Ambwene Allen Yessayah (born 5 July 1982), better known by his stage name A.Y., is a

Tanzanian Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

bongo flava Bongo Flava (or Bongoflava) is a nickname for Tanzanian music. The genre developed in the 1990s, mainly as a derivative of American hip hop and traditional Tanzanian styles such as taarab and dansi, with additional influences from reggae, R ...

artist of Makonde heritage. He was born in

Mtwara Mtwara (Portuguese: ''Montewara'') is the capital city of Mtwara Region in southeastern Tanzania. In the 1940s, it was planned and constructed as the export facility for the disastrous Tanganyika groundnut scheme, but was somewhat neglected when t ...

Mtwara Region Mtwara Region (''Mkoa wa Mtwara'' in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The regional capital is the municipality of Mtwara. Mtwara Region is home to one of the most infuluencial people in Tanzania, the Makonde. Mtwara is ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

. He began his career with the group S.O.G. in 1996. He decided to go solo in 2002. A.Y. is among the first bongo flava artists to commercialize hip hop. He was member of the musical group known as East Coast Army, but now he is no longer part of the group. He is still releasing songs and albums collaborating mostly with a former East Coast Army artist Mwana Fa.

Discography

*''Raha Kamili'' 2003 *''Hisia Zangu''2005 *''Habari Ndio Hiyo'' 2008 *"Zigo *Habari Ndiyo Hiyo *Kings & Queens Ft. Amani & Jokate *Microphone Ft. Fid Q *More & More Ft. Nyashinski *Touch Me Touch Me Ft. Sean Kingstone & Mis Trinity *Yule *Zigo Remix Ft. Diamond Platnumz

Family

In 2017 A.Y proposed to his long time girlfriend Rehma Remy Munyana at the Golden Tulip in Tanzania. In 2018, A.Y and Remy got married. Within the same year 2018, A.Y and his wife welcomed their first Child Aviel Yessayah.

Awards and nominations

Won

, - , 2007

Tanzania Music Awards Tanzania Music Awards are national music awards held annually in Tanzania. They are also known as the Kilimanjaro Music Awards or the Kili Music Awards after their sponsor (Kilimanjaro Premium Lager). The awards were established in 1999 by the ...

, "Usijarib" , Best Hip Hop Single , , - ,

2007 Kisima Music Awards The 2007 Kisima Music Awards took place at ''Marula Manor'', Nairobi, Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = ...

, Usijarib , Best Video Tanzania , , - , 2008

, Habari Ndio Hiyo Ft Mwana Fa , Collaboration Of The Year , , - , 2008

Pearl of Africa Music Awards The Pearl of Africa Music Awards (also known as the PAM Awards) was an annual national music award event held in Uganda. The inaugural event was held in 2003. In 2006, categories for musicians from other East Africa East Africa, Eastern Afr ...

, Himself , Best Tanzanian Male Artist , , - ,

2010 Tanzania music awards The 11th edition of the Tanzania Music Awards took place at the Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam, on Friday 14 May 2010. The event was anchored by Jokate Mwegelo.The CitizenNewcomers ruling the roost 21 May 2010 Bongo Flava singer Diamond wa ...

, Leo Ft

Avril (singer) Judith Nyambura Mwangi (born 30 April 1986), better known by her mononym Avril (), is a Kenyan singer-songwriter, actress and entertainer. She was formerly signed to Ogopa Deejays, one of the leading music production and record labels in Keny ...

, Best Reggae Song , , - ,

2012 Channel O Music Video Awards The 9th Annual Channel O Music Video Awards were held at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa on 17 November 2012. The nominees were unveiled at an announcement party in Johannesburg on 21 September 2012. Kenyan hip ...

, Himself , Best East African Video ,

Nominations

, - , 2005

Kora Awards The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President Ha ...

, , Best East African Male Artist , , - , 2008

Kisima Music Awards The Kisima Music Awards is an annual awards program that recognises musical talent in East Africa. Despite being Kenyan-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominantly Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and incorporates a ran ...

, Nangoja Ageuke with Mwana Fa , Tanzanian Video Of The Year , , - , 2008

, Usiwe Mnali , East African Collaboration Of The Year Ft

Amani (musician) Cecilia Wairimu (born 28 November 1980), better known by her stage name Amani, is a Kenyan singer and songwriter. Her contributions to the Kenyan music industry have earned her several coveted accolades, including the Best Female category at the ...

, , - ,

MTV Africa Music Awards 2009 The 2nd MTV Africa Music Awards were held on October 10, 2009 at the gymnasium of the Moi International Sports Centre complex in Nairobi, Kenya and were hosted by Haitian-American artist Wyclef Jean. Performers There were several performers, su ...

, Himself , Best Hip Hop , , - , 2009

Channel O Music Video Awards Channel O Africa Music Video Awards, once known as Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards, are Pan-African music awards organised by South Africa -based Channel O television channel. The awards were first held in 2003 under the name Reel Music Video A ...

, Naongea Na Wewe Ft Mwana Fa , Best African East , , - ,

, Leo , Best Music Video , , - ,

2011 Tanzania Music Awards The 12th edition of the Tanzania Music Awards took place at the Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam, on Saturday March 26, 2011. Bongo Flava artist 20 Percent was the big winner of the night with five trophies out of seven nominations. The artis ...

, Himself , Best Male Artist , , - ,

, Usije Mjini Ft Mwana Fa , Best Hip Hop Song , , - ,

, Dakika Moja Ft Mwana Fa & Hardmad , Best Collaboration Song , , - ,

, Songa Mbele Ft

Alpha Rwirangira Alpha Rwirangira (born 25 May 1986) is a Rwandan singer/song writer. He sings world music, reggae, soul R&B, and dance music all in English, Swahili and Kinyarwanda. Music It was after Rwirangira won the East Africa Tusker Project Fame that hi ...

, Best East African Song , , - ,

2012 Tanzania Music Awards The 13th edition of the Tanzania Music Awards took place at the Mlimani City Conference Center in Dar es Salaam, on Saturday 14 April 2012. The event was anchored by Vanessa Mdee and Millard Ayo. The nominees were announced on 8 February 2012 with ...

, Good Look Ft

Ms. Triniti Jeanette-Triniti Marilyn Bhaguandas (born March 6, 1978), better known by her stage name Ms. Triniti, is a Soca - Ragga - fusion singer-songwriter who mixes the Soca music, Soca, dancehall, reggae and pop genres. She is an independent artist, tho ...

, Best Best Ragga/Dancehall Song , , - ,

, Speak With Your Body Ft

Romeo Miller Percy Romeo Miller (born August 19, 1989), also known by his stage name Romeo (formerly Lil' Romeo), is an American rapper, actor, and television personality. He gained fame as a rapper in the early 2000s after signing with No Limit Records, the ...

La'Myia Good La'Myia Janae Good–Bellinger (born September 27, 1979) is an American singer and actress. Good is best known for her voice work in the blockbuster PlayStation 3 game ''Killzone 3'' as the voice of Jammer and her work with R&B group Isyss. Good ...

, Video Of the Year ,

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:A.Y. Living people Tanzanian rappers People from Mtwara Region 1982 births 21st-century Tanzanian male singers Swahili-language singers Tanzanian Bongo Flava musicians