Month: July 2012

The man of the moment is most definitely one Miguna Miguna: incase you missed the memo, Miguna Miguna released a memoir titled ‘Peeling Back the Mask’ which takes a look at the life of Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga behind the scene.

The plot thickens when it was revealed Miguna left the country barely two days from the launch of his book, with sections of the media claiming that he had fled the country, though he came out to say he and his family were on holiday in Canada.

The phrase ‘come, baby come’ was synonymous with Miguna from the time of his book release as he dared anyone who had qualms with the contents of ‘Peeling Back the Mask’ to ‘come, baby come’. And the phrase, together with internet memes went viral.

Producer Luthr of Stunnr New Limits came up with a song about Miguna’s quote and you can have a first listen to it right here…

Two Kenyan media personalities have unfortunately been involved in an accident in New Castle, Delaware. Event promoter Kaka-DC and TakeOver DJs’ DJ Babu are currently admitted at Christina Hospital Trauma Center after the accident last evening.

Apparently, luggage that was fixed on top of their car got loose and they parked their car on the side of the road to check on it. They fixed the luggage and as they were heading back to the car, another vehicle lost control on the highway and rammed into their vehicle, smashing into the two in the process.

The accident happened took place on I-495 at 4:30 p.m. According to the police, one of the involved suffered injuries. Kaka is scheduled to undergo a series of surgeries. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones.

Camp mulla and their collective at large- 254low had their controversial song “S.O.S” air on K24!

That was contrary to anyone’s expectations! The track that we exclusively covered and wrote about which is to date their most spoken about track (it even became a trending topic) was considered by many -me including to be highly mainstream unfriendly.

But i guess notoriety is the next best thing to fame and this is exemplified best by the reception of the controversial track Camp Mulla has done, they have struck a gold mine in as far as growing their brand is concerned.

The song was aired between 5:15-5:20pm yesterday and i was astounded and though it was heavily sensored, it’s still dumbfounding to face the reality that the song aired and i was wrong.

Check out the video below and find out why i was shocked the video aired!

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Yes indeed. Boneless is back into the entertainment industry and this time, he is doing way more than dancing. Having made his debut in music with a hot feel good song, he is already blowing up through social media.

It’s only a matter of time before the song ‘Kusunga’ blows up in the main stream media. The video of the song was uploaded on Monday, 16Th of July, and three days later, it’s already the most liked video this week with over 37 likes.

Check out the song below and find out why it is that hot.

Sexy and controversial dancer turned singer, Toxic has been in the industry for a long time to be arguably one of the best female dancers in Kenya. Hell, she even shared a stage with international artist Wyclef Jean and this has boosted her name and performance to a whole new level.

Away from all the glamour and achievements, we seem to be slowly losing the best that our country builds in terms of artist. Redsan, Bamboo (thank God he’s back), and many more. We even lost one of the pioneers of Kenyan hip hop, Hardstone and have no news of his comeback.

Toxic is currently in Germany, having gone there for personal reasons. We got in contact with her and she said something that made us wonder if she’s ever coming back.

Ghafla: Are you considering setting up your new music base abroad now that you live there?

Toxic: I came abroad besides from touring also to spend time with my fiance’ . Living here… don’t know yet. Let’s see after my child is born what happens.

Over the past two years, Joseph Hellon has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. At the Hilton during one his performances, Jalang’o, who was the Mcee for the day, asked Hellon about his now seemingly abandoned political ambitions.

Despite being the b**t of Jalang’o’s jokes earlier in the night, the jazz maestro was nice enough to answer the question, “What became of my political ambition? Well, in 2010 things happened. I was taken to court, I was jailed, I was being set up. I later defeated the government, I’m being compensated based on that fact. I’m being compensated in hundreds of millions…”

As if Hellon knew what was coming next, he paused and the crowd took the cue to laugh at the revelations. He then continued, “I will tell you. For illegal arrest, illegal incarceration, illegal persecution, thereby giving the media fodder for slander.”

Hellon was in the news in 2010 following revelations that Esther Arunga, one of the most in-demand newscasters at the time, had left her job at KTN to join Hellon’s cult-like church, The Finger of God. The crew together with Quincy Timberlake took the opportunity to inform the media that they are forming a political outfit with which pursue political positions in the next general elections.

You can check out the video where he makes the revelations here.

Immediately I saw this video on YouTube, I knew it was going to go viral and lots of people would comment on it. This is basically something that the Kenyan community is not used to (guys smoking herb live on telly) but I have to give these guys the credit for being bold enough to do it.

