Muthoni DQ,Just A Band,Suzanna Owiyo….How To Be A Successful Kenyan Musician…Without The Help-Or Support-Of Kenyan DJs.

The furor has not died down. No,not yet. And while we are still on that hot Kenyan DJ vs. Kenyan Artist topic,and all the social media bedlam that came with it,Allow me to indulge our dear artistes further…on how to survive…Without support.

We need our DJs…Definitely,we do! Don’t get me wrong on that. We all need DJs…Either as music makers or music consumers…they’re the bridge between the artiste and the music lovers.

They’re the folks who keep us dancing ourselves lame every single weekends…Keeping us up till as late as 4am. Or 6am for the diehards. They’re the fellows who break the newest music to us…And the chaps who provide us with the mixtapes we all play in our delirious house parties…

So,Yes,we DO need the folks. These DJs…No matter how difficult or proud or egocentric they may get. And boy,they DO get too full of themselves.

Now,how does a little,unknown Kenyan artiste,blessed with REAL talent-not the ‘Tunawasha moto’ sort of talent-survive as an artiste in an Industry that must be BRIBED to make them famous or to have their music played??

Breaking even is tough…Having your song on radio is even tougher. Getting a gig? Don’t even think about it. Getting some big name DJ with a bloated ego to play your jam at an outdoor festival? Bro,that’s nearly impossible!

Not before you’ve pampered them,lined their pockets or sucked their d*cks.

So,how do you make it in such a harsh industry?? Full of self-centered folks and capitalistic players?

Simple: YOU DO WITHOUT THEM.

Hard,I know. But possible.

Look at Muthoni Drummer Queen….When is the last time a Muthoni Drummer Queen jam came on in a Club? When is the last time you heard the DJ put a Muthoni DQ song on rotation? When is the last time you saw fans jam the ‘hallowed’ DJ booth to request for a Muthoni DQ jam?

Ever heard a Muthoni DQ jam at a house party? Or any party for that matter? Ummmm,Nope.

But is Muthoni a successful Kenyan singer? Hell yeah!

Look at Suzanna Owiyo,the globe-trotting,Obama-meeting,Oprah-befriending Queen of Nyanza. Ever heard her stuff blaring from a gigantic Club speaker? Never. Ever seen folks loose themselves on the dance floor over a Suzanne Owiyo song? No No.

But isn’t that sister quite the winner? Scooping awards and performing on almost ALL festivals across the f*cking World!??! Yup,even getting invited to perform at Oslo at the grand Nobel Ceremonies?

All that without a single DJ support.

Just A Band. One of Kenya’s most successful Musical bands…With hordes of diehard fans both locally and abroad…Man,aren’t these boys winning? All across the World?

Just A Band

TOP: Muthoni DQ

Winning awards,being on documentaries, giving TED talks and trotting the globe! All that without a single Club hit. Or massive DJ support.

And there are many more…Many who,tired of having to suck up to a DJ,or having to be bossed around and asked to fork out something, decided that,ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,I am gifted,anyway! I am doing this…On my own! So help me God!

And sure,they did it!

So,how do YOU,Little Kenyan artiste,make it against all odds…Be successful and rise to the very top…Without any freaking DJ ‘support’??

Well,Here’s How.

FIND YOUR VOICE.

Don’t go with the flow. Find your own voice…Own style. Own vibe. And rock with it. Sound as you wish…write what you wish. And sing what you wish. Don’t be pressured to include a random ‘moto’ or ‘fire’ or ‘mamanzi’ in your song like any other Kenyan artiste. Don’t try too much to appeal to the masses. Appeal to yourself first. Don’t rush after the guy currently topping the charts. Rush after yourself. And only yourself. Get your own sound. And run with it. And however long it takes before they get it,Don’t abandon it. Still,stick to it. Soon,they’ll catch up. And need your sound more. And more. And more. Muthoni DQ did exactly this!

