Month: August 2012

The Nokia Don’t Break The Beat competition is now coming to an end and you know what that means… epic rap battles since those that have qualified to reach this far are obviously good at the freestyle rapping art.

I was watching some of the YouTube videos of the Kenyan Nokia: Don’t Break The Beat and I was captivated by this rap battle that took place at a club. This was one of the finalists’ battles between Cypreezy and LaFamDowg and there is no doubt that the latter was lyrically assassinated.

Check this out.

Abbas is back…finally. The rapper had been away on a European tour spent mostly in Germany. Besides performing at festivals, Abbas Kubaff also lectured at the University of Bayreuth and presented his videos at a symposium in Mainz University.

The rapper alluded to the end of his tour on his Facebook and fellow rapper, former beef-mate and regular collaborator, Chiwawa confirmed through his own Facebook that Abbas is back in the country.

And he had to be. Abbas will not get a single day’s rest. Tonight, he will already be on stage to make up for the days he we have missed him. The show will be the Anglohili-organized Hip Hop Slam Down at Club Sylk. Come out and welcome our own hip hop legend.

Rabbit’s song, ‘nakuchukia’ has been a successful hit so far as everyone is humming to it and most fans are actually using it as their skiza tunes. The song has received major airplay and Rabbit never misses to perform it at any concert.

‘Nakuchukia’ is about a girl that Rabbit used to date and were supposed to have that fairy tale life together. In the song, Rabbit describes the girl as a two timing individual and that he is glad that the relationship is finally over.

He even goes further to state that he doesn’t want anything else to do with the girl and as the title shows, he was pretty bitter about all this when he was writing down the lyrics. We got in touch with Rabbit and as we were talking about this song, he revealed to us that this was all real. He however, reconciled with the girl and are now friends. No hard fillings. Really?

Check out the interview below.

She is definitely one of the hottest singers in the country. Barely out of her teens, she releases one hot track after another. She was the winner of the first ever Samsung Ziki Star Talent competition. Unlike a lot of talent show winners and participants who fade into oblivion, she seems set on taking the crown as one of Kenya’s best vocalists.

You know her as Lyra Aoko from tracks like Colour of Life, Happy with Wyre, Radio Love with J’Mani and Collo and 254 Anthem with Nick Mutuma among others. From now on you will know her as Lyraoko, which is how we pronounced the name anyway. Tracks on her Soundcloud are already undergoing the title change.

As for her Reverbnation and Blogspot accounts, those are no more. Through her Facebook, Lyra Ao… oops–Lyraoko said she is deleting the accounts and announced that she is setting up a Tumblr. It remains to be seen if the rebranding will also affect her style of music. Can’t wait for the past post-Lyraoko track to come out. We can wait as we listen to her last track as Lyra Aoko below.

Solexx Genge is one of the newest artistes on the music scene. But his green-ness in the industry doesn’t mean he is one without wisdom. Here is his message to fellow artistes.

“I’m sending out this message to all the upcoming artists. When an artist gets into music–or he or she records the first track–mostly one believes that the track is a hit. When that track is released and people are given that chance to listen to it or given a chance to comment about the track, you notice that people have different opinions about the track. Some positive and some discouraging.

However, one should never give up. I would advice anybody who wants to join the music industry that music is about impressing other people and when people dont feel your song, it’s considered a miss and not a hit.

Hard work and determination is the key lead to success. Being strategic and considering the market targeted by your music. Get to know where your type of music is played most. Get to know the radios that play the kind of music you are doing. Also, what age or group of people listen to the kind of music you do? Example: it’s hard to see a 60+ old man listen to Jua Cali.

Also, when shooting a video, consider the quality and what you wear in your videos. Also try to consider the background. The video should also have a flow and potrays the theme of the song. When taking your DVD or CD for airplay, ensure good packaging is done for the CD/DVD.

