2012 wrote:tycho wrote:@2012. I like Taarab, and most songs of this genre sound the same. Do you think Taarab as a genre is thriving?
I don't think it's thriving, I think it has a niche audience. I honestly have never understood it because I can't tell one song from another, neither can I tell the message. Maybe it's an acquired taste and I need someone to introduce me to it.
For one I know that several radio stations dedicate at least an hour to Taarab. Maybe it has a wider audience than we may suppose. I know of a 3 year old who sings Taarab...
But there's Mzee Yusuf I think. He defected to Gospel. Maybe that's a leakage of whether it's thriving or not.
As for the sound; the similarity is essential. That's what defines Taarab, or any genre.
But maybe you're on to something...