Month: May 2012

The Godfather and the pioneer of the genge genre of music has once again outdone himself. Away from all his other projects, he has finally done what no other Kenyan has ever done. He has an application on Android.

The application titled ‘Nonini (The Godfather)’ is available on Google Play and has a 4.1 rate out of 5. Any app that has a rate above 4 on Google play is simply awesome. The application already has more than 5000 downloads.

The application enables you to stream music, watch videos, see pictures, read their blog and tweets and see when they are playing a show near you. It also feeds you the latest news about the Godfather and his whereabouts.

This is one application that should not be missing from your android phone. DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

He just keeps coming and coming with lyrics and music that are hotter than the previous ones. Cyphers are now the order of the day as every artist is lining up to showcase their lyrical prowess.

A cypher for the Fresh Gum has just been released today and Octopizzo is the mastermind behind it. Always introducing new talent to the industry, Octo comes with two new rappers, one of them being a girl who is even better than some of the rappers we have right now (no offence).

The track of the cypher is done by non other than Creme De La Creme. Octopizzo comes in on the last verse, dissing Abbas as soon as he is on the mic.

I also love the colourful background of the set.

You all know by now that the Kaytrixx Kenya Tour already started. One of the best DJs visiting and playing at some of the best towns in Kenya, one place at a time. If you attended the first stop of the tour which was right here at the Changes Pub, Nairobi, then you know that this is off the hook.

Having already played at Changes (Nairobi), Club Vanillas (Athi River) and Club Signature (Kisumu), DJ Kaytrixx is now set to play at the dramatic town of Nyeri at Club Banana Leaf.

—–>CHECK OUT THE TOUR SCHEDULE.

The party will start from 9PM till dawn and there will be live video mixing with tickets going for Sh. 200. You know what this DJ is capable of so don’t miss this night.

Next stop, Bella Vista (Mombasa) on the 1^St of June.

Celebrated artiste Kidum is the latest musician to be signed by MTech, joining the likes of Camp Mulla,

Madtraxx, Abbas, Bamzigi, Jimmy Gait and Uganda’s hip hop sensation Keko.

The soul voiced singer has already released his new single ‘Mungu anaweza’ but it’s yet to be played on our radio stations. Kidum maintains that he’s still a gospel artiste and not secular. The ‘haturudi nyuma’ singer said that it will be much easier working with MTech than him being alone.

His new gospel single was produced by Chris Adwar. The song is meant to encourage those people whose troubles threaten to way them down.

Camp Mulla were the first ever artistes to be taken in by MTech and for this, they are a household group. With this merger, Kidum will be the next big artiste in Africa.

He is one of the greatest producers that Kenya has ever seen. He helped create most artistes that are now on everyone’s lips, among them, Necessary Noise, Kalamashaka and Hardstone. After doing all these great work, Tedd Josiah just disappeared from the scene. Just like that.

Well, thanks to our sources, we now know what he has been up to. It is said that a very wealthy Nigerian business man landed Tedd a lucrative deal. This deal has Tedd travelling around three countries, London, Nigeria and South Africa, training people from all over the world, the art of audio and visual production.

Things are even better for him there than they were back home. Seems the producer isn’t planning on coming back anytime soon.

He goes by the name T-Soh. I have to say that I never heard of him until I saw his music on Abbas Kubbaf’s facebook wall, then I knew that I was probably missing something explosive. Turns out I was right.

To hear a hip hop track so raw and fresh in this techno and crunk influenced music industry, is just manna from heaven. T-Soh has given us just that with his track titled ‘Kichwa’. i can’t get enough of this track. The lyrics, the voice, the beats, everything about it is just awesome.

T-Soh also sings in the song and amazingly, unlike most rappers, he can actually sing. Talking about all the sick stuff that he has seen in his life and how tired he is of it all. The tune of the song is simply hot.

Have a listen to the song right here.

I have been waiting for months for a chance to hear this song again. I first heard it on Ghetto Radio’s hip hop countdown, only to disappear from the music scene. I asked Octo about the song and he said that he is waiting for the right time to release both the song and video. I’m guessing the time is now.

