Nsimbi is a Ugandan - American international award-winning duo formed by Ugandan hip-hop pioneer GNL Zamba and American world fusion artist Miriam Tamar. Building on the acoustic sounds and indigenous instruments of Africa, Nsimbi blends contemporary elements of "Lugaflow" hip-hop and spoken word with English/Western songwriting and vocals to merge the traditional with the modern. A global sound anchored in the rich universal messages of ancient East African proverbs and folklore emerged in 2018 with their debut self-titled album, featured on KCRW's Rhythm Planet and Public Radio International’s The World, and noted by NPR’s Tiny Desk/All Songs Considered. Their dynamic style embraces the beauty of dialogue and human connection through music and bridges cultures with lyrics in English, Swahili, Luganda, and Lingala. Upon release, Nsimbi quickly charted on iTunes World Music's top 5 in the US, Canada, and Uganda. Within one year, the album received 2 international awards and 10 nominations.
Nsimbi creates a vibrant interactive live experience that invites us to celebrate around the communal fire and was an official artist at the SXSW 2019 Music Festival including showcasing for Afropop Worldwide. Sonically and visually dynamic, and at the same time rich in cultural content, Nsimbi has also been welcomed into prominent art spaces including the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and the Fowler Museum UCLA. “Leo Ni Leo” took home the 2019 Independent Music Award for World Beat with a live performance by Nsimbi also at the awards ceremony.
As lockdown loomed and the duo could no longer be so mobile, Nsimbi shifted back into creation gear, first releasing a single “Searching” in August 2020 which was also GNL Zamba’s directorial debut. “Searching” talks about the basic human need for love and connection which became even more apparent as we spent time isolated. This worldbeat song carries the spirit of searching for connection, offering a hopeful feeling for anyone needing some music therapy.
Nsimbi marked the Ugandan Independence Day on 7th October 2020 with a virtual online performance for Uganda Yaffe Festival, produced in partnership with sister company Baboon Forest Entertainment. 2021 brings their next release, Infinity, a 5 track EP that reveals how, when we love each other, our love transcends time and we become infinite as love is infinite.
GNL Zamba is among East Africa’s most influential hip-hop artists, credited with bringing rap to the region's mainstream culture by using Uganda’s indigenous language in a style known as Lugaflow. He is the founder and CEO of Uganda’s only hip hop label, Baboon Forest Entertainment, which continues to mentor young talent and organize events. Nominated for over 40 African music awards, winning 17, GNL has performed throughout the world, including the We Love Africa Music Festival in Denmark, Selam Africa Music Festival in Ethiopia, and Sauti Za Busara Festival in Zanzibar.
Fusion vocalist and songwriter Miriam Tamar creates empowering soundscapes that journey through the vibrant rhythms of global culture. Her mix of genres reflects her years of jazz & pop influenced by world travels and the communities she’s lived within, including five years spent in Uganda developing a peace education curriculum to rebuild the lives of post-conflict children, in addition to collaborating with artists from different regions of the country. Profoundly transformed and determined to remind people of the beauty beyond borders, Miriam’s solo Firedance EP debuted in the Top 5 of the iTunes World Music Chart and was featured on The Huffington Post.
The duo met in Uganda in 2012, and have collaborated in Africa and in the United States since. As passionate global citizens, Nsimbi creates multi-media content and offers workshops tied to the themes of cross-cultural exchange, appreciation, and dialogue explored in their music.
