Month: January 2014

Founded in in the late 1990s, Ogopa Deejays gained regional fame and popularity due to standards of their production work and for being the pioneer producer of contemporary music in Kenya. However, after a decade in operations, it seems all is not well at the well-known record label.

For the better part of last week and the weekend there have been rumours that Ogopa’s house was in a mess and that it would be long before the ground gives way. Monday, according to an insider at Ogopa and sought anonymity over the sensitivity of the matter, intimated that the head honcho and Creative Director, Lucas Bikedo, had terminated contracts of leading singers under the label.

The source added that the affected singers include the likes of Avril, Marya, Moustapha and Kenzo who were booted out of the South B based production house.

Asked why Lucas had reached this career-killing and uninformed decision, the source reveals that the usually calm and collected Lucas decided to become a b!tch after previous reports that artistes were bad-mouthing the label over unfinished projects than were taking longer than anticipated to hit the airwaves among other nasty things he declined to divulge fearing victimization as they could be directly linked to them.

The matter seems to have given Lucas, who rarely show his face in public nor agrees to have his photos taken or published by Kenyan media, sleepless nights and pushed him to the wall giving him no other option than to do away with the black sheep.

Seeing how grave this matter was we reached out to Lucas. After trying to call him severally for the better part of Monday, his phone went unanswered and at some point was even switched off. Unrelenting, we tried calling yet again this morning but none of that yielded any positive results and it was now pretty clear that he wasn’t ready to talk to us.

However, for purposes of right of reply we decided to call artistes who had allegedly been unceremoniously kicked out of the record label without a word from anyone from the production team.

Speaking to Avril this morning, she seemed shocked and revealed that she had no idea that her contract had been terminated.

“You know you’re the second person calling me about this. The truth is that I have no idea because I was actually I haven’t been around, I just came back on Sunday so I want to go find out what’s going on,” said a disenchanted Avril, “…I had projects in the pipeline with Boomba Boys and so…let me go find out.”

The next artist we spoke to was the Colonel himself, Mustapha. According to Mustapha, he’s already aware about the truth of the matter and he’s yet to digest it considering he, like Avril, had major projects that he was just about to release and is currently at a loss about his next move.

“Nilikua tayari niko na programme ya kurelease ngoma lakini sasa haya mambo yanachanganya sana”

Asked how he came to know of his contract termination Mustapha says, “I got the news from the management. Tuliongea tu vizuri lakini akaniambia hakupenda vitu fulani fulani. Kuna story, I think, zilipublishiwa kwa gazeti na hii ndo imeleta issue yote. Zilikua zinasema kuwa kuna artists wanapewa favouritism ju ya wengine, so hii ndio imesababisha wao kudecide hivo.”

On his part, Kenzo says his contract wasn’t cut short; instead it had already run out like 2 months ago and is currently a free agent. However, he admits to receiving a certain email that had been circulated by the management telling artists that they will no longer be part of Ogopa Deejays starting Monday 28^th January.

According to Kenzo, this move was a result of a story published in the Pulse magazine last Friday alleging that Ogopa is closing shop and that the story had been given out to Pulse guys by dissident artists who are not loyal to record stable.

“After that, the management decided to do away with all the artists…to clean up,” reveals Kenzo.

Asked about his next move Kenzo laments that it is unfortunate that the action comes in January, the toughest time of the year and only goes to worsen matters. He also complains that management shouldn’t have exacted its full wrath on everyone.

“Haingekuwa poa ma-artist kuumia ju ya wengine lakini ishappen,” laments Kenzo adding, “I’ll think about my career and maybe join another record label with time.”

When we sought to find out if he would mind going back to Ogopa, the “Mama Milka” singer has no qualms about heading backing considering they are the ones who discovered him.

And finally was Marya also caught unawares?

Well, Marya too like Mustapha and Kenzo, was called about the unfortunate news.

“I don’t even know where to start, am so shocked considering I have recordings and what-not. I’ve been recording my videos…am even confused!” bemoans Marya.