The song S.O.S (Smoking on That Sour), which was done by various rappers, most from arguably the best new Hip Hop group in Kenya, Camp Mulla, has now become the most discussed video on YouTube this week.

The video has received, this week, more than 36 comments. You may be thinking like, “… that’s not much.” But hold on, have you been paying attention to the number of comments on Kenyan YouTube videos? Yeah, 36 is a lot. As usual, rapper Shappaman killed it in this track and there is no doubt that these guys have too much talent. It is alleged that Shappaman may have taken shots at another rapper rumoured to ride on Camp Mulla’s fame. That has not been confirmed yet but will be unveiled as soon as it is ‘out there’.

Meanwhile, check out this awesome song and leave a comment (I’m sure you won’t resist).

Popular and very sexy dancer Toxic, real names Juliet Kwamboka has been there and done that for so long that some of the things that might surprise you as a fan, wouldn’t even get her attention.

For instance, Toxic has been know to be very controversial and a lot of ‘un-cleared’ stories have always accompanied her wherever she goes. This hasn’t fazed her a bit. She still strongly continues to do what she does best, and has even made it better by adding music into it. Yes, if you didn’t know, now you do. She is also a singer.

Ghafla recently asked Toxic about what she feels following all the controversies in her name. “Negative publicity will always affect one as a person and as a ‘public figure’ but personally I choose not to give airtime to idle minds.if I did I wouldn’t have made it this far n if if you are wondering how far… well not every dance crew gets to share a stage with the likes of Wyclef Jean so I let the haters hate,” Toxic told Ghafla Kenya.

Well, I didn’t know that. Kudos Toxic.

2012 Insyder Skiza Chaguo la Teeniez Awards Group of the Year nominees Affiliates are back on their grind with a new song titled ‘My City’ to be launched soon.

Affiliates is a music group of Kenyan artists who came together to fulfill their music careers as partners and as friends. The group was invented by WillX, J-Star and the late V2 back in 2009 when they were still in high school and decided to work together to develop their lyrical content with the talent they knew they possessed.

They capture different styles of music including hip-hop, R&B, dance, rock, dancehall and pop into their delivery which gives them a wider appeal to the audience.
They are and have continued to work with Hypemasters entertainment and are working on their brand new album with hits such as ‘New Age’, ‘1 to 10’ and ‘Brother love’ which has had positive outreach to their listeners. 

Have a look at the video ‘New Age’ as a taste of what is to come…

Could Bamboo and Avril be setting us up for a collabo? Bamboo recently came back to the country after years in the states. There has been speculation about which local artistes Bamboo would collaborate with after his return. A popular choice was Abbas Kubaff, his former partner in the ’90s rap group, K-South.

But the rapper has made a left field choice in terms of music prospects and who he wants to work with. Through his Twitter, Bamboo reached out to Avril about doing a song together. He seems to already have an idea on what direction he wants to take with the song.

TheRealBamboo “@AvrilKenya hey, you think we should do a song together…2words… Hot & Steamy!! Lol!!

Avril then responded, only concentrating on the last part of Bamboo’s tweet.

AvrilKenya “@TheRealBamboo lol..hot and steamy you say here..“

The two will share the stage at the upcoming Art & Beer Fest on the 28th and 29th of July and it remains to be seen if they will follow through with a track. Besides Avril and Bamboo, others slated to perform include Dempsey & The Boys. Bamboo has already released a song with Lavosti, Africa’s Calling. The video has been shot and is expected to be released soon.

Kenyan media personality and television show host Jeff Koinange is a man who has risen from near ruin to become one of the most successful journalists Kenya can boast of.

There was rife speculation as to the conditions under which Jeff left global news channel CNN in the late 2000s and when he chose to come back home from the Atlanta, Georgia-based station, the public thought he would dissipate into obscurity. The man however was the brains behind a leading media house and is back to being a regular feature on prime time Kenyan television viewership.

Rapper and producer Raj has come up with a great new hit titled ‘Jeff Koinange’ in what is a new school rap fusion that may just go viral.

Jeff Koinange is a phrase coined from the celebrity’s names and in Raj’s opinion means ‘getting back up’. It was coined from the challenges Jeff Koinage faced while at CNN and his coming back to Kenya, starting his own media company and growing even bigger, hence ‘getting back up’.

The song was recorded, mixed and arranged at MusicBank Studio in Nairobi. Have a listen to ‘Jeff Koinange’ here first…

I tell you, the speed that the Kenyan music industry is going with is just epic. From the days when all the artistes had similar sounds and flow, to the diversity that is now Kenyan music.

