Elk River native Fanaka Ndege, 29, who goes by the stage name Fanaka Nation, is not your typical hip-hop artist. With a musical style brimming with Kenyan beats and a wardrobe bursting with elegant kufi caps and vibrant kitenge and Ankara prints, Fanaka infuses his “Minneapolis Sound” with an unmistakable East African flair. 

The stage name “Fanaka Nation” originated from a Facebook page his father set up in 2013 as a platform for fans to tune in to Fanaka’s music and upcoming gigs. “Wassup Fanatics! Welcome to the Fanaka Nation music page,” they posted alongside a photo of Fanaka amidst a crowd of supporters. But what started as a virtual hub turned into his musical persona. “People started calling me Fanaka Nation and it eventually stuck,” he said. 

Fanaka attributes his passion for music to his father George Ndege, also known as Jojo Kilimanjaro, and his involvement in promoting East African artists in Minnesota during the early 2000s through his independent label, Kilimanjaro Records. “He was the first person to really make that bridge between East Africa and the States as far as holding shows and concerts,” Fanaka said. 

Surrounded by his father’s musical ventures, Fanaka’s formative years reverberated with the sounds of East Africa. “Once in a while, the artist that he would host would stay at our house, so I would always be overhearing studio jam sessions as a kid,” he said. “I guess the music bug eventually hit me.” 

Growing up in Elk River, a predominantly white town about 35 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Fanaka navigated the hallways of his high school, grappling with his cultural identity in an environment where he often felt disconnected from his peers. “It made me a lot closer to my art,” he said, referring to his song “Identity.Where,” inspired by his dual Kenyan and Laotian heritage and exurban upbringing. 

“My dad being from Kenya and my mom being a refugee from Laos, I think seeing their grind and their story unfold plays a part in my story as well,” he said. 

Fanaka honors his father’s legacy by preserving East African music, all the while infusing his unique style, which he calls “culture rap.” He stepped onto the stage for the first time at 10 years old and has since headlined at venues including First Avenue, opened up for artists like Soulja Boy, and released his debut album “Culture Rap 1: Afrotrap” in 2021. 

The fifth track on Fanaka’s debut album, “Minneapolis Sound,” evokes the city’s music scene of the 1980s. The song features heavy-hitting 808 drums and electric synths, reminiscent of the era’s overall sound and style. The song also pays homage to local luminaries, like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who shaped the quintessential “Minneapolis sound” associated with artists like Janet Jackson and Prince. 

“I think it really ties into the essence of Afrotrap, paying homage to Black excellence that came before you as far as music,” Fanaka said. 

Fanaka infuses the genre with East African influences, characterized by the delicate plinks of the mbira, the primal pulse of drums, Swahili lyrics, and the sampling of East African classics. It’s a sound and look that’s part homage, part innovation — a tribute to Minneapolis’ musical roots, but with a unique twist. 

“Culture Rap 1: Afrotrap” features tracks like “HakunaMatataBack2Africa,” shedding light on the appropriation of the phrase “hakuna matata,” initially popularized by Kenyan musician Teddy Kalanda Harrison in the 1980s, well before its association with Disney’s “The Lion King.”

“The song is about reclaiming our culture and going back to the source, you know? Back to Teddy. Back to our people. Back to Africa,” Fanaka said, highlighting the lack of proper credit given to Teddy and his band for their contribution. 

During a trip to Kenya in 2019, Fanaka and his father visited Teddy to hear his story firsthand and discuss their plans for the song. “It was a humbling experience,” he said. “To sit with Teddy and to hear his journey — stories like that keep me going.”  

The track “Baba” pays tribute to Fanaka’s patrilineal ties, acknowledging the pivotal role of male figures in preserving traditions and instilling a sense of leadership. “I get my swagger and ‘king mentality’ from my babas,” he said. “I’m affirming to myself that I’m the next baba, but it’s packaged as a dance song.” 

Inspiration for Fanaka’s songs stems from the stories of his homeland to the experiences of his upbringing. Sometimes, he begins with a melody or a beat, humming or beatboxing into his voice notes app until the song takes shape. “I never know when an idea will spark, so, if I’m ever in public and someone sees me shouting on my phone or doing something in the corner, nine times out of 10, that’s what I’m doing,” he said. 

Other times, he starts with raw emotions, jotting down his thoughts and feelings before refining them into lyrics. Tracks like “Melanin Music” were born out of profound realizations, such as the lack of Black actors on television when he visited the rural town of Kitali, Kenya. 

“All the channels I turned to, the majority of the stars were either light skin or white,” Fanaka said. “That was not what I expected. We’re in the motherland, you know? We’re at the core of the culture and I just didn’t expect to see that.”

Two years after he jotted down his observations, the notes crystallized into a self-affirming anthem. “Finally, I sat down with my notes and a beat, and just started saying, “Just love me plenty, plenty, melanin too sexy, sexy,” he sings. 

What truly sets Fanaka’s artistry apart is his adeptness at weaving together themes of Black pride, multiculturalism, and critiques of cultural commodification in beats you can’t help but dance to. 

“I want people to feel free, comforted, and heard when they listen to my music,” Fanaka said. “Once they’re done listening or forming their own interpretations, I want them to feel uplifted and maybe even see themselves in my lyrics.”

As Fanaka continues to carve his path in the Twin Cities music scene, you can catch him hosting Afrobeat dance parties at the Cedar several times a year, where he often shares new material he’s been working on. He recently performed at the “Lao New Year: No Place Like Home” event University of Minnesota. 

Fanaka made his directorial debut with the music video for his latest single “Steady Ballin’,” featuring Nigerian artist Obi Original. The visual was released a year after the song’s initial debut, representing Fanaka’s evolution as both a musician and a visual storyteller.

“I’m always thinking about the next song,” he grins. “But sometimes, it’s good to revisit where you’ve been, too.”