She adds that she was called by one of the producers to inform her about the contracts’ cancellation henceforth.

Marya divulges that she’s headed to Ogopa this afternoon to find out what’s really cutting and promised to get back to us after meeting with the managers at the stable.

As they say, “if it bleeds, it leads and it leaks”. For now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.

Keep it Ghafla! for more about the drama at Ogopa Deejays as it unfolds.

Just what is a clothing line? I ask this question because there is a slew of Kenyan celebrities and enterprenuers who have gone all out with t-shirts branded with their faces and names and punchlines and they then push them as clothing lines. I have always been of the opinion that this is a very lazy way of doing things.

If we are to accept that Kenyan celebrities have clothing lines, we are basically accepting that political parties have a flourishing clothing line empire. Think about it. TNA has sold hundreds of thousands if not millions of shirts and hats and indeed, trousers aswell.
I am tired of reading about another Kenyan celebrity launching a “clothing line” that looks more at home on a “freebies couture connoisseur” than on a serious hipster or fashion killer.
Printing you image on a shirt doesn’t make you a fashion enterpreneur. That is simply branding. I don’t care how many colours they come in nor the cost. You’re merely branding.
A clothing line should consist of more than one article of clothing. Your all tshirts fashion line is just branding.
If you’re going to go in on the fashion line hustle, take it seriously and study the moves of others who did it before you and did so successfully. Look to Jay Z, Diddy and locally look to learn from bONK!

Another thing I have to talk about is quality. The reason I do not like freebies in form of “gifts” is that they are cheap. I pride myself in being a Luhya and as such I have to always look sharp. I cannot come out looking sloppy. And trust that my understanding of sloppy is your understanding of spiffy.
I hate wearing shirts that start fading after a wash or two. Those shirts that hang off my back like a reverse tumbo-cut do not a clothing line make!
Step up that game the same way the music video hustle evolved!

The music industry has very few envy-inducing sexy musical power couples.

After Marya and Mustapha we were left with only Wahu and Nameless as the power couple but the dynamic duo could soon be knocked off their pedestal, by the youngest power couple Tiri and Kus-Ma/Kcous of Camp Mullah.

Apart from dating, the two are also making beautiful music together. Kusma Is the one that produced Tiri’s first Single Mash-Up that that has been sending people straight to the dance floor.

Checkout the video to Mash-Up here:

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When Kaytrixx intimated that he was going to be doing things differently this year, I didn’t know just how far out of the box he was thinking. And then he released a song and that blew everyone’s mind away.

But now, it would seem he is scheming up some new sort of plot to keep you in the palm of his musical hands. He was taking an afternoon drink with Jaguar and one half of Wadosi.

they seem to be coyly planning to tighten their grip on the Kenyan entertainment scene and if I were an artist I would be scared seeing as you have the biggest artist in Kenya teaming up with the best DJ in Kenya. Check them out below:

Mdundo is a platform that allows you to download your favourite Kenyan jams and the best part is that it is cheaper than pirating music. Every week they compile a list of the ten most downloaded songs which is a very good representation of which songs are hot and which songs aren’t.

You can check out the full list of the ten most downloaded songs in the country from the week past:

6. Quality Ka Hizo feat. Pizo Dizo – Mejja (Calif Records)
7. Uko Tu Sawa – Rabbit Kaka Sungura
8. Tosheka – MOG
9. Machozi – Bahati
10. Ni Mapenzi Tu feat. Rabbit – Kanana

HOT SONG OF THE W EEK: Lingala Ya Yesu – Pitson

(MOVED UP / MOVED DOWN)

Risper Faith’s once spick and span reputation is spiraling down at an alarming rate. Turns out the graceful socialite just like most of us has a few skeletons in the closet, but her skeletons have all unfortunately been laid out for all and sundry.

After beating the living daylights out of Ala C of the Working Class hit after he refused to pay up after she made appearance in his Video “Kula Na Macho” the voluptuous vixen was yesterday accused of jacking a phone.