Beware of people who call themselves promoters. A good promoter hardly asks for money to promote a good song. He will hustle for airplay for your song and get shows for you and when you get paid, then you can pay him what you feel is right for him. Some promoters lie to a desparate upcoming artiste and he/she gives him all the money.

For the girls, some people will want to sleep with you or get into a relationship with you just to get to you. Beware of such people. Do not pay for air play. Do a good packaging and be sure the music director or progaramme manager in that radio will consider your song and it will get played if its quality and good.“

WORD!

Bamboo was recently interviewed by HBR’s Rachel on a lot of stuff about himself and his music, but there is no doubt that the most interesting talk about this interview was about the beef between his boy Abbas and fast rising rapper, Octopizzo.

Bamboo played it cool and all mature, we have to respect him for that. After all, it ain’t his beef. He however still stated that he has always been supportive of his boy Abbas Kubbaf and that he will always be behind him, come what may. Still, he termed Octopizzo as a real hustler and that he also respects the hustle that this guy has been through.

I have to admit, that’s some real talk right there. I actually expected Bamboo to go all out on him (Octopizzo). Seems as though he has lost his aggressiveness in the beef industry, which is a good thing by the way. Check out the interview below.

A lot of people say performing for high school girls is the easiest thing to do. They will cheer at anything. High school boys, on the other hand, are a nightmare. They always seem ready to chant down anything that steps on stage. Octopizzo, however, doesn’t seem to have that problem.

He is one of the best rappers in the industry right now. He owns multiple businesses including a tours company that specializes in giving visitors a view of his home, Kibera. He has a clothing line and even a condom brand coming out soon.

He recently performed with a live band at the Sawa Sawa Festival with afro-soul singer, Anto NeoSoul. He later worked with Ohanglaman Makadem to try and improve his live performance and the two even planned on doing a song together.

He seems to have done a great job at hyping up the crowd of schoolboys in Meru at the Kenya National Music Festivals. As he kills it on all his tracks, so does he on the stage. Watch Octo, King wa Namba Nane, rock the 3,000-strong crowd with his track, On Top.
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I honestly don’t listen to much gospel music but this tune has just made my day. Yes, I discovered it today and yes again, it is currently my favorite gospel song from Kenya right now.

Willy Paul has just outdone himself this time. This song, ‘Mpenzi’ which refers not to his girlfriend but God, is full of so much energy and at the same time, fills you with so much humility and peace.

The video itself successfully convinces me to just stand up and dance while enjoying the wealth in lyrics that this song contains. No foolish flossing of any kind here (no offence to anyone). Just goes to show what real gospel music should sound and feel like.

‘Ibilisi umechelewa. Kama kupendwa nimeshawaiwa,” ain’t these lyrics captivating?

Take a look at the video below and enjoy it to the last tune.

Okay, we seriously did not know about this until Rabbit let it slip out during our interview with him last week. This guys have been really busy with their music and have managed to keep it on the low.

Abbas has been gone for a while now and we just found out the other week that before he left, he had collaborated with Chiwawa and Rabbit on a track that is set to take Kenya by storm. I will now give you a moment to marvel at the thought of this hot collaboration.

The flow will just be insane. And it’s not only a track, they also did the video and everything is complete. “Everything is done, and I have the video with me at home. Actually I was just viewing it before I came here and it’s just awesome,” Rabbit told Ghafla.

You are probably wondering what these guys are waiting for now that everything has been complete for so long. Well, Chiwawa and Rabbit are just waiting on Abbas’ arrival from Germany, which will be tomorrow. A date will be set and the song will be launched. Keep it Ghafla to have the first view. Meanwhile, check out the interview below.

Well, now that Prezzo is back in the country, guys are already back to their usual selves… that simply means that everyone is back to making fun of anything and anyone worth mentioning.

I came across this caricature of the King of Bling, done by an artist called Bill Casso Okutoi. Check it out.

Kaka Sungura aka Rabbit must have gone through a lot when he was still in his teen years. I guess that is what has made him who he is right now, one of the biggest rappers in Kenya.

