Noma
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We ain't got no worries
we are looking like the owners
we are looking like the owners
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Sipping on Coronas
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Looking at the phone as
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All them pretty boys
come and tell us how they want us
come and tell us how they want us
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09:02
Mambo ni kungoja, aki mtangoja
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Sinaga matime za kuwaste na vioja
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Planning how we want
to take over the world soon
to take over the world soon
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Riding on the drums
and the clap while the bass goes
and the clap while the bass goes
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09:15
Hey! Shake it down shake it down like
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Wait till you, wait till you see my
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09:21
Hey! Shake it down shake it down like
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09:24
Wait till you, wait till you see my
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If you really know it
and you really wanna show it
and you really wanna show it
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Be the way to go
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Go and grab somebody,
move your body, show somebody
move your body, show somebody
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09:36
Be the way to go
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On this I know,
all this I know, all this I know
all this I know, all this I know
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On this I know,
all this I know, all this I know
all this I know, all this I know
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09:51
Iyo!
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Scheming at the corner
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Me and Suzie Noma
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We ain't got no money
but we do it how we wanna
but we do it how we wanna
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Painting our nails checking our mails as
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10:02
All them pretty boys
wanna have us but they fail like
wanna have us but they fail like
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10:05
Aki mtangoja, leo mtangoja
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Saa hii tukoworks hakunaga za vioja
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Planning how we want to
take over the world soon
take over the world soon
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10:14
Riding on the drums and the clap
while the bass goes boom
while the bass goes boom
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10:18
Shake it down shake it down like
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10:21
Wait till you, wait till you see my
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10:24
Hey! Shake it down shake it down like
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10:27
Wait till you, wait till you see my
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10:31
If you really know it
and you really wanna show it
and you really wanna show it
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10:33
Be the way to go
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10:37
Go and grab somebody,
move your body, show somebody
move your body, show somebody
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10:39
Be the way to go
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10:43
On this I know,
all this I know, all this I know
all this I know, all this I know
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On this I know,
all this I know, all this I know
all this I know, all this I know
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And now you whine your waist
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And now you screw your face
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Exaggerate your waist
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Resuscitate the place
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11:07
Na wale wako fifty fifty comsi
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Na wale wako fiti pia sisi
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Tuko tu sawa mdogo mdogo yaani
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Hallelu-yawa tumeiva design
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If you really know it,
and you really wanna show it
and you really wanna show it
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Be the way to go
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11:25
Go and grab somebody,
move your body, show somebody
move your body, show somebody
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11:27
Be the way to go
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11:31
On this I know,
all this I know, all this I know
all this I know, all this I know
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11:37
On this I know,
all this I know, all this I know
all this I know, all this I know
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Iyo!
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(Cheering)
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Muthoni Drummer Queen - MusicianMuthoni Drummer Queen's thought-provoking music fuses traditional African drum patterns with modern styles like hip-hop, reggae and blues.
Why you should listen
Muthoni Drummer Queen is the founder of two festivals in East Africa: Blankets & Wine, a platform for emerging and established "alternative" Kenyan and African artists that has since expanded to franchises in Uganda and Rwanda; and Africa Nouveau, an annual music and arts festival gathering creators, curators and fans of "African cool."
Muthoni Drummer Queen | Speaker | TED.com