The track ‘MAMA’ is officially out. Is it just me or is this guy getting better and better by every song. There is something about him that just makes you want to listen to what he has to say, and in this song, you really have to listen. It’s not about the hype and the money anymore. It’s all about the love for his late mother.

Octo’s mother, Millicent Onyango was born in 1964 and died in 2003. Octo was still a kid then. It is the unfortunate events in his life that inspired him to do this track, full of emotions and deep in lyrics.

Even when talking about the saddest times of his life, he still drops some awesome punchlines. You just gotta love this… “kwa streets bado mi ndio the bomb ka 9/11.”

Check out the video right here.

‘Sitoi Kitu Kidogo’ star Jimwat celebrates his birthday today, having cemented his place in Kenya’s hallowed halls of Kapuka with a number of hit singles and collabos.

Click here to checkout Jimwat’s Biography

The musician made a splash on the local scene with his song ‘Under 18’ that was a young and urban anthem  for well over a year in the early 2000s.

Ghafla wishes the Kenyan star a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Have a look at one of his videos titled ‘Fall In Love’ by Calif Records here…

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It was so shocking for Ogopa queen Avril Nyambura after she saw wounds on someone inflicted by Galileo bouncers on Sunday.

She confirmed that the boy was thoroughly beaten up by four of the club bouncers. The ‘Kitu kimoja’ singer could not believe that bouncers’ could brutally beat someone even if they are on the wrong.

This same incident is what made a young energetic man lose his life after he was shot dead at Club Click. All this scenarios can be avoided if club bouncers are trained on how to deal with disturbing patrons.

Due to this incident, diva Avril has decided that she will never club again.

Check her tweets regarding this issue

He is one of the best and most consistent Kenyan rapper alive. Never seen away from the music scene and never taken a break from it. That’s a true definition of an artiste right there.

In this music industry, Abbas has seen it all. From scandals (Baby G) to beefs (Chiwawa and Octopizzo), and has managed to rise above them all. He has been to more freestyle battles than you can imagine and has won most of them, if not all. Very few rappers can fit in Abbas’ shoes and this is for real.

With all that has been going on in his life, he has let little out to the media. Finally, he has decided to do a track that covers his personal life. He has finally let us in… kind of.

Produced by Sub-Sahara Records, ‘Mtu wa Watu‘ takes us through Abbas’ musical journey, from F2’s showtime all the way to where he is now, one of the best Kenyan rappers. The video of the song is simple and just what you might expect from a hip hop track.

Here is Abbas’ mtu wa watu video trailer… “true story. Si ati tu story!”

The 2004 Miss World Kenya winner, the strikingly beautiful Lakeside beauty Juliet Achieng has just released her second single ‘Ja Hera Na’ (My Love). 

Produced by Maich Blaq and the Herbalist, Directed by Kevin and Written and performed by the Kenyan beauty herself, ‘Ja Her Na’ is set to add a more sensual flavour to singles which have been released so far this year. 

Voted Africa’s Sexiest woman in 2004 as well, Juliet’s brand new single follows her first hit ‘Ni Kweli’ which was an afro-fusion display of how far the celebrity has come in her musical and modelling career.

Juliet has featured in quite  a number of commercials as well as on the hit KTN TV series ‘Be The Judge’.

Have a look at the BRAND NEW single, ‘Ja Hera Na’ from Juliet here…

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So, word is that Makadara MP, Gedion Mbuvi ‘Sonko’ is about to drop his first ever hip hop song. Yes first, meaning it will not be the last, according to reliable sources.

More information about the song has not been revealed to us yet but will be very soon. I don’t know if he is planning to do a diss track since everyone has been on his case, but one thing is for sure… the video will definitely be as flashy as Prezzo’s videos. No doubt. The amount of bling to be worn on the video shoot on that day, will be unbelievable.

Another speculation about the song is that it will be an imediate hit. I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear a song done by a member of Parliament, let alone the man ‘Sonko’?

I just can’t wait for the song and read all that Kenyans on Twitter will have to say about it. #dead.