As the gospel music industry floods just as much as the rest of the genres, you really have to be unique and very good in whatever song you put your effort in, and that is exactly what this guy Holy Keane Amooti has done in this song ‘Jah‘. I have never heard of a gospel dancehall track this awesome from Kenya yet. Honestly.

If you didn’t recognise him as Kenyan and hadn’t seen the video, you’d actually think that he’s Jamaican. And the chorus, oh God. Gives you a whole lot of energy no matter your current feeling.

Check out the song yourself. This is real.

Bet you remember one of the first new school dancers in Nairobi to make it big in the entertainment scene. Who could forget Boneless and all his moves that gave the illusion that he had no bones at all, due to the snake like maneuvers.

Well, now he back. Thing is, he isn’t exactly dancing in his latest work but in-fact, singing. Just like sexy dancer Toxic, Boneless has now added a similar feather to his cap. You would think that he wouldn’t pull it off but he has in-fact outdone most of the established artiste who have tried their best to unleash the ultimate ‘feel good’ song.

Boneless feel good song, ‘Kusunga‘ is entirely in the Kamba language, believe it or not and whether you understand it or not, you just can’t help but move your body to the beat. The Kamba word ‘Kasunga’ simply means dance.

You may be wondering, “who’s the first love that he has dedicated this song to?”. Dance, is the name. Oh, and the game too.

In a recent interview with Ghafla!, Kaz spoke about a variety of things, from her dreams and aspirations to her time in the Project Fame house. She also revealed how she discovered Dempsey, a highly rated upcoming singer in the live music circuit.

For a couple of years now, Kaz has been organizing ASAP, a monthly entertainment event at the Karen Country Lounge. The event is a showcase of talent from music to art and poetry. We asked her about any talents she has worked with or discovered over the time she has been involved with the event.

“During ASAP, I discovered loads of talent! But the one that remains dear to me is a young man by the name Dempsey. A brilliant singer and song writer,” said Kaz.

Kaz obviously believes in the new acoustic R&B and soul singer who has been getting great reviews from shows he has been getting since. “I keep telling him, if I had all the money in the worked I would take him very far,” she said.

Earlier this year, Dempsey was signed by Penya, the record label behind Sauti Sol, Stan, Muthoni and Dela among others.

Juliet Kwamboka a.k.a Toxic is one of the most famous dancers in the Kenyan music industry. She has performed in some of the biggest shows in the country. In a recent interview with Ghafla!, she spoke about her experiences, dreams and even squashed rumors about her public image.

“You have been recipient to very negative publicity in your stint as a celebrity.  Has this been a hindrance to your relatively new music career?” we asked.

“Negative publicity will always affect one as a person and as a ‘public figure’. But personally, I choose not to give airtime to idle minds. If I did, I wouldn’t have made it this far and if you wonder how far…well, not every dance crew gets to share a stage with the likes of Wyclef Jean, so I let the haters hate.”

She also had a few words of advice to young people. “Personally, I would tell young guys that don’t do things for fame. Do it for the passion you got for it. Fame comes and goes and we have seen the downfall of many through fame.”

Airtel Kenya has named gospel musician, Daddy Owen as their new Brand Ambassador in a multi-million shilling deal that will include countrywide tours and collabos with artists from other African countries. Daddy Owen, currently riding on the popularity of his latest release Mbona, signed the contract with D**k Omondi, Airtel Kenya’s Head of Corporate Communications, at a press briefing on Tuesday.

Airtel has committed to facilitate several of Daddy Owen’s music ventures as he endorses products and services by the mobile giant. Owen was happy that the deal would allow him to spread his music even further around the country and reach a wider audience. “I am passionate about creating a positive change in our communities, and I believe that my partnership with Airtel will go a long way in touching the hearts and lives of Kenyans,” he said.

Daddy Owen further hopes to use the opportunity to continue his work on highlighting the plight of the disabled and the poor. D**k Omondi clarified that the deal is similar to the One 8 campaign where R. Kelly hooked with artistes from around Africa to record the single, Hands Across The World. Unnamed artistes from other African countries will collaborate with Daddy Owen and release a track. Confirmations on who the other artistes are is expected soon.

As if Tarrus Riley wasn’t enough of a treat for local reggae music lovers, the organizers are pulling another one on us. Also slated to perform at the concert is renown Jamaican songstress, Etana, the strong one. She will perform alongside Tarrus Riley backed up by Blak Soil Band and saxophonist, Dean Fraser.

