Eric A. Saul is the real name of E-Attack. He is born in 1975 and started to rap with some friends in secondary school in 1988. He says:
There were no studios and it was a limited place where we were at school. They did not allow us to go to do a show at any other place or neighbourhood. When we had holidays I used to go to the disco and ask them if they could give me a chance to perform there.

Since 1996 he is devoting more time to rap and aims at being able to make a living from rap. His list of major performances during 1996-97 is quite typical for a Dar rapper:

• 1996 May Show as part of rap concert, Empire Cinema, Dar
• 1996 August Show at Miss Kimara beauty contest, Ruaha Galaxy, Dar
• 1996 October Show as part of Rap Sunsplash, Diamond Jubilee Hall, Dar
• 1997 April Show as part of rap concert, Hotel Starlight, Dar
• 1997 June Show at The Night of Rap, Mambo Club, Dar
• 1997 October Show at Miss Kimara beauty contest, Ruaha Galaxy, Dar
• 1997 October Show at graduation ceremony held at Mkonge Hotel, Tanga
• 1997 November Show at Miss Sinza beauty contest, Green Garden Pub, Dar

• 20/May/1998 Show at Godbye Ari Party GOIG HAND CRAFT SCHOOL, DAR Ari was my Best friend from Finland who was here for One Year as a Tutor in that School
• 27/May/1998 Rap show at Moa Secondary School Graduation ceremony held in Club Bilicanas and Casino

All of E-Attacks appearances have been part of other events, mainly at cinemas or hotels together with other rappers. As with most other Dar rappers more formal performances are few and far between.

E-Attack is trying to record material for an album at Don Bosco's studio. He rents the studio to record a piece whenever he has some money. When we met him he worked at the IFM Library in Dar and earned some money from that. He wants to mix samples from traditional Tanzanian music such as the chanting of the masais into his recordings. His dream is to find a record company which would buy the master tape and issue a CD.

E- Attack gave us a list of his needs:

• Computerized studio for recording of my music.
• Collaboration with other artists.
• Further education about music. Educational video, tapes and books about music.
• Enough money for studio fees.
• A person to manage my music.
• A recording label.
• Music instruments like a keyboard for home work and learning.

Listen to a sample from the song It's Party Time - on an international theme (in English). This is what E-Attack calls the radio version with lyrics to suit the broadcasters. The real party version has more explicit lyrics. A way to diversify! But It's Party Time gives just one side of E-Attack:
Party time was just an entertainment song. I have other songs on child abuse, environmental destruction, songs about gender issues, about the aids problem. Party time was just to introduce to people that I'm coming. I made the chorus like that because every age can sing it. Even a little kid can shout yeah, yeah, yeah.

Click HERE for lyrics of It's Party Time and E-Attack's email address.