Month: February 2014

YouTube has issued an apology to Ringtone for pulling down his ‘Mziki Ni Dawa’ video flagging it to contain pornographic material.

There is hardly any porn content in his video, and his fans can now enjoy it as it has been put back up on YouTube.

The apology comes amid Ringtone claim of sabotage by enemies. In his defense when it emerged that the video had been taken down, Ringtone accused the people of using the report button to have the video taken down on grounds of explicit content.

You can watch the video here.

After Khaligraph came out guns blazing at Number Nane with a bad-ass track that goes by the name ‘I Run 254’ it was clear as day that it was beef season. Well on Khaligraph side as Octopizzo has decided to keep calm and play possum regarding the situation.

Yesterday we ran a poll to find out who really runs the 254 ama ni “kelele tu” .The results are in divas and hustlers, and Octopizzo wins this round but he shouldn’t pop the champagne yet as the race was too close for comfort.

It’s clear that Khaligraph wants to sit on the throne and he is pulling no punches

Kantai disappeared from the entertainment scene and everyone was wondering where he got to. he disappeared for a minute but his back up in it! See, I too can rap if rapping is all about rhyming -which it’s not. Kantai however was one of the best rappers in Kenya’s history.

When he disappeared, the entertainment scene was left orphaned because for a minute, he was the only one holding it down. From thence, there have been rumours and allegations about his slip into poverty and alcoholism.

But he has shed the past and has decided to focus on the future and from all appearances, the Lord is his future. I wonder why Kenyan artists turn to gospel when they make a comeback into the Kenyan entertainment scene. Perhaps a study should be conducted to get to the bottom of the matter.

But what I do know for sure is that his track is titled “Almighty” and was recorded by Mswahili Teddy and I am actually glad to see his team at Halaiki Family have brought this star back to the fore. Check the video out below:

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American film and television actor and film producer, Samuel Leroy Jackson, has criticized the Academy Award nominated film 12 Years A Slave in which Kenyan actress, Lupita Nyong’o made her Hollywood debut.

In an interview in the International Business Times over the weekend, Jackson said that Hollywood, by and large, still avoids dealing with racism and that 12 Years A Slave is a perfect example of that.

According to Jackson, the only reason why the film got made was because director Steve McQueen is British and not African-American, implying, I assume, that his take on slavery would be “safer” in a manner of speaking.

As Jackson said: “I would think that if an African-American director went into a studio and pitched that particular film, they would be like: ‘No, no, no.’ It is a film about African-Americans – a dark period of history that they don’t like to explore in that particular way.“

He further added that: “Look, I’m glad 12 Years got made and it’s wonderful that people are seeing it and there is another view of what happened in America. But I’m not real sure why Steve McQueen wanted to tackle that particular sort of thing.“

Lupita in ’12 Years A Slave’

In America many people have asked why it has taken so long for a film to do justice to the appalling plight of African America’s slave ancestors and why no US film-makers have succeeded before in confronting their country’s shameful past with such unflinching power and historical accuracy. Variety said it was a “disgrace” that, after so long, it has taken “a British director to stare the issue in its face”.

Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Django Unchained’

I am tired of Kenya’s entertainment scene being all about marshmallows and rainbows! It’s time for a Ghafla List to end all speculation about who the hottest rappers are. This isn’t about looking for favours and trying to ingratiate myself to ingrates and rappers. This is about good music.

And which rappers in recent memory have been delivering that fire? No, Not Bamboo. We are still waiting on him to drop his musical offering -with alot of anticipation might I add. Not Abbas either. Definitely not P-Unit. They aren’t rappers, they are entertainers.

And for starters, no women made it on this list. Why? Xtatic’s stuff is old and so is STL’s. I would have added them here without hesitation if they had current stuff. The rest of you female rappers screech and squeak and yelp. Only these two are true rappers who can hold their own anywhere in Africa!

Now for the list:

#5. Kristoff

This was a tricky one. Kristoff took Jay A’s place. Why? Because of the “Dumbala Remix”. Grand Pa records aren’t a hiphop outfit. Kristoff however makes the list after holding his own -albeit barely when he featured Khaligraph Jones. Kristoff has also been bringing the heat of late and I hope he can keep it up or forever be relegated to the “never mind” category.

#4. Octopizzo

The lad has mad talent and no one is begrudging him that. He is literally a head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to rapping but off late, he has mellowed down and decided to do more adlibs than punchlines. He needs to get back to the era of “Make that mulla, buy that ndula!”, hapana “I got 8 balls o-o!”

