Her name, Bi Kidude, means "Little Granny" in the Kiswahili language.
She was a legendary singer in Zanzibar and Tanzania who performed the Swahili, Arab-influenced Taarab music. She continued performing and touring until shortly before her death.
She grew up in the village of Mfagimaringo in what was then the Sultanate of Zanzibar, where her father was a coconut seller.
She often beat a large drum and danced on stage as she sang. She reportedly also broke Muslim taboos by smoking and drinking alcohol in public. Along with Siti binti Saad, she was one of the first Zanzibari women to lift her veil and sing in public.