Month: May 2012

They introduced themselves to the music scene with the track ‘we go hard’, before disappearing back to the behind-the-scenes. Now they are back with a force to reckon.

The La Famila trio- DNG, MC Samora and 6 Foot recorded their new track, ‘Roho Chuma’ with Ulopa Ngoma. The song, as its title says, portrays the strength that they have stepped back in the game with.

The costumes they have on, in the video is even more interesting. The trio is donned in military uniform (generals to be specific). This, according to them, is to show that La Familia are simply the street kings, or rather, 5 Star Generals.

The video was shot at old Ngara, bringing out perfectly the street theme that the song is all about.

They have made it clear that they are back and are not leaving anytime soon. Check out the track below.

Kenya’s finest hip hop rapper Abbas Kubaff was impressed how the sheng swagg is very significant world wide after he got the

chance to lecture at the University of Bayreuth on used language, main topic being sheng as a language.

Abbas has thanked the university lecturers, Katharina and Clarissa for giving him the platform to represent Kenya and also educate young people who benefited from his lecture.

The rapper will still lecture in the same university next week about hip hop and the art of rhyming, punchlines, symbolism and sheng poetry.

If you thought that he’s only in Germany to lecture, you are mistaken because he will be performing on 1^st June in Munich. Abbas advices his Germany fans to get ready to break their necks to some real Kenyan hip hop.

A new song for Africa by Africans has just been done by our very own artists, Levis, Nonini and French Boy. Provoke Music Label has been very busy lately producing tracks that are destined for the charts and clubs (Check out its other hot product).

Embracing the house genre of music, this song is also fused with African drum beats that bring it to life and give it that African vibe. After all, the song is titled ‘Africa‘ and is dedicated to appreciating Africa and all that it has to offer.

It’s fast paced African beats can only mean that the video will have some sexy and amazing dancers with out of this world choreography. The lyrics of the song display great love for Africa and Kenya of-course. My personal favorite line comes from Nonini, “fibre optic ishaingia, KPLC tu ndio wanakatsia”.

With that said, I believe you are #atruekenyan if you’ve heard this song (below).

A club banger takes over the top spot on the Ghafla! chart this week, bumping off Size 8’s ‘Vidonge’ into second spot.

Camp Mulla have made a strong showing on the list, making a ressurgence from the lower echelons of the chart to a higher ranking with renewed airplay demand for the song; probably because of their recent nomination for a 2012 BET Award.

Click here to read more on Camp Mulla’s 2012 BET Awards Nomination

We’re listing the most popular LOCAL music in Kenya, based on radio airplay, tweets/comments and requests, lyrical searches right here on Ghafla! Lyrics as well as through weekly polls which we will feature soon.

Here are the current TOP 7 tunes ruling the airwaves and request lines in Kenya for the final week of May 2012. Remember, you can also vote for your favourite songs simply by looking up the lyrics to the songs on our website, commenting on our Facebook page Ghafla! Kenya, tweeting us your favourites to @ghaflakenya with the tag #ghaflatop7, or voting for them in the comments section below.

Here’s this weeks Top 7 chart:

1. Make You Dance – Keko feat. Madtraxx

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2. Vidonge – Size 8

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3. Hold It Down – Camp Mulla

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4. Katikia Yesu – Kris Ehh Baba ft. Mutua

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5. Bila Mic – Octopizzo

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6. Dancehall Party – Wyre

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7. The People’s Choice Cypher – Coola Gang

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The non-mainstream artiste we will feature this week is Wryterz Block with their amazing new single.

Check out the video below:

Dance – Wryterz Block

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Award winning artiste Jaguar has been throwing hard punches towards Prezzo for being Kenya’s celebrity representative in the

Big Brother house, but her close friend Nazizi has come out in Prezzo’s defense.

Nazizi said that when Big Brother picked Prezzo, they knew that he was the perfect Kenyan celebrity representative. She claims that people who talk ill about Prezzo is because he is the Kenya’s CMB and he does not hide this.

