The fastest-rising Kenyan music group on the international scene, Matata, has released their
anticipated debut album SUPER MORIO following their successful run with hit singles and
videos.
They have curated a hero-anchored body of work that echoes their Kenyan heritage,
ingenuity and zeal while highlighting their victories and struggles in pursuing their dreams.
While cutting across Afro-pop, Gengetone and a bit of contemporary music; the 15-track album
portrays Matata’s unique and distinct sound that mixes English and Swahili with melodies and
rhythms from different tribes of Kenya.
Who do you think would make the Perfect Santa in Matata? That red outfit and white beard connoisseur.#Matata_Matata#Xmas pic.twitter.com/Bpx4ikEhpz
— MATATA MATATA (@Matataofficial1) December 19, 2022
Matata’s new album features collaborations from Afropop stars: Sauti Sol, and Okello Max, Hip-Hop music group Wakadinali, R&B artist Phy, Reggae artist Liam Bailey from the UK and Ghanaian / Norwegian artist, Akuvi.
The album intro also stands out as a special collaboration with their mothers. Matata says,
“This is a dream come true; we never imagined one day featuring our mothers in one of our songs. On the track, they take a trip down memory lane on each of our own journeys traversing from childhood to adulthood.
Our mothers have truly been the rock of our lives. We would not be living our dreams if it weren’t for their visions. When naysayers told us that making a living off as an artist was an unrealistic dream, our mothers saw the vision. Unbowed by physical boundaries, diverse in musicality and unified in art, we do what we love because of their reassurance.”
‘Super Morio’ is a Kenyan slang for ‘ghetto superhero’. The word “morio” translates to an ordinary youth from a hardship area (ghetto). In this case, ‘super morio’ is in reference to the hero from the ghetto adversity who is every day striving to better and bring change to their community.
Matata members grew up in different parts of Kenya. Despite early childhood traumas, challenges, negative societal pressures, and hardships, they worked hard to make sense of their lives and become upright members of society while pursuing their dreams of becoming artists.
They have since made music that has positively impacted their communities and has influenced their societies in general. They are now the ‘Super Morios’ of their communities and are marking a major career milestone with the release of this incredible project.