The 29-year formally entered the music industry as a solo artiste in 2008 when she released her debut album, The Strong One. She released Wrong Address and Roots, the former went straight to number one on a number of Jamaican charts. In the same year, she was nominated for a MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Award. She had previously performed as part of the all-girl group, Gift. Etana released her sophomore album, Free Expressions, three years later and followed it up with a European tour in 2012.

The concert will take place at the Carnivore Grounds on the 11th of August. Others performing at the event will be Kriss Darling of Dohty Family and Steve Junior. Earlier today, Tarrus Riley confirmed that he is indeed heading to Kenya for a show.

According to a recent survey by IPSOS done for the Kenya Advertising Research Foundation, ‘Dira ya Radio Citizen’ is the most watched show in the evening on radio. It is aired daily, starting from about 7pm. When it comes on, listenership to Radio Citizen spikes through the roof, leaving all the other radio stations in the dust. ‘Dira’ does not have a particular time line, but runs for about 30 minutes on average and is in Swahili.

Dira ya Radio citizen has many reporters stationed in different parts of Kenya. They go outside the country only when there are major news of interest to the Kenyan audience. The presenters for this programme are Josphat Odipo assisted at times by Jilani wa Mbura. Other reporters include Vincent Afande, June Dezina Vel and Lincoln Njogu.

The plot of the programme is that it is a ‘magazine news’ type of programme which highlights only the major occurrences in Kenya and around the world. It has the major news segment, sports segment, weather forecast (Utabiri wa hali ya anga). The last segment is a sponsored proverb section called ‘Busara ya Wahenga’. The proverb is normally in any native of their choice but is translated by the reader.

Many fm stations in Kenya do news coverage and presentations, but some do it superficially. However, Citizen Radio has reporters based almost in all places. There are some live feeds from reporters during some major occurrences, but this isn’t the case mostly. When compared to BBC however, Citizen Radio does a comprehensive coverage of news from different regions in Kenya. Music is used to develop the mood of the news segments. For example, music with a high tempo is used for the sports news.

If you thought that Wini Nkinda was going to be a one hit wonder with her massive debut song ‘Hisivi’, which was engineered by Chris Adwar and featured Qqu, then think again because the artiste has just released her brand new audio track ‘Siwezi Tulia’.

The new track, ‘Siwezi Tulia’ is produced by Gideon Kimanzi of Red Mercury and features some heavy beats and lyrics which have become a characteristic of her music.

The new track Siwezi Tulia and her other musical works can be heard and seen on her reverbnation page http://www.reverbnation.com/wininkinda

Have a listen to the new release below…

Nick Mutuma put his foot on the music field for a while and made what most Kenyan artistes strive to do, a hit on the first touch.

Nick’s ‘254 Anthem‘ is the patriotic party song that got everybody wondering how this guy has been hiding behind the theatrical cameras without even giving a hint that he could do music this good.

Well, the video for this awesome song is just about to be shot and Nick promises that it will be, simply, AMAZING. Better yet, he offers a chance for his fans to appear in the video and all you have to do is e-mail him at nicholasmutuma@gmail.com.

This is an opportunity of a life time. Take it.

The Sauti Academy is back with another sterling event which is aptly titled ‘Finesse Unleashed’ and is set to take place at the Michael Joseph Center on the 27th and the 28th of July 2012.

‘Finesse Unleashed’, as the Sauti Academy puts it, is a discovery of the stories we live; in our music, our pictures and poems, our art and style you will find a story, maybe even a few.

The Sauti Academy students of the Penya Africa label have come together for what can only be called a spectacular festival of music. Hand picked by the notorious Madam Natalie herself, the performers are a rare breed of talent presenting sounds from somewhere else.
The two day music festival kicks off on Friday the 27th of July from 7pm to 10pm. The evening performance marks the long awaited graduation of two Sauti Academy students. Isha and Mel will grace the stage as Sauti students for the last time with a portfolio of their own music they are unleashing their finesse.

And that’s not all; second term Sauti Academy students will be opening for this unique duo with a collection of their own compositions coming from a rich variety of places and sounds; a cameo of stories, a festival of perspectives.

Saturday, 28th July showcases the latest talent that joined the program only three months ago. For the first time these Sauti Academy students will showcase their talent through a distinctive display of talent and vivacity.

Don’t miss out on some of the best talent the upcoming musical generation has. Have a look at the promotional video below…