In one of Rabbit’s biggest songs, ‘yestredays’, he raps about his childhood life, friends and his ex-girlfriend. The song is really deep and covers a huge part of Rabbit’s life. What caught my ear in this song was the part where Rabbit raps about how he got stabbed by a fellow student in Eastleigh High School.

At first, I just thought that this was one of those stories that rappers tell in their song to entertain listeners but as it turns out, this story is actually true. Every bit of it. In-fact, the whole song is based on Rabbit’s true life incidents.

Back when he was still in Eastleigh High School, Rabbit’s close friend ran into trouble with one of the school bullies and a fight broke out. Rabbit could not just stand there and did what any real friend would do. He jumped in and overpowered the bully who then walked away dishing out threats of revenge. Minutes later, the dude shows up wielding a knife and before they knew what to do, the knife was deep into Rabbit’s back.

He was later rushed to hospital and everything ended up well. What’s more shocking about this is the fact that Rabbit’s family never knew of this terrifying incident up until he revealed it in a song. Pretty messed up, huh?

Check out the whole interview with Ghafla below.

Man Wazimu has been in the industry for over a decade. His has a single that went viral online. He has also received distinctions from music bodies and radio stations in the U.K. So, it is understandable why he would be upset at Kriss Darlin, who apparently in an interview with KTN’s Str8 Up last week, said that there are no reggae artistes in Kenya.

Man Wazimu reached Ghafla! by phone in a statement against the celebrated Kenyan reggae DJ. Below is a transcript of the statement.

“He has to know that we are reggae artistes and if he chooses not to work with us, he has no reason to dismiss us. He should respect our place the way we respect his place. After all, he is just a selector. And there is no award he has ever won. The only major event he has ever been invited to globally–the only events he ever goes to are Kenyan events, which are done anywhere with 200, 300, maximum 500 persons. He is not recognized from the international board. So, he is speaking for a person like me and claiming that in the entire of Kenya there are no reggae artistes, with the amount of effort I have put, the recognition I’ve got this far, not only in Kenya, but in places I have never set foot like London or the rest of the globe. I get to wonder, what was he trying to do? Even if it’s promoting his show. We guys have a reason, I’ll say that. People need to respect each other.“

In between the fuming, we asked him if he has ever attempted sending his tracks to Kriss Darlin. “I’ve sent music to him via email but I don’t think he ever played any.” Now all we can do is wait and see what Kriss Darlin has to say about this. 

Ever since Rabbit blew up in the mainstream media, we have always been curious of his name origins. Calling yourself a rabbit has to have a pretty good reason and as it turns out, he does have one.

We recently managed to get Kaka Sungura for an exclusive interview and got to know a lot about this poetic rapper. First thing’s first, we had to know more about his name and how in the world he ended up with it.

“Having been raised in Eastlands, when I was a little boy I used to sell rabbits. All the guys in the hood called me Sunguch (slang for Rabbit),” Rabbit told Ghafla passionately.

But that was not the only reason that got him the name. Rabbit has always been a clever/smart guy, since he was a kid and that has never changed, according to his childhood friends. He always found a way to get passed hurdles and get by. As the folk tales say, the rabbit has always been a very clever animal. This is how he eventually got stuck with the name.

Check out the interview below.

Do you remember Refigah, the Kenyan artiste who put a Ugandan touch in his music and was active in the mid-2000s? In case you were wondering, the musician has not given up on music. In fact, he is more involved in the industry than you might think.

You might mostly remember him for his tracks, Kadumala, Bana Kampala and Binti Maryamu among others. Refigah is back in the music scene as a producer. If you have listened to DNA’s comeback track, Maswali Ya Polisi or Ng’ang’alito’s Solo, then you have listened to his work as a producer.

Refigah is a multi-tasker. Besides being a music producer, he is also a creative director and artiste promoter at music label, Grandpa Records. He is also the event organizer behind Sudan Nite, Grandpa Nite and the annual Grand Nubian Cultural Nite and many more.