Nazizi admitted that she does not watch BBA, but she supports Prezzo no matter what.  ‘’We should all rally behind Prezzo because he’s a Kenyan and he needs our support,’’ Nazizi said.

Nazizi spoke to word while in Tanzania where she is expected to perform at Zonghua Garden in Dar es Salaam.

It seems that #team Prezzo is getting more support especially from the celebs

Last week, the Red Republik fraternity was fully represented in the UK by DJ Stylez and his brother Mad Traxx at the official Kenya Sevens Rugby after-party.

The celebrities also made an appearance on the BBC’s 1 Extra Tim Westwood Show, arguably the biggest in the country. They were also joined in studio by Kenyan songstress Victoria Kimani and the segment was more of light banter and familiarisation, as Mr. Westwood himself quite humorously tried his hand at speaking Sheng.

One of Mad Traxx’s latest singles ‘Ita Waiter’ had a strong showing on the Westwood chart. We managed to get a short clip of the appearance last week, and here it is:

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He is a spoken word artist, with fast and unique poems. He goes by the name of Number 8. No, I’m not talking about Octopizzo. This is spoken word at its best.

Just like the poet/comedian, Njoro, this guy captures you with his words, leaving you thinking about all that he has just unveiled to you, especially if it reflects to you.

When I listen to his skits, I can’t help but think that these spoken word artists are receiving little, if any recognition than they deserve. I mean, take this poem by Number 8 titled ‘Flush it’ for instance. The poem is all about irresponsibility among the youth, talking about the unprotected sex and abortion. This is more than a strong message, yet the video has less than 200 view on YouTube.

The story in this poem is sad and yet somehow, very entertaining. The rhymes in it are also breathtaking and you can tell that they are not forced rhymes.

Check it out and tell us what you think.

He is famously known for his hit single ‘Moto moto’ featuring celebrated Tanzanian beauty queen Ray C. The singer popularly known as

French Boy (a member of Historians) has released a brand new single titled ‘Sijui’.

The song was produced via the internet by two of the best production houses. Provoke Music in conjunction with Waithaka Entertainment managed to produce this hit song because of the chemistry and compatibility of their creative departments.

The song is about a man who loves a village girl who knows nothing about the urban life. The lady embarrasses the man wherever they go, but the man sticks with her no matter what people say. To him what matters is the love he has for her.

Listen to the song down here >>>>>>>

The debate over whether Gospel should be mainstream or not rages on…

Coastal gospel group Wale Tano which consists of Bryson Haki, Charity Kisandu, Andrew Mwatsuma, Mhando Mtopa& Haki Rico was recently interviewed by Zuqka magazine. They went on record as saying that Gospel shouldn’t be done for entertainment but rather for worship as it is a ministry that compliments preaching and has to have backing from the Almighty.

The group which has just finished recording a 6 song album “Simama Dede” asserted that one shouldn’t expect to hear songs that sound like “Tobina” &/or “Furi Furi” from them as their preferred sound is more of balladry.

The group emphasized their belief that gospel is meant to be about worship. “It’s great to sing songs that help us or that encourage us to live right or talk right or to love each other right. These are all powerful messages, things that God smiles upon. But when we just talk and sing about songs that leave people wondering whether the titles are even found in the dictionary of heaven, we’re joking.”

The group also took on the churches and televangelists who they feel are motivated by greed more than anything else. They have a song titled “Nyumba ya Wanyang’anyi” which addresses the issue of men of God requesting their congregation and audience to part with money via Mpesa in exchange of miracles. These guys clearly pull no punches!

I for one can’t wait to hear the whole album for meself.

USA-based Kenyan singer/songwriter Victoria Kimani was recently interviewed by online entertainment show Factory 78 when she was in London recently, after the launch of her new album ‘Ayaya’ which is also available on iTunes.