Due to public demand, award winning gospel artiste Jimmy Gait is giving all his fans a chance to download his new hit track

‘Oleey oleey’ featuring hip hop sensation Holy Dave and up coming singer Chuchu via Ghafla Kenya for free.

You can download the best African gospel song, ‘Oleey oleey’ here. This offer will only last for a week.

Jimmy has confirmed that the song’s video, which was produced by Africa’s most sought after video producer Clarence Peters will officially be released  on Ghafla on 26^th May 2012.

This song is part of Jimmy’s Make it or make it campaign, where he is trying to encourage the youths to work hard no matter the hardship to make it in life. 

The much anticipated Abbas and Chiwawa video for their latest collaboration, ‘Abbachiwa show’ is finally released. The song was available to fans since the beginning of the year.

The reconciliation of the two recently beefing artistes has been a positive move in the Kenyan music industry, considering all the other beefs that are building up.

We recently posted about the video leak of the song and now, weeks later, it’s finally out. I don’t understand why the two fell out in the first place because you can clearly see the good vibe that they have on the set. If these two artistes would record an album together, kind of like what Nas and Damian Marley did, it would be off the hook.

Check the video that is about to make everyone go crazy over the collaboration.

This year’s Cultural Collage World Music Festival has chosen Ohangla singer Makadem to perform at this year’s edition. The prestigious festival is annually held in the United Kingdom to support professional world music.

The show started on the 10Th of May and will go on till the 20Th of May. Makadem is set to perform for the Reggae and African Dance Party on the 19Th of May (tomorrow).

Makadem will be performing alongside reggae artiste Bassil Gabbidonn (ex Still Pulse founder), UK’s Freedom Masses Sound System DJs, just to mention a few.

Later after the performance, the artistes will gather in honor of the late Bob Nesta Marley, who helped set the path for Reggae music.

I know that this one is old…

but i just had to remind everyone of this gem of a video.

This is the video of the sound clip that brouught Bonoko into the limelight and when Mbuusi-deh heard it he gave us Bonoko-deh. And since then Kenyan radio has never been the same.

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Check out Coola Gang’s cover art

Check out the creativity that was employed in creating this photo. The mixtape drops tomorrow. Keep it ghafla for the 411.

Love the Adidias sneaks by the way!

One of the most established DeeJays in the Kenyan industry, Capital FM’s DJ Adrian celebrates his birthday today.

DJ Adrian Washika has been DJying for over 13 years and his mastery of the decks he is accustomed to is clearly evident in his tagline: ‘Your DJ’s favourite DJ’. The disc jockey is massively popular for his segments on Capital FM’s Friday flight on Capital in the Morning, as well as for a select number of events he chooses to perform at.

The genres he concentrates on are old school music, new jack swing and RnB, but he has an ecclectic taste for the dynamic Kenyan party crowd.

Ghafla! wishes DJ Adrian a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 A week after the self proclaimed king wa rap came out open in support of Prezzo in this year’s Big Brother Africa competition, word has it that

he was the one who was supposed to be in the house instead of Prezzo.

According to Zuqka, Collo said that they were in negotiations with Big Brothers organizers about him being Kenya’s celebrity representative in the house, but apparently they sidelined him for Prezzo.

Collo claims that the reason they sidelined him was because he asked them to meet all his financial needs for the three months that he would have been in the house.

I hope this accusation will not bring bad blood between Collo and Prezzo, but king wa rap still maintains that he support Prezzo and wishes him all the best.

Why aren’t Kenyans putting out gritty music anymore?

While i understand that even globally there has been a shift away from masculine& gritty hiphop to the more soothing bubblegum hiphop i for one want to hear more real material.

Rapping about parties, blunts& shorties is all good but why are our artists ignoring real issues? Maybe i’m nostalgic about the days when radio stations& music shows were too scared to air Kenyan content (shame on you!).

Back then, Octopizzo was cutting his teeth at WAPI? and Juliani was being mentored by Ukoo Flani Mau Mau. And btw, shout out to these two artists who are the last of a dying breed.

do you remember these songs:

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Granted, this is a pretty recent song but we need to see it more!

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Former SRT8 up presenter Namtero Mdee may be returning back to showbiz after quitting her previous job at

 the Standard Group television department, KTN.