Artistes of note who have worked with Grandpa Records are Chameleone, J.I., Kenrazy, Mr. Blu, Nazizi, Prof. Jay and Wyre. The upcoming musicians who he has taken under his wing include Bucha Man, K-Denk, Masallah and Tiera Gee. With such artistes in the stable, Grandpa Records might just be the next big recording studio.

One of the youngest aspirants for the upcoming general elections, Influxx Swagga, has bowed out of the parliamentary race for the Mwingi Central parliamentary seat. The musician, model, actor and writer has dropped out of the race in favour of a countrywide peace mission.

The announcement came as a big blow to us here at Ghafla! as he had told us about his political ambitions in a recent interview. The members of  Mwingi Central were more vocal about the development.

One distraught supporter could not hide his disappointment, “check lakini we were 100 % assured dat utapenya n utusaidi saa umetulost kabisa watu wa mingi.” Some still supported his new venture, “WE NEED SUCH PEOPLE TO BE OUR LEADERS IN OUR CONSTITUENCY, A PERSON WHO CAN PREACH PEACE TO THE NATIONALS“

In response to one of the commenters, he said “I think I better stay the national icon I am…. I will have more impact. A thought of mind from my strategists…“

Justifying his decision, Influxx Swagga, talked about why he wants to go round the country talking to youth instead of vying for the parliamentary position. “They just need someone they trust to tell them that their vote can make more impact than their pangas and spreading love brings more blessings than spreading hatred.” Word!

 Michael Gitau thrilled fans at the TPF5 finals when he came up to the stage to perform. The hall was filled with applause and laughter, maybe for all the wrong reasons, but eventually, it was indeed an ‘entertaining’ performance. Even judge Ian Mbugua enjoyed himself silly.

Being Kenya’s Michael Jackson, Michael Gitau had a lot to prove. Check out the performance below, just in-case you missed it.

Kenyan afro-soul superstars, Sauti Sol, have released a video for their single, Slow. The track features South African artiste and producer, Spoek Mathambo. The video features Sepp den Hollander and Noora Hannula.

Most of the video features the two dancers seducing each other artistically applying some modern dancing to their actions. The female in the video is reluctant to pay attention to the guy’s advances. The video is all black and white and was shot in slow motion.

At some point, it almost looks like Sauti Sol would not show up in the video, but they make a special appearance somewhere in the middle. The video was shot during their recent European tour where they had gone to promote their self-titled EP and shoot a couple of videos for tracks off it. Will the chick ingia the guy’s box? Check out Sauti Sol and Spoek Mathambo’s Slow and find out.
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1. The ten rave commandments have been written. Get to understand them right here.

2. Could it be true that prezzo and Jaguar have finally squashed their beef?

3. If you ever had any doubts about Miss Karun’s talent, you better check this out.

4. This DJ’s daughter just got herself into music too.

5. Missed the Tarrus Riley and Etana concert? Here is the photo gallery.

6. Channel O’s Basement will now be rocked by Kenya’s hottest DJs.

7. Does anyone know where these guys disappeared to?

8. The innovation here is pretty awesome. Could this be Kenya’s David Guetta?

9. Between Uptown reveller and ‘Safara’ revellers, who do you think has the best time raving?

10. The men have now been challenged by this lady, saying, “niingize box.”

One FM has been trying to shake things up recently. One of the big moves they made was to bring in a superstar presenter in the form of Nonini. He’s now heading their breakfast show, and he wants to bring something fresh to the programme.

Nonini’s starting a segment on One Breakfast in the morning between 7am and 8am called ‘One Love’ where he gets a celebrity to come and answer questions from fans; basically connecting a fan to a celeb!

“If you are having any relationship issues, questions you need to ask, simply send them to Nonini@1fm.co.ke and every week between 7am-8am and I will have a celebrity guest on the One Breakfast akuje kusolve mambo yako yote ya ki Genge Love, au sio?” Nons said.