She allegedly decided to take selfies with her new found gem. After the whole phone Fiasco, Risper Faith is on the news again, this time she is not exchanging blows with Ala-C but exchanging words.

Here is how the tiff went down:

lady risper ‏@LadyRisper @AlaCgenge so u think u know how to sing….huh jst try something else like teaching

Ala-C IamRnBGenge ‏@AlaCgenge @LadyRisper look who is talking, desparation itakuua msichana lady risper

‏@LadyRisper @AlaCgenge u jst a broke ass

Ala-C IamRnBGenge ‏@AlaCgenge whats ua problem wewe “@LadyRisper: @AlaCgenge pretender “

When it comes to comebacks, Mercy Myra is the comeback queen. After 7 years away from music Mercy Myra was back like she never left, big concerts, hot singles and performances alongside Afro-Fusion queen Carol Atemi, it is clear that Kenya loved and still loves Mercy.

The sexy chocolate and lithe daughter from the Nile came back not only with anew hit but also a very gorgeous daughter, a daughter she had with Rapper Attitude. Here is her daughter Taylin

Mercy debuted into the music industry in 1994 when she joined the famous Kalabash Band. After a four year stint she quit the group and tried something that had not been tried before, she went solo musically in a world where women rarely went solo. If a woman performed she had to perform in a band. After three years of struggling and hoping for her big break, her time to shine finally came and she released her first single in 2001 called Sitaki.It was  followed by her first album Taba Samu.She later released her second album Nyisri Malong’o in 2003 and as they say the rest is history!

Top of the morning earthlings! Great morning it is, aye? Plus NJAAnuary is finally coming to a grinding halt after its gruelling 90 days. On that happy note, here’s what you may want to know as you start your day;

#1 Ghafla! Exclusive: ‘Tujuane’ Girl Comes Out as Gay. Reveals Girlfriend (PHOTOS)

#2 Gloria Muliro Stops Willy Paul From Killing Himself. Check out this video

#3 New revelation: The Crazy Stuff 1FM Presenters Do in Studio

#4 Shame As Risper Faith Accused Of Stealing A Hot Phone And We Have The Evidence

#5 Check Out The Enormous House Emmy Kosgei And Anelm Madubuko Call Home (PHOTOS)

#6 Earn Ksh 10-50,000 MPESA Weekly. Online Jobs For the Youth. Kenyan Facebook Launched.

#7 GHAFLA EXCLUSIVE: Easy FM Set To Close Down. Find Out What That’s About

#8 Kibunja Of Tahidi High Gets Married. Check out the blissful moment

#9 Wyre, Dj Joe Mfalme & Kriss Darling Shut Down Las Vegas. Take a look

#10 And finally, CEO of Leading Media Outlet Names & Shames His Friends on His Facebook Wall Who Owe Him Cash

Bonoko’s story is the stuff that makes Oscar Award winning biopics. The lad was a street urchin in Ngara, an area known to be particularly tough what with all the thieves, vagabonds, running skirmishes between city council askaris and prostitutes.

He was interviewed as an interview by Capital FM and we all laughed at his accent and how he struggled to articulate himself -understandable because he was high on glue- and a song was even made with his statement about the shooting that had occurred.

As we were all laughing Mbusii-deh heard the voice of a “sufferer”. Someone who could represent the streets in it’s most grittiest. He became an instant star and the pair went on to conquer the airwaves.

That was then. Now, he has taken to Facebook to introduce his sweetheart. And what’s more, they are kissing. And what’s even deeper other than the tongues is that they are French kissing. Check them out below:

It’s quite widespread seeing an artist hitting out at a fellow singer but then, it’s a whole different game when an up and coming artiste decides to hit out at everyone in showbiz. It takes guts.

In August 2013, rapper Kendrick Lamar set the internet abuzz with his verse in Big Sean’s unreleased album, Hall of Fame (HOF) and no, it’s not because of Big Sean. In his extended verse, “Control (HOF)”, Lamar took the opportunity to “call out” some of his closest industry friends likes Drake, Meek Mill, Mac Miller, A$AP Rocky and more.