CREATE YOUR GENRE

Forget the bubblegum pop bullshit currently bombarding our radios. Forget the Genges and the Kapukas and any other teenage-oriented genres that most of our superstars are famous for. It has worked for them…It may not work for you. So,BOY,GET YOUR OWN GENRE. Go ahead! Create it! Yes,I know it’s not simple but for God’s sake,create it! Come up with something…Something we’ve never heard. Or imagined. Invent a genre. Invent your style. Call it anything. Be Bob Dylan,John Lennon…Be Madonna. Be Lady Gaga. Create a genre. And draw us to it…If it’s fresh and bubbly,trust me,we’ll be hooked . And you’ll be a trailblazer. Like James Brown. Or Sam Cooke. Or Little Richard. Or Funk Master Flex. Or Jill Scott-Herron.

FIND YOUR OWN AUDIENCE

Grow your audience. Leave the mass audience. It’s intoxicated,anyway. With bad music,lame catchy choruses and limited music. Go out there and find your own little clique of people that love what you do. Don’t strive to win the whole of Nairobi…No,just win your own little crowd. They could be ten. Or twenty. Or fifty people. Win them. Feed them. Entertain them. Yes,few as they are…they are yours. Your little crowd of fanatics…Grow them little by little…Expand your audience and end up like Just A Band. Year by year…Grow your little audience. You’ll be their father. And they’ll be your little kids. They’ll never leave You.  Trust me.

Lady Gaga

SOCIAL MEDIA

Before taking your CD to the DJ,or the Radio Station,many of which are run by cartels and ill-motivated unscrupulous folk,take your CD to Social Media. Feed your little social media crowd with your art…Day by day…Month by month. Djs will turn you away. Radio stations will cold you out. Forget them…Just record your little interesting stuff…And take it to the little family on Social Media…They will grow. And grow. And grow. They will share your stuff by the thousands. And they will suggest you to their many circles and friends. Be organic. Let yourself grow…Dy after day. Mention after mention. That’s how Justin Bieber came to be. Yes,that’s how Macklemore and Ryan Lewis started. See where they are now.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE ACTUALLY TALENTED

Half of the clowns ruling the airwaves today in Kenya ain’t even gifted…they’re just fortunate kids who’ve had the pleasure of being connected to Industry gods and a couple DJs. Half of the little rats playing in major clubs today didn’t even get there by talent. They’re a bunch of third-grade, baby-fed kids,anyway. They only made it because money talks. And because relatives and friendship talk even more. So,forget them. And ensure that you ACTUALLY are talented. Very talented. And,boy,no one says NO to real talent. Even the Bible says so. DJs will turn your CD away. But not your talent. Ensure you’re totally good at your craft…study the environment,master your voice and be the best singer rapper there ever was…Slowly,You will rise to the top. DJ support or not. Radio airplay or not.

PATIENCE

You can never be a superstar in one day. No,No one ever did that. Even the Michael Jacksons and the Elvis Presleys and the Paul McCartneys took years before they blew up. And became the global superstars they are today.

Take your time…Take your sweet time. Do it day by day. Slowly. Meticulously. And passionately. Don’t speed up the product. Or push too hard. Good things take time. Chill out,boy. Patience,truly,does pay.

START YOUR OWN CONCERTS…EVENTS

Look at Blankets and Wine. Started by a girl who NO ONE knew…And it grew into the Number One musical event in the Country. Muthoni started it..For her and her little crowd. But soon enough,the crowd couldn’t stay little any more. And the stage grew even bigger…Too big for Muthoni alone.

Many others came along…and rocked on…And soon enough,Muthoni not only could she entertain her own little crowd…But also allow so many more neglected super singers to do the same too.

Pick a date,pick a month..set aside some ka-event,promote it to the best of your ability. And even if 12 people show up,play for them. Keep playing until the 12 people swell into a mammoth 12,000 crowd.

Good? Good.

Well,Do that and you’ll NEVER need a DJ in your fabulous life. Or a corrupt Radio guy to push your music.

They’ll need You instead. Trust me,they will. Ask DNA.