#3. Kaka Sungura a.k.a Rabbit

His brand of hiphop is laid back but no one will contest the fact that he is an ill MC who spits that serious fire! He has punchlines for days and this is one of the only rappers in Kenya who remains lyrical but somehow manages to appeal to fans -i have been at his concerts and Kenyans actually sing along with him.

#2. Khaligraph Jones

Khaligraph Jones is hungry. He wants the crown and by jove he will get there. He isn’t playing games when he declares himself as the head honcho of Kenyan rap! And no one has the stones to challenge his claim! I doubt anyone will; save for Octo who has considerable pressure on his shoulders to respond with some hot reply of his own.

#1.  Juliani

This was very contentious. The team doesn’t feel he should be here. They think he transcends rap. I feel differently. Kenya doesn’t have a gospel rapper worthy of this list but they save face for #TeamJesus with Juliani carrying the flag up high.

Now tell your favourite rappers they didn’t make the cut!

The godfather of Gospel and a producer-cum singer, the husky-voiced gospel sensational, Rufftone is a family guy. However, the towering contemporary Gospel legend has always kept his private (love) life under wraps.

Unknown to many of his fans, the Mungu Baba hit-maker is engaged to fellow Gospel singer, Krystal and are said to be planning a wedding sometime this year. But before Rufftone walks the beautiful down the aisle, meet his enchanting flame;

Photos: Krystal & Glorious Photography

Hot on the heels of Lady S aka Sharon Wangwe’s death, Kenyans suffered yet another great loss, the death of Angela Chibalonza.

Chibalonza left her home country DRC in 1992 for the 254 as she felt it was a great career move .This was a wise decision on her part as her musical career flourished not only in Kenya but also her home country Congo and opther parts of Africa such as South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Her allure was because she was not only a talented singer but also vcersatile as she could belt out lyrics in Kiswahili,Luganda and sometimes french and Angela Chibalonza was known for songs such as “Jina La Yesu” Ninatamani”, “Nitampa nini”, “Yahwee Uhimidiwe” and Ebenezer which are still receiving massive airplay seven years after her death.

Her flourishing career was however cut short by a fatal road accident when a car she was travelling in rammed into a lorry on the infamous Nairobi-Nakuru highway. Her death came after a gospel concert in Egerton University where a large number of students gave their life to Christ. Her death came just days before she launched her new album “Nimekutana na Yesu”

Angela left behind her husband of four years then, Elisha Muliri,and a 9-month old baby who should be 7 this year and to sons.

Angela Bishop Raha and her ex husband Apostle Elisha with the young baby Wonder

Baby Wonder

Angela’s other sons Prince and Sam

Angela was truly a great musician and her legacy still lives one almost a decade after her death. She was truly one of the greats.

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Additional Reporting by Voice Of America

Photos-Gospel Kitaa

 Just when you thought the Lakeside is done and dusted, this will definitely hit you like a wrecking ball.

Poppa Don, one of 254’s most recent rap protégés is here! He raps phenomenally in Dholuo, English & Swahili. The style he’s running with was pioneered by Gidi Gidi and Maji Maji who were, during their time, the yardstick of ‘Luo lyricism’. After listen to his tracks I must admit that Poppa Don is multi-talented and I dare say that there is no one who can rap in Dholuo quite like he does in this ‘twenty-teen’ era. 

Seeking to cut a Niche’ for his brand, he approaches the capable expertise of Ulopa Ngoma, who late last year produced this disco bomb called Katidagi Katiyie, which is translates to Hate it or Love it/Upende Usipende.

The track is on mad rotation in Kisumu, though the public is still not aware of the man behind the wave.

Prior to this, he recorded a mixtape called “The GreyHound 1” dubbed “the manifesto” which he has now repackaged for tours and performances he plans to engage in this year as well as the release of his second Mixtape “Grey Hound 2.0” dubbed “Shortcut to Distinction” to be released April this year. 

For now here’s Katidagi Katiyie;

There are always those men that seem to do absolutely nothing, but still manage to have women gravitate towards them like a moth to a flame. Prezzo is such a man. Women flock to him like birds on a large order of Sunford’s fries left on an unattended table outdoors.

Prezzo always has chic friends, and as soon as one girlfriend is history, another woman magically appears to fill the void, no wonder he’s earned the moniker ‘Mswati’. One of these days we’ll even lose count of the number of chics he’s been with. But that’s Prezzo for you; he’s proud of his ‘achievements’ and usually doesn’t like speaking a lot about his love life, especially those that went awry.

Recently, outspoken Capital FM host, Cess Mutungi admitted that she misses the old Prezzo. Baring her soul on Twitter, the ‘Chairlady Nairobi Citi Titti Comitti’ tweeted, “The PREZZO I miss!” and uploaded an old photo of his ‘rapcellency’.

