The Best East African Songs Right Now: July 2025 Edition
OkayAfrica rounds up the best new music to come out of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania this July. Enjoy the best new East African music below.
It’s been another great month for music coming out of East Africa.
From noteworthy releases from Tanzanian stars to highlights from fast-rising Kenyan musicians, these are the best songs that came out of the East African music scene in July.
Read ahead to get all the latest and best East African music drops from the likes of Marioo, Bien, Bebe Cool, Diamond Platnumz, and many more.
Marioo – “Mvua” (Tanzania)
Tanzanian star Marioo returns with "Mvua," a smooth, amapiano-infused love song that showcases his signature blend of bongo flava and emotional storytelling. The song's title — Kiswahili for "rain" — sets the tone for a track soaked in metaphors of longing and affection. This month, Marioo also dropped "Ha Ha Ha," another chart climber that reaffirms his consistency as a hitmaker.
Bebe Cool feat. Joshua Baraka – "Cheque" (Uganda)
Veteran Ugandan starBebe Cool enlists rising talentJoshua Baraka for "Cheque," from hisBreak the Chains album. The track pairs Bebe Cool's seasoned reggae-dancehall swagger with Baraka's youthful melodic flair, resulting in a laid-back anthem about relationships, ambition, and the desire for "cheque, cheque, cheque" as the chorus goes.
Bien – "All My Enemies Are Suffering" (Kenya)
Kenyan singer-songwriter Bien sets the tone for his next chapter with his latest single "All My Enemies Are Suffering," off his upcoming album Alusa Continua! Fresh off a successful summer tour across the U.S. and Europe — including multiple sold-out shows — Bien is riding high while teasing even more new music on the way.
Matata feat. Mejja – “Tiki Tako” (Kenya)
Matata teams up with legendary hitmaker Mejja to deliver the high-energy banger "Tiki Tako," the official follow-up to their viral smash "Mpishi," which has garnered almost 10 million YouTube views in just three months. "Tiki Tako" is a vibrant celebration of street energy and Kenyan rhythms. This is their group's second song together after "Chini Chini" in 2021.
Diamond Platnumz feat. Bien – "Katam" (Tanzania/Kenya)
Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz links up with Kenya's Bien for "Katam," a smooth afro-pop anthem that fuses Bongo Flava rhythms with Bien's signature vocal finesse. The track has quickly gained traction across East Africa, racking up millions of views and cementing itself as a cross-border favorite.
Toxic Lyrikali – "Back Bencher" (Kenya)
Uganda's Sheebah returns with "Somebody," a confident anthem that's packed with catchy hooks and Kampala swagger. The track has almost hit a million views in under two weeks and cracked the Ugandan TikTok charts, reaffirming her reign as one of the region's top hitmakers. With sleek production and undeniable presence, Sheebah once again proves she's a force on both the charts and the dance floor.
- The Best East African Songs of 2025 So Far — Mid-Year Roundup ›
- The Best East African Songs Right Now ›
- The Best East African Songs Right Now ›
- The Best East African Songs of 2024 ›