Meet Tanzania’s oldest rapper ... the granny who's lost six of her seven children and has abstained for 13 years

Bibi Cheka perfoms

It’s not very often that a granny born and raised in Africa sports dirty ragged jeans, old school canvas, flashy bling, Rastafarian colours and the signature hat look popular with big shots in the hip-hop industry. But this is the typical look of one Bibi Cheka (Cheka Hijja) who says, “I’m a hip-hop artiste. I can’t perform on stage with dira (free flowing dresses) or buibui. I must wear pants, canvas and T-shirt,” she said. “But offstage, I dress my age,” she added.

The 58-year-old rapper of Bongo Flava who was discovered live on air by a local FM station says singing had always run in her blood. She reveals that she has been a songwriter for as long as she can remember.