Bongo Flava emerged in 1980s Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as underground hip-hop fused with R&B, dancehall, and traditional Tanzanian music. The genre gained momentum in 1991 when Saleh J rapped in Swahili over Vanilla Ice's instrumental. Artists like Diamond Platnumz, Rayvanny, and Zuchu address love, social issues, and cultural identity through Afrobeats-influenced production.