The show will be on from Monday to Friday. Tell us what you think of this progression in the comment section below, or on Facebook and Twitter.

This one right here is a controversial track.

The track is from a lass who is complaining about how “machali wa Nairobi hawana time ya love”. Basically, she is tired of being “chipod” then dumped so now she wants to men to really put in work to woo her.

The controversial part of all this is that she expects the lad wooing her to pay her rent and settle her bills which got all the lads in the office offering their opinions on the track.

The track however is very well done and the instrumentals are on point. The video is beautifully put together which is what you’d expect from an Ogopa video.

Anyway, you listen to the track and tell us what you think.

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“BORN TO SUCCEED, BRED FOR GREATNESS, INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE“

That is how Big David describes himself. He is an upcoming rapper who loves challenges. He always takes on the big hip hop tracks in all of the material he has produced. Most of the music he has done so far has been covers of rappers’ tracks.

He started recording his music last year and the first tracks he did were You Be Killin’ ‘Em by Fabulous and Racks by YC. “I got good reviews on Soundcloud with over 100 plays for those two tracks and currently for Otis and D.O.A. The numbers are rising,” the rapper says about the reception he got after putting the tracks online.

The latest beat he has used is Jay-Z’s instrumental from Death of Autotune. The beat was made by No I.D. and the track includes a sample of Janko Nilovic’s In The Space, inspiration from Steam’s Na Na Hey Kiss Him Goodbye and uses some lines from Kanye West’s Big Brother. Sample Big David’s effort below.

Carrie Kingz is one of the newest rapper/singers on the music scene. The Kenyatta University HR student sings and raps. Her style is diverse, having her key influences ranging from Kesha, Keyshia Cole and Keri Hilson.

Her love for music started at a very tender age, as her father was a DJ in the early ’90s. She also gets part of her name from her father, DJ Kings. She is a multi-talented artist as she is also into acting and modelling. Before she got into doing her own music, under the ATL Entertainment umbrella, she did her share of video vixening. However, the cameras and the lights were not what her heartbeat for.

She has released her first single, 254 Party, and has worked with Gaza, Alfayo and Kenrazy, on Kenyan Anthem, and with newcomers Liqweed and Baby T on another single, Mziki. She looks forward to work on her own album with tracks having no inclination to no particular genre as she raps, sings, and is inspired by all music genres. Check out her first single, 254 Party below.

It would seem Kenyans aren’t afraid of embracing new genres and tactics when it comes to making music.

I just came across this interesting track by a lad called November’s Child who has done a good job of creating a House/ Electro track.

The track titled “Genesis” is a laid back jam with stellar instrumentals and serves as further testimony of the fact that I have been reiterating: the youngins are here to take the crown and they are doing a great job at not just singing or rapping but in production aswell.

Check out the track below:

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Muthoni released her long awaited video at the Prestige’s Star Flix Cinema last weekend. The event dubbed “ A Night of Super Heroes: Drummer Queen Vs Dark Night Rises” was not only the world premiere of the Feelin’ It video, but the rewarding of faithful Muthoni fans for the support and patience.

The fans were treated to a screening of the blockbuster film and last installment of the latest Batman film series, The Dark Knight Rises. Read about the launch here. Check out the video here. And check out the photos by Samuel Githegi below.

Where is this guy?

Remember Juma Tutu? If you don’t then you must be living under a rock! This is arguably one of the best bands Kenya has produced.

If you know just who I’m talking about, then you know his track “Nakupenda Kama Sukari” which had my whole family gyrating and dancing back in 2009 I believe. The track is an up tempo song with Coastal influence that gets even the most uppity and uptight dancing.

Which is why I’m asking the question: Where are they now? These guys did a great job on the single then vanished from the public limelight leaving their fans such as me wondering what happened.

The one thing I want to see from Kenya’s top artists is consistency! I want regular releases of good tracks. This in itself is a challenge to the band to step up to the plate and give us more of the same: good music!

For now, check out the track in question below:

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