ABOUT US
We are Waayaha Cusub, a Somali hip hop and dance band. We work together with the community to promote peace, to call for an end to extremism, war, and oppression, and to help rebuild our country and culture. We performed live across Africa, Europe, and the North America, including the historic Mogadishu Music Festival (Somalia), Masterpeace Festival (Netherlands), and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (USA). We collaborated with global icons Desiigner (USA), K’naan, (Somalia / Canada), Emmanuel Jal (South Sudan / UK), Alsarah (Sudan / USA), and Pompi (Zambia). Our work has been covered by BBC News Hour, Rolling Stone, CNN, The Guardian, Time, Aljazeera, VICE, VOA, Radio Daljir, Universal, Horn Cable, Dalsan, Somali Public Radio, and much more.
OUR ROOTS
Growing up between Somalia and Kenya, we loved the African Horn’s Waaberi music collective. They were like the “Motown” for East Africa. Artists like Hibo Nura, Saado Ali, Hassan Samatar, and Saado Ali motivated us to tell stories through music. Break out star, Maryam Mursal, calling to the world to help our country in crisis, collaborated with Peter Gabriel on his global peace project. When K’naan, who was born in Mogadishu, emerged as a pop icon in North America, we liked the concept of combining Somali dance music, traditional spoken word poetry, and a hip hop beat.
During the Somali Civil War in the 1990s, had to leave Somalia and travel with our families to Nairobi, Eastleigh, and Dadaab, Kenya, where we met other youth like us who wanted to change the world. By 2003, we started making music together and founded Waayaha Cusub (New Era). We wanted to be a collective like Waaberi, but for regular youth on the street to make our voices loud and call for radical change. Our latest music is embedded below. For now, check out our classic “Greatest Hits”:
WAAYAHA CUSUB (2004)
We released our premiere album, Waayaha Cusub, in Eastleigh, Kenya. That started a collaboration with Scratch Records / Scratch Films to produce music videos to upload on Youtube to reach youth and rally friends. We sang and rapped about love, friendship, dance, trust, watching out for trouble makers, and helping people in trouble. Our first big song was Kaalay. Dalmar Yare, one of our top singers, became a break out star.
DAA (2005)
Next came our album, Daa, with song including Jacayl (Love), Muxubada Jacaylkee, and a tougher political call to action protesting Ethiopia’s action in Somalia called, Gumaysiga Ethiopia. Around this time, we looked to open our very own Waayaha Cusub Studio where people could come to meet us, get our music, and even record their own in downtown Eastleigh, Kenya.
DHEEMAN (2006)
Performing around Nairobi and Eastleigh, Kenya, looking to tour around East Africa, we launched our third album Dheeman with a fun collaboration between Somali, Kenyan, and Ethiopian musicians in the song and video, Samri Waayay, featuring lead singer Felis Abdi. To rally the community to help the poor, we released, Ugargaar. Educating youth to protect against HIV and STDs, we recorded the song, Cudur. Other tunes included Fankii, Cishqi, and Siinayn.
That year, we saw that Somalia, which was already torn apart by warlords, pirates, and corrupt politicians, was now being challenged by extremist groups who took over much of the country, killed and threatened musicians, and banned non-religious music from their part of the country. We wanted to take a bigger stand and turn our messages loud enough for the world to hear.
DHALINYARO (2007/8)
Dhalinyaro was our break through album. Everything changed. We released our best known anthem, Dhibatada waa la iska dhaafaa (Leave the conflict behind). Dhalinyaro (Youth) warned youth about trusting each other to prevent conflict. But we wanted an even stronger message, so we released our music video for Qarax (Explosion).
In the video, our characters portray an extremist who tricks a young boy, played by Lihle Muhudin, to carry a bag with a bomb, which kills innocent people. The song warns kids never to carry bombs or hurt innocent people. Now, our message rang so loud, extremists sent gunman who shot our co-founder / lead rapper / lyricist Shiine Akhyaar and knocked rapper / mc Digriyow Abdi unconscious. Somehow, they both survived. That’s when we released the album’s final hit, Allaa Weyn (God wills). After the attack and several other threats, Somali and Kenyan media took us seriously. Our voices had shaken the extremists and given us a platform to call for peace, so we kept going.
MASLAXO (2009)
Alongside touring Somalia (Bosaso, Garowe, Qardo, Burtinle, Harfo, Galkayo) promoting our album Maslaxo, we launched songs like Dumar Qima Badana, Dumar Waa Doorka Nabada, and Qurbahaan ku jabay. In Ha Is Dilin, we wanted to tell an even more powerful story to persuade youth not to be tricked by extremists into killing innocent people.
