This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
On November 2, 2019, a controversy erupted in the Kenyan music scene when rapper Xtatic publicly criticized Gengetone group Ethic for their new song Tarimbo.
The song, which has been receiving heavy airplay, has been accused of promoting rape culture, with Xtatic leading the charge against the group.
'I have tried but, TARIMBO by ETHIC sounding a lil … Nah, jus HELLA RAPEY in the context that i believe its meant,' Xtatic tweeted, expressing her disgust at the song's lyrics.
She went on to say that the song would have been better without the last line on the hook, which she believes enables predators and could lead to violence against women.
'Imagine feeding potential predators with such content,' Xtatic tweeted, emphasizing the dangers of promoting rape culture.
She also expressed her frustration at the fact that some people might not understand the harm caused by such content, saying 'I’m all for rehabilitation and redeeming culture to try to understand people, but I’m struggling between REKLES not knowing better because of environment or getting caught up in the moment.'
Xtatic also emphasized the importance of protecting people's safety, saying 'People have an image to protect. I’ve got WOMEN AND CHILDREN, and even men, to protect from predatory and rape inciting content that heightens everyone’s chance of being a victim.'
She concluded by saying that she would rather listen to foreign music than listen to Ethic's 'dirty music,' saying 'I am not FUCKIN’ kidding, I rather listen to Nigerian or Tanzanian or South African or Ugandan songs on end if we are saying that this is THE ONLY Kind of music WE CAN PUT ON to progress as an INDUSTRY.'
Many Kenyans supported Xtatic's stance, with some even calling out Ethic for promoting rape culture.