The interview is part of the ‘Face-Off’ series by the UK’s 2011 Black Entertainment, Film, Fashion, Television and the Arts (BEFFTA) Awards winner Factory 78.

In the interview you’ll get to find out more about Victoria, who was born in Los Angeles, California but grew up in Kenya, Nigeria, the UK and the US.

Victoria has collabed with industry greats in America such as Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, Mario Winans, Cassie, and Kenya’s Bamboo, including a long list of other internationally acclaimed artistes.

You can watch the interview here:

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You can also listen to Victoria’s single ‘Ayaya (Stronga Dan Eva)’ off the album Ayaya below…

If you really ever thought that Ciku Muiruri famously known for her busted segment on Classic 105 is a man hater, you are definitely wrong. Ciku advises her female listeners to never bruise a man’s

ego, especially if he’s a powerful man. She said that she once lost a job because of that. So ladies you better take the advice Ciku tells you.

The Classic 105 presenter did not have a smooth life as we all think when it comes to radio and TV personalities. She was forced to drop out of campus after her elder brother squandered all her father’s wealth and later her daughter’s father used to beat her up when she was pregnant, and to make matters worse he refused to have anything to do with the child.

The sassy presenter is a single mother of a 12 year old daughter called Erica. She accepts that being a mummy is the most spectacular thing that has ever happened in her life.

Ciku laments that some of her listeners and those who read her newspaper columns accuse her of misleading people by her advices to ladies, but she says that her advice’s is what she would do in such circumstances.

Truly Ciku is one of the few women who defy all odds to become what they want in life without relying on a man. She is a true African Diva.

If you had any doubts about the diversity of Kenyan music then have a look at (and a listen to ) this artiste’s powerful vocals in the single that has got lovers of Kenyan soul and RnB leaning in her direction. 

Meet Anita, the eldest of two children and born on October 22nd, 1986 right here in Nairobi. Anita’s extremely rich and entirely distinctive alto voice has invited comparisons that range from contemporary soul, jazz and pop.

“My music inspires… My music inspires love. Love is beautiful, unconditional and is life. I wish my music to echo the enormity and wholeness of love. My music is an expression of my life experiences and of those around me. Our experiences take us through waves of emotion but love is all we need.” says Anita in an emphatic manner. She continues:
“My music is a journey of expression that I have just began, come walk with me, be the music with me. Music is only more beautiful and true with you by my side.”

Anita was discovered by Zenith Productions, a swanky new music production company based on Forest Road in Kenya’s capital, and released her single ‘Gravity of Love’ on 5th May 2012. The song was shortly after offered in a remixed and repackaged version, and both of the songs sound amazing.

Have a listen to her track ‘Gravity of Love’ below….

The sensational Genge King, Jua Cali will be launching his new album titled TuGenge ya jao in

July this year. This will be Jua Cali’s third album since he entered the music industry ten years ago.

Clemo, who is the CEO of Calif Records, told word that Jua’s new album will feature gospel rapper Juliani, the humorous musician Mejja, Nimo, Kendi and Jimw@t. He also claimed that the new album will bring a fresh air into the music industry.

Jua Cali says that he has been in this game for ten years, but he’s not quitting very soon. If you really want to know why he’s dubbed Baba Yao, then wait for his new album to know.

The latest and biggest gospel hit song of the year, ‘Ole’ will also have one of the greatest Kenyan music videos ever. Yes, that is confirmed from the choreography and the set that was.

Clarence Peters flew in to ensure that this will indeed be one of his hottest works (aren’t they all?). With all the psych and hype that ‘Ole’ has, it is normal that one should get the same feeling from the video. This is where the dancers come in.

Trust me when I say you won’t be dissapointed with the choriography. The dancers won’t be paid Sh. 100, 000 for nothing. It gotta be hot.

In the meantime, as we all wait for the video, enjoy this behind the scenes coverage.

