CABU GAH DIARIES: SEXUALIZATION. 10 Kenyan Female Entertainers Who Have Refused To Be Sexually Compromised. No Matter What.

Yesterday I did a piece of 6 Kenyan Female Artists who’ve embraced SEXUALIZATION. By that,I meant female artists who’ve infused sexual connotations and their sexual allure into their art. Either by the way they sing,what they sing,music videos,publicity photos,the body parts they wish to show us when the camera rolls or even interviews.

And as I promised,here now is a list of 10 Kenyan female entertainers who’ve said NO to SEXUALIZATION. They’re sexy,they’re beautiful, they’re gorgeous and they’ve got burning hot bodies but still,they’ve refused to sexualize their image,they’ve refused to sensualize their art,they’ve refused to eroticize their music,they’ve refused to sexually stimulate their music videos or studio photos for the sake of showbiz,for the sake of numbers, for the sake of competition and the sake of the corrupt music industry.

And even though they’ve done a couple sexy songs,or worn a couple sexy numbers in their music videos,still,You get to see that they did it BECAUSE they were women. Not because they were sexual objects first. And then musicians second.

Here’s the LIST of the Sexualization Rebels.

They’re Kenyans India.Arie,Adelle,Zahara,Janelle Monae,Jill Scott….Kenya’s Solange Knowles whose sister Beyonce is the embodiment of showbiz sexualization.

1. WAHU
Obviously, Wahu had to top the list. She’s been one of Kenya’s foremost female artistes and boy,the girl is dangerously talented. She blew up after releasing the feminist anthems LIAR,SITISHIKI,KIBOWBOW and other such fast-paced Ogopa Deejay-produced tracks. She espoused the power of a woman. And the independence too. She roared into the industry by bashing errant men and,while doing it,still looking sexy and keeping her Campus boyfriend. Wahu never felt the need to sexualize her music-or image-for the sake of her showbiz status. She simply relied on her power vocals and brilliant song-writing skills to win us over. And she did….much to our (men) chagrin. She was a go-getter from the word go. And her fairytale wedding-and marriage to-singer Nameless totally yanked her off the sexualization radder. Good girl…gone better.

2. AMANI
Amani’s a good singer. But not sooo good. She’s also beautiful. And classy. And very secretive….good for her. Amani started off the same way Wahu did- at Ogopa Deejays doing those fast-paced dancefloor-friendly jams that really took us through the spirituous 2000s. After she did the hugely-popular jam “Papi” in the early 2000s,she followed it up with more hard-hitting jams like “Talk To You“,Bad Boy and Usiwe Mbali. But it’s her 2002 hit Ninanoki featuring Kamonski that really made her blow up. It was a huge hit. Huge huge huge. Amani still remained relevant and active and even though she sang about letting her man hit it in the song “Tonight” she still didn’t over-sexualize her message or dress super provocatively in the subsequent music video to pass her bedroom message across. Amani also has remained fiercely protective of her privacy. And personal space. It has hurt her brand, no doubt. But she seems not to mind. Well…

3. SUZANNA OWIYO
My Lord,there’s NOT an ounce of sexualization in this mama. Not an ounce. She’s straight up business….From beginning to end. She’s sang at the Nobel Ceremony,met Oprah Winfrey and entertained Presidents. All this without ever having to show some flesh. Or flash a thong. Or show some cleavage. One word- Classic.

4. NAZIZI
I must say that I do NOT know what Nazizi is really upto of late. Man,she’s been posting all these crazy,lip-pouting,semi-nude photos of herself of late. Either she’s trying to show up just how amazing she’s starting to look after hitting the gym or she’s desperately trying to hog the limelight and create a buzz for her new projects….as well as fighting for attention from these other new cats in the industry. Still,Nazizi,for the longest time,has parlayed her craft without ever needing to undress. Or look sexy. Or sound so. She actually was the tomboy extraordinaire. And she lived up to that asexual image so well that we were all shocked that a woman like her could actually get married and get a kid. She remained famously asexual. But of late…Girl’s been trying too many things. Desperate.

5. MUTHONI DRUMMER QUEEN
Muthoni’s more of a man than she is a woman. There’s NOTHING sexy in Muthoni DQ. And that’s the point. She’s got a business mind. And a tigerish entrepreneurial spirit. She’s result-oriented. All the time. And has her busy mind on the money. 24/7. With such zeal and famous drive,it’s hard to tell a woman to sit back and do her make-up. Or dress sexy. Or look so. Or sound so. She’s got a man’s image. And a man’s hassle. Can’t knock a girl’s hassle. To hell with sexiness! Utajua Nai Ni Ya Nani…..

(Click Next Page to view the other 5)

6. WANGECHI
She’s the post-teenage genius rapper who encountered the very-publicized car accident late last year. She’s signed to music mogul Kevin Provoke. And after meeting her twice,I concluded one thing; Girl ain’t never compromising her image for nuthin’. Wangechi is another Nazizi. Dangerously talented and still NOT at all concerned on how to look sexy,be sexy or sound so. Damn,Girl doesn’t even have a damn boyfriend! She’s asexual like that. Her rap jams are iller than ill. She’s the Female Kendrick Lamar. But still,You will never see her go the Nicki Minaj way. Her boobies,butt and cleavage will stay hidden. For a loooong,looooong,loooong time. Sad.

7. STL
Hmmmmm…..I actually tend to differ. STL’s image is really sexualized. Or partially so. The amount of flesh she flashes in her music videos,photos and public performances is testament to that. She’s a tricky balancing act…she’s a tomboy. And a surreptitious sexual beast at the same time. She’s confusing really. And most of her song lyrics?? Profane! To say the least.

8. FENA GITU
She’s not thaaaat popular. I am not even a fan of whatever is it she does. Or sings. Or raps. Or whatever. And she dresses like six male drugs peddlers in Lagos,Nigeria. She’s never going to sexualize her image. Or show you some thigh. Never ever. But to be honest,its even better that way. Some people should just sing. And go home.

9. SAGE
Try singing like a goddess and then dressing like an usher. Tough, right? And yet Sage-Rabbit’s baby mama-manages just fine. Sage has the talent of the heavens. She’s a vocal powerhouse. And a dangerously gifted composer and performer. But still,Sage is yet to capitalize on her sexy body and genuine good looks to get ahead in this very competitive industry. She’s content with the little space she occupies. And doesn’t seem to ever want to show us some cleavage to get ahead. Or promote a single. Smart girl. Rabbit must be such a lucky ninja! Aaaarrrgh!

10. LUPITA NYONG’O
We all agree she belongs in the list,right? Especially with that hair and those full princess-esque dresses,she belongs nowhere better. Than here. We hope Hollywood doesn’t corrupt her though….But if the recent photoshoot she did for a French magazine is anything to go by,I am afraid. Very afraid.