Like members of many other international hip-hop scenes, Kwanza Unit struggled with the complications that came along with American music. Although American hip-hop provided inspiration for the movement in Tanzania, it created cultural tensions as well. One of the members of Kwanza Unit recalled that "while we were recording our album we made a pact that non[e] of us would die before we release[d] our project ..." but then revealed that "[t]hree months later [Nigga One] died in a car crash."Kasumba, Lee. 20 February 2008. "Emcee Africa - The Battle Chronicles #2: Tanzania – Mzuka!" Africanhiphop.com. http://www.africanhiphop.com/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=286. Accessed 7 March 2008. This implies an allusion to great figures of American hip-hop, such as Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., who died at young ages. Although Nigga One was not murdered, the fact that a pact to stay alive was even necessary suggests a dangerous element to hip-hop. Furthermore, the dominance of the English language in hip-hop created a conundrum for Kwanza Unit. At first, rapping was done in English, but slowly hip-hop transitioned into Swahili, as Kwanza Unit and other Tanzanian musicians began to take more ownership over their work.Malm, Krister and Monika Sarstad. 1997. "Rap, Ragga and Reggae in Dar es Salaam: Kwanza Unit." http://www.musikmuseet.se/mmm/africa/ku.html. Accessed 7 March 2008.
