5 Interesting Things You Didn’t Know About Rabbit

Rabbit’s hard work over the past year has paid off with Kisima nominations for his Swahili Shakespeare video and Artiste of the Year, where he stands a chance to win Kshs. 2 million. Below is a list of five things you might not have known about the poet rapper.

1. Music Wasn’t His First Choice
Rabbit was a graphic designer at DJ Loop’s Sneed Entertainement before they noticed he could rap. As Chiwawa says in Rabbit’s Orutu Ya Masudidocumentary, during a freestyle session, he chided him “Kama lines ni zako, ingia kwa booth” after a freestyle session where Rabbit showed promise.

2. First Song Was Never Meant to be Released
In his very first song, he brought a new urban catchphrase, “niko kwa jam, na-come.” What you might not know is that the song was done as a joke in the studio and he did not have plans on releasing it. He only decided on becoming a serious music artiste after the success of the track.

3. Another Famous Artiste Gave Him His Nickname
Harry Kimani might have contributed to him sticking to his Kaka Sungura moniker. He was already called Rabbit as a child because he used to sell rabbits when he was really young. But it’s Harry Kimani who told him he is more of a storyteller than an musician, and so he stuck with (the tales of) Kaka Sungura.

4. He is Also a Philanthropist
In 2010, Rabbit launched an organization called Dreams Campaign which focuses on child molestation, gender violence, fighting for the African child’s rights and helping the youth realize their dreams. The campaign has launched several football clinics and programs in children’s homes in the city.

5. He Holds a Kenyan Record
A Rabbit video holds the admirable distinction of attracting the most eyeballs in Kenyan history. Nope, it’s not Just-A-Band’s Ha-He or Kidum and Juliana’s Haturudi Nyuma. Rabbit’s collaboration with Lonely Island’s Jorma has 1,359,000 views on YouTube as of today.