NO TO ALSHABAAB (2009)
Reaching a stronger pace with our new album, No to Alshabaab, we developed fierce hip hop collaborations to help our music reach a wider audience. With Kenyan star Ukoo Flani, we released our video No to Alshabaab (the extremist rebel group), rapping in Somali, English, and a bit of Swahili to challenge our communities to unite against the extremist group and refuse to hurt innocent people as they have done. Featuring rappers Abbas and Long John, our song Burcad Baded (Pirates) took on the pirates who not only stole ships full of food, but who block markets and cause shortages because of their selfishness. Together with our dance anthem, Kaca Kaca, led by rapper Lihle Muhudin, this album attracted media from all over the world, including Aljazeera English, Aljazeera Arabic, Time, and The Guardian.
SOLO PROJECTS (2011/12)
Between tours and albums, we made a series of films. Dhig ama Dhaqo, directed by Nabiil Nur, was just one. We enjoy stories which are accessible to anyone from any part of the Somali community, any country, any social group. Alongside this, our long time MC rapper Digriyow Abdi released a new collection of songs and music videos. Naf Kuu Taagan became the dance hit across the Somali world. Heesta janaay and Jeceyl waa also rang out on the radio.
SOMALI SUNRISE TOUR (2012-2013)
In 2012-2013, we launched our Somali Sunrise Concert Tour for Peace which included performing live at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and with global star K’naan, hip hop activist Toni Blackman, and Brooklyn rappers Uppanotch ft. Danielle Watson, in New York. The tour moved on to Kenya where we hosted open mic shows at the Eastleigh Peace Festival, the Kwani Litfest, and later the Journey of Peace Festival at the Dadaab refugee settlements.
MOGADISHU MUSIC FESTIVAL (2013)
In spring 2013, as part of the Somali Sunrise Concert Tour for Peace, we headlined the historic Mogadishu Music Festival (also known as the Somali Reconciliation Festival) and its six distinct concert events in Somalia. We performed alongside Alsarah (Sudan-USA); Kombo Chokwe & Afrosimba (Kenya); Ariana Delawari ft. Qais Essar, Neelamjit Dillon, & Robin Ryczek; DZA the Dissenter (Sudan); Bill Brookman (UK); and Jahm-Eye (Philippines).
Waaberi singers, local rappers, and the National Theater were invited to be part of the festival, but factors of security and timing did not work out. Somali Prime Minister Shiirdon, poet / comedian Haji Maakir Benadir, and singer Amina Macow instead spoke in video interviews about the festival and rebuilding of Somali music culture. K’naan was also invited, but costs and security prevented that until the future.
MASTERPEACE (2014)
In 2014, we represented Somalia on the world stage at the Masterpeace festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands, sharing the stage with the Hibby GBs Heebie Jeebies (Kenya), superstars Emmanuel Jal (South Sudan-UK), Assala (Syria), and Farhod Darya (Afghanistan).
HIP HOP (2016)
As we resettled in Rotterdam, Netherlands, we recorded a whole new international album, but made sure to sing and rap in Somali to keep our community. Bood Bood gives you a chance to dance with us live in Sweden ft. Burhan Ahmed Yare. Felis Abdi comes out strong on Kabeebey, Lihle Muhudin on Kaalmodoon, Shiine Akhyaar on Hip Hop, and Digriyo Abdi on Dookh (starring newcomer Hanat Ahmed). Guest producer Eaaron Quacoe created the soundscapes, filmmaker Abdinasir Cirro did the first videos, and Somali Sunrise producer, Daniel J. Gerstle, was featured on guitar.
COLLABORATION WITH DESIIGNER (2017)
In 2017, we were invited to collaborate with super star Desiigner for Spotify’s project to protest the U.S. immigration policy, I’m With the Banned. Check out our insane playlist:
NABAR IYO NAXDIN (2020/1)
In 2020, we released Nabar iyo Naxdin, an album of fierce songs calling for political change. While we have had some good relations with the Somali leadership in the past, we believe in democracy, and that means each leader peacefully passes the torch when their time is done. It also means free speech. Our songs brought powerful debate and we’re excited for Somalia’s coming elections. For peace, we must end the war and also have real democracy. Our new songs include Nabar iyo Naxdin, Dhoohanaha, Gab, and Abaal Laawe.
In 2021, we already have new music and video coming at you soon! Keep the peace. Protect free speech. Believe in democracy.