At the rate that this guy is going, no wonder his haters started the Illuminati claims (as silly as they were). Some businesses here, some music there, and he is still just getting started.

Octopizzo brought us cool music all the way from the biggest slum in Africa, and now he is bringing us swag straight to the streets with his new clothing line ‘Octopizzo wear’. You’ve probably seen my other articles about his merchandise (see article), and now he has added a new merchandise to the collection.

The new Octopizzo wrist bands come in various colours. This are stuff that have never faded in the fashion trends. Check them out.

Orders can be made at www.octopizzo.com. Also, check out the latest addition to his t-shirt wear.

Ha ha ha!… I just came across this song on YouTube and just can’t bring myself to stop laughing. Just for the record, I’m not laughing at the song (this is by far one of the greatest 90s song from Kenya), but at the comedy in it.

Looking at Jimmy Gathu now, who would ever imagine that this guy could sing. The song ‘Look, think, stay alive’ by Jimmy Gathu and his crew was recorded with aim of curbing careless driving in public service vehicles.

If you think the song is funny, wait till you see the video. I love how they confront the driver when they realise that he’s driving too fast. “I’d rather be alive and late, than dead on time,” so this is where that phrase came from? ALAS!

I was a Jimmy Gathu fan, but now that I’ve remembered this awesome track, I may now be his biggest fan.

Just over a year ago, Camp Mulla were just hustling to record their videos on their camera phones, and uploading them on YouTube. They were enjoyable, despite the lack of quality. Here is a sample of their very first freestyle video, ‘We Are Camp Mulla’

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They then struggled to scrape together some funds and a crew to shoot their first official video for the song ‘Walking On A Dream’

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As you can see, it was yet another enjoyable video, but nothing special in terms of quality. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, they came out with the video for ‘Party Don’t Stop’ which allegedly cost them close to 5 million shillings. How did they pull of that trick?

The key to this whole equation is a Nigerian multinational company named M-Tech. M-Tech is a Value Added Services(VAS) provider for telecommunications companies such as Safaricom and Airtel. So basically they provide Safaricom with content for things like Skiza, and get a share of the revenue every time a Skiza tune is bought. The twist to this business is that Safaricom and other telecoms companies use multiple VAS providers to give them musical content. This means that it is a struggle between the VAS providers to get the artists to give them their songs so that they can again give them to Safaricom as Skiza tunes.

M-Tech spotted Camp Mulla’s potential early on and signed them to a deal where they will sponsor and distribute Camp Mulla’s high quality videos. That is the reason why you saw Camp Mulla come up with the expensive ‘Party Don’t Stop’ video out of the blue. That is why you’ve been seeing the Nigerian producer Clarence Peters coming into the country to do their videos(and those of other artists as well). It’s all paid for by M-Tech.

Right now you may be wondering, what do M-Tech get in return for all these favours? Well, it has been found that the ringback tune industry in Kenya is going to be worth about 165 million dollars in the near future. Click here for proof. People are crazy about these Skiza tunes. Further to that, the value of a single big-time artist can be massive. Rose Muhando in particular, has minted millions for herself and for the Value Added Services provider Liberty Afrika. M-Tech want a high-profile artist like that on their books as well. If they get it right, the payoff from selling Camp Mulla’s music will offset all the losses from the high quality video shoots.

Talented singer Size 8 has been rocking our air waves with her brand new song ‘Vidonge’, and now she has finally gone Bongo.

The sassy singer has finally done a collabo with celebrated bongo artiste Hussein Machaozi.

The song is titled ‘addicted’ and the song was recorded at Ogopa Deejays studio. Word has it that the song video will be shot tomorrow.

Hussein told word that the song is dedicated to his female fans all over East Africa. Hussein Machozi has been performing in Kenya since Easter holidays.

Hope Hussein Machozi will be energetic in order for him to dance like talented singer Size 8.

Kiss 100 FM radio presenter Shaffie Weru has finally taken the next step in his online and social network footprint. The media personality just launched ShaffieWeru.com.