Although the verse was viewed as a catalyst for some nasty beef, many of the artists he called came out showing support for the message and took it as a compliment; the likes of Pusha T and Diddy. However, it later turned out that Lamar was simply calling out to his friendly competition and telling them he’s not far behind them; infact, he was already–if not, almost there.

Even Meek Mill had something to say about the highly controversial verse strongly refuting that Lamar was trying to any of them because they know each other personally.

Back home, last week the industry was thrown into a spin after an upcoming dancehall singer who has adopted the Jamaican way of doing music took shots at the industry heavyweights among them reputable radio hosts and deejays.

An acrimonious Blaqy known for his controversial video, Show Me, made headlines after he took a swipe at the likes of Willy M Tuva, G-Money, DJs Wesley, Pinye and Kalonje. According to Blaqy, the aforementioned acclaimed radio hosts and deejays are “rotten”.

While this may be a brilliant way of getting on the charts fast enough, the move is exceedingly precarious because the scale might tilt either way. While Lamar’s move was hailed, Blaqy’s seems to have left many in the industry gasping for breath and instead reproach has been directed his way.

Some people thought it was fake publicity since Blaqy was tearing down one of his friends and the guy who helped propel him to the limelight – Tuva – until he started making damning allegations against the celebrated radio and TV host that guys realized he was in for the long haul.

Yes, Blaqy made a statement and he got the infamy he wanted but what does that mean to his career as a singer?

Already, some deejays on Twitter were coquettish about touching Blaqy and so was a well-known radio host who personally called and said these words before, “Blaqy has committed a suicide.” Asked to expound, he explained that not a single radio host will want to be associated with him unless as they risked being backstabbed.

In his words, “I really respect Tuva as a pioneer radio host and if anyone has the balls to take shot at him sembuse sisi?” he wonders aloud.

Considering deejays and radio hosts play a central part in pushing an artist, burning bridges with them only spells doom for any artist. You can be sure than even if you next produce a ‘clean’ video with good lyrics and flow, nobody’s gonna touch it…and you know what that means.

Neither am I defending the guys Blaqy hit out at nor do I have anything against him, but truth be told criticism is criticism if only is done the proper way.

#MyTwoCents

They are described as the dynamic duo. In fact they are the only other radio hosts at 1 FM other than DnG & Lulu (we all know the rest are ghost presenters). Their drive show has grown so fast within a short time to become one of the most tuned in to. They are Chito and Naomi (but she writes it as Neomi).

Chito and Naomi are the type of radio talk-show hosts that are absolutely crazy, odd and downright out of control; and that’s what makes them unique; that’s why I listen to them. If they were couple I wonder how their kids would be like.

Anyhow, in-between links, Chito and Naomi’s craziness doesn’t stop. Here’s what they do;

Talk about craziness meeting selfies…

Catch Chito and Naomi every evening on One FM.

What is it that makes videos go viral? It is one of the toughest headaches for emerging artists. Unless you are Jaguar, Willy Paul, Octopizzo, Just-A-Band or Gloria Muliro among other ‘bigwigs’ the prospects of an upcoming artist’s video going viral is next to nil worse if it’s your breakout single. However, one lady has proved otherwise.

Gospel’s latest kid on the block, Shaney Mutave has stunned many after her first ever single became a hit on YouTube. In just 20 days, Shaney’s Kusea (Testify) has reached an incredible 11,500+ views the video channel.

Shaney was born Judy Mutave Mutua and is the latest Afro Gospel act in showbiz. Born and raised in Nairobi, she’s married with two kids.

Before plunging into music, Shaney was a ‘hustler’ like any other Kenyan to make ends meet. She started recording in 2010 with her songs done in Kamba, Swahili and English.

Her vision is that her music will reach out to the entire world with the purpose of changing their life perspective and sync it with a Christian-related walk of life. And so far, the take-off has been smooth and efficacious.

Here’s her viral video;

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