Kenyan rapper Stella Mwangi means business

Kenyan-born rapper Stella Mwangi is a strong businesswoman.

And that’s why we chose her song “Biashara” to be the anthem for the upcoming Across Women’s Lives series from Kenya on women and entrepreneurship: #OwningIt.

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“Biashara means, actually, 'business,'" Mwangi says. "We have over 40 tribes in Kenya, so the word Biashara is Kikuyu — from my tribe — and it basically means the art of negotiating.”

Mwangi was born in Kenya, but her family moved to Norway when she was five. She says she wrote “Biashara” to inspire other women not to undervalue themselves.

“What I’ve been finding quite hard throughout the years is actually saying what I’m worth,” Mwangi says. “You know, because when I have my performance, that’s how I earn my money. And when I come on stage I entertain and I give my all.”

And Mwangi says that everyone has a talent to share.

“We all have something — and that is our business. No one is born without business.”