If you type in the address on your tab though, it would direct you to his official Facebook page. This may change in future though and as he develops his domain name with more content.

The site is however experiencing fluctuations because of heavy traffic so it may be accessed at intermittent times. Great to see Kenyan celebrities building their brands and local content!

So yesterday, the news broke that Camp Mulla had been nominated for the BET Awards. This was very exciting news for Kenyans all over the world because it was the first time ever a Kenyan has been nominated for the award. They were nominated for the ‘Best International Act – Africa’ category.

 Now after the nomination, it’s time Kenyans made sure Camp Mulla actually win the award. This will be tough for one reason: Nigerian artists Ice Prince and Wizkid have been nominated.

Nigerians are 150million in number, and that’s just in the home country. Counting the Nigerians who live abroad, the total number comes to about 200 million. This makes them an awesome force when it comes to continental competitions such as these. Their voting power has been felt before in Big Brother Africa, where Nigerians have won the last three.

So us Kenyans have quite the task on our hands, to ensure a Camp Mulla win. The voting will be done from the BET website. Click here to go to the BET page. When public voting opens, we will be sure to inform you, but get your internet-enabled phones ready in the meantime so we can bring home the trophy!

The most highly anticipated album in East Africa by award winning hip hop group BMF has officially been launched online.

People can now buy their first ever album Rise up on ITunes, CD Baby and Amazon. For easier purchase you can click here.

The group says that this album talks of how they have risen through the challenges of life to become more faithful and dependable to God almighty. BMF believes that this new album will encourage most people in their community, in Kenya and Africa to rise up no matter the problem.

The group said that the official launch date will be communicated later on, but for now people can be buying the album online. They also thanked their fans for the continued love, prayers and support offered to them.  

Can you remember the hilarious movie The Gods must be crazy? If yes, then this will be more intriguing as award

winning K-Krew DJ, DJ Soxxy will be starring in the up coming movie The Gods must be crazy season 2 remix.

The K-Krew DJ is known for his creative ideas like when he introduced DJ Soxxy School of dance (he only educate small kids how to dance) and the ‘I smile’ remix.

I know by now everyone is anxious to see how well Soxy will be able to fill in the gaps left by the late Farma (actor of the Gods must be crazy).

Let us wait and see how this up coming movie will be. As usual I expect it to be more hilarious than the original one. 

You probably have an idea about which song is trending right now. hardly a month after the release and the track’s video is number one on the trending list.

Passionate music is loved best, and Octopizzo has just proved it with his latest video, ‘mama’. The song is dedicated to his mother who passed on when he was just a kid (Read the article).

Since its launch, the video has been all over the social media, displaying a reception like no other.

You’d think that’s it, but no. The second trending video is ‘Vile inafaa’ by Muthoni DQ and Octopizzo. This guy is all over.

It is indeed Octopizzo’s year. Check out the videos below.

Sensational rapper Abbas Kubaff will be giving a lecture at the University of

Bayreuth, Germany on used language today from 12 noon. 

He was invited by the university’s Swahili lecturers and professors to give a lecture on how ‘’Sheng’’ is used as a language. He will also be explaining the science behind integrating sheng into the society through the art of hip hop as an African artiste.

Abbas confirmed that one of his discussion will be on ”Toklezea” as a used sheng word.

The rapper is excited because he will have a chance to educate foreign students about our slang language

JCC pastor/singer Rev Kathy Kiuna has officially released her new single ‘Mapambo’ together with JCC praise and worship team.

The song is all about praising the Almighty father for every good thing he has done unto his people. The bible says that it is good to give thanks to God for the good things he has done instead of only telling him our problems and yet he knows them.

The song has a Lingala feeling, but mum (as the JCC congregation calls her) was able to give it a Kenyan touch. The dancing styles are on point and the JCC praise and worship team were just awesome. This song can make you dance in a public place without realising where you are.

Here is the video

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