The Impact of Hip-Hop Culture as A Strategy on The Growth of Matatu Business on ''Route Fifty Eight'' of Buruburu, Nairobi.

Abstract

Hip-hop as a culture has impacted on young generations for several decades. It has grown to a level of becoming a global culture from the early fifties. This study explored how the transport industry in Nairobi, Kenya, has exploited hip-hop culture as a business strategy. The study focussed on the matatu route fifty-eight of Buruburu, Nairobi. The objectives of the study were to describe the popular aspects of hip-hop culture used by Matatu crew as a business strategy, to explain the difference in revenue collected before and after adoption of hip-hop culture on route fifty-eight, to find out the age representation of passengers on the route both at peak and off peak times, to find out if hip-hop culture influences business strategy on this route, and finally to establish if hip-hop culture was embraced by all ages along this route. The respondents included passengers, owners and crew of route fifty-eight Matatus and the traffic police on the same route. Data was gathered through self-administered questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. The key findings in the research were that the majority commuters on route fifty -eight were young between the ages of 15-30 years and that the revenue collected before implementation of hip-hop strategy increased by 15% after its implementation. It emerged that the aspects of hip-hop culture that were most used by Matatu crew were graffiti/paintings on Matatu walls and the music played in the Matatus. The study recommends that since hip-hop offers a great potential for business growth on route fifty-eight, the players on this route should streamline the operations for better returns.