Word out is that the sassy presenter has been in talks with one of the leading radio station who wants to tap her services. I think that her experience and talent is what the media owner is after because Tero is one of the few personalities that posses both of this.  

This lucrative offer has made Tero to retract her statement that she will never come back to the limelight again.

Tero is expected back in the country any time from now because she landed the job last week, and now the only remaining thing is contract signing.

With all the hype surrounding the track “Oleey Oleey” by Jimmy Gait featuring Holy Dave& Chuchu…

The question that is on everyone’s lips is is it a hit or a miss.

The lovely Chuchu

Well, we here at Ghafla have decided to review the track to let you know just what we think of it’s “hit or miss” quotient.

For starters, the track is an uplifting, feel good gospel track that asks the listener to either make it or make it. The first verse has a lingala influenced sound and the second a Nigerian pop influenced sound that the producer blanded really well and Jimmy delivered well. The kicker is the 3rd verse which has Holy Dave spitting ill rhymes in a traditional hiphop manner that most hiphop heads will appreciate and he delivers it in a manner that compliments the lingala instrumental. Listening to the track i couldn’t help but think of J Martin’s Jupka remix which had Fally ipupa on it..

And the chorus? My goodness the chorus! Chuchu has held her own vocally with the heavyweights! She has delivered a timam chorus which for me was the highlight of the jam given that she is a complete novice; a newcomer to the scene yet she has exuded confidence in her delivery and she kept up with, nay! Enhanced the chemistry between all three artists.

I think this is a definite hit! Conquer Kenyan charts it shall. Let’s wait and see how it will fare in the rest of Africa.

Give it a listen. Enjoy your eargasm!

Attention artists; aspiring, underground and mainstream…

After searching for a homogeneous method of rating songs it is my pleasure to present to you the new rating system:

The 5 Ghafla’s are for truly awesome songs. Songs that have gotten all the elements that could possibly go into making a song awesome right. These would include lyrics, instrumentals, chemistry between artists (in the event of a collaboration) &in the event it is a video getting reviewed, video, audio and video quality &the choreographical content& presence.

The 4 Ghafla’s are for good songs. Songs that although good, don’t seem to have gotten all the elements right hence no eargasm.

The 3 Ghafla’s are for rating average songs. songs that have talented emcees or artists on them or ace instrumentals but lack a good instrumental or good vocals respectively. These tracks were not equally carried by both parties involved i.e emcee& producer.

We here at Ghafla believe in keeping it positive and appreciating everyone’s effort at making music so the lowest rating is:

This simply means that the track needs abit more time& effort invested in it.

For instance, Life History by Jackiwa would get a 5 Ghafla rating:

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Sensational award winning artiste Jimmy Gait is back with another hit song ‘Oleey oleey’ featuring talented gospel rapper Holy Dave and up-coming singer Chuchu. Listen to the song here.

Jimmy confirmed to Ghafla in an exclusive interview that the song is a motivational one and that it’s intended to motivate many young people not to give up even when there is no money, but to believe in God and oneself.

This song is part of Jimmy’s Make it or make it campaign, where he is trying to inspire young people to work hard no matter the obstacles. In God they can trust.

The song is a fusion of Lingala, West Africa and Niger, but gospel’s hip hop sensation Holy Dave complements it with a hip hop swag.

The song’s video, which was produced by Africa’s most sought after video producer Clarence Peters will be released by the end of next week.

Listen to the song down here>>>>> and get to know why it’s the next big thing in Africa’s music industry.

Producer Toti from Ka Records in Mombasa was the brains behind this  union formed for Coast artistes.

The group, We Run Mombasa, consists of most of the best of Mombasa artistes and Deejays, among them being Dj Gates, Real Flick, Chapatizzo just to mention a few.

The new group has already released a track titled ‘we run MSA’ and released the video just last week. The song is currently receiving airplay especially on the Coast radio stations.

For years, there has been a kind of a snub of Coast music by the Nairobi radio stations and this has made the Mombasa artistes feel the need to stretch to extra lengths to get airplay for there music.