The PREZZO I miss! pic.twitter.com/1gQqjVYty7

— Cess Mutungi (@ChairladyNCTC) January 24, 2014

So, what exactly is Cess missing?

There’s something about our beautiful country that always seem to catch the attention of international superstars. This morning, Chim told you that Smiley Miley AKA Miley Cyrus has declared that she would really love to come to Kenya.

And she’s not the only one. I just stumbled upon a photo of Chris Brown rocking a hoodie from his clothing line, Black Pyramid International, stamped with a Kenyan flag. In fact Kenyan is the ONLY African country recognized by Breezy’s clothing line.

Take a look;

Brown launched the fashion line in November 2012, and explained that the black pyramid label is basically an unknown art but his painting, designs, whatever he does fashion-wise is unknown to a lot of people.

Khaligraph Jones tore at Octopizzo in what I believe was the hottest diss track we have seen in years! The only way to describe Khaligraph Jones at the moment is “Kendrick Lamar. Granted, Kendrick went at everyone and Khaligraph only went at Octo but the diss track was too many levels of niceness!

In my not so humble opinion, most Kenyan diss tracks are garbage. they always involve too many fools shout “F*ck this, F*ck that” and I am tired of that cowardly way of releasing diss tracks. But Khaligraph Jones has come along and he has injected some new verve into the Kenyan hiphop scene.

I was blown away by the diss track called “We Run 254” and I was amazed that kenya’s cowardly rappers didn’t take shots at Khaligraph Jones for demanding the crown so boldly! It just goes to show you that the rappers from yesteryear were men, the rappers of today are mainly boys!

Back in the day, Collo called himself “King wa Rap” and everyone went for his head. Today, Khaligraph Jones says he rund Nairobi and everyone sits on their hands. COWARDS!

Anyway, is it a wonder that Khaligraph Jones has won over Octopizzo’s own boys? Is it a wonder that people want to stand with the winner? With the warrior? Check out Octopizzo’s boys’ reaction to Khaligraph Jones’ diss:

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After a dramatic ‘break up’ that played out to all and sundry in public (read Instagram), Kenya’s bad boy, Prezzo and his Tanzanian chic, Chagga Barbie AKA Stella seem to have kissed and made up. Earlier in the week, Chagga Barbie posted an old photo of herself with the Kenyan bad boy during their happier days.

If the caption on the photo is anything to go by, then the good old happy days are back.

“Let De Movie Continue #MapenziniUpofu #HakunaNgechuBilaChaggabarbie #MunguAnajuaKwanini #SihitajiyeyoteZaidiYake #NawaombaMtuombee #HakunaMahusianoRahisiDuniani #NimeaminiUkimpendamtuhataitokeeniniHuwezikuukimbiaMoyo”, Chagga Barbie bragged.

(Love is blind. There’s no Ngechu without Chagga Barbie. God knows why I don’t need anyone else but him. I ask that you pray for us, there isn’t an easy relationship in the world. I believe when you love someone no matter what happens you can’t run away from your heart.)

However, Prezzo is yet to break his silence on this latest development and if it’s true he’s back wit Stella it only goes to show he took no notice of Huddah’s ‘advances’.

Meanwhile, Prezzo’s last tweet still reads, “”President” is like a drug (highly addictive) he’s the best up until the drugs runs out, withdrawal symptoms can be seen from miles! #Mswati”

A prophecy coming true?

Miley Cyrus is one of the most controversial and talked about stars out in the galaxy right now. She is the ultimate illustration of the adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity -a lesson Kenyans would do well to learn. Not the half-assed flirtation with controversy then they beat a hasty retreat when things get thick.

In an interview I came across, Miley Cyrus was asked about her brand, the way she dresses and all that rot. Bothersome questions aside, let us simply cut to the chase; she said she wants to come to Kenya. Let me post an excerpt of her interview:

How sad and small Miley Cyrus’ life really is:

“I never leave the house,” Cyrus explains. “Why go to a movie? I’ve got a huge-ass TV. We’ve got a chef here that can make you great food. We don’t need to leave. I would just rather be here where I’m completely locked in.”
…In the garage are Cyrus’s motorcycle, a white Mercedes S class, a Porsche, and a Maserati—but with the paparazzi outside, Cyrus says, exits require planning.
She betrays a note of yearning when I mention I’m about to depart for an assignment in Kenya.
“I want to go to Kenya,” she says.
I tell her to come: “No joke. You could do it.”
“Kenya’s my dream,” she says. “Kenya is my total dream. I wish I wasn’t going to be in Minneapolis next week, I wish I could be in Kenya.”