They Came, They Saw But Unfortunately They Didn’t Conquer. Top 10 Kenyan Artists That Didn’t Amount To Much(PART 1)

Sustaining oneself in the turbulent hurricanes and storms of the music industry in Kenya and beyond goes beyond just the sweet names, the nice looks and the promising mojo with which one hits the airwaves. In fact, to survive and remain relevant in the industry in Kenya, one needs extra effort, dedication, submission, sometimes omission and deep explanation to the masses.

However, there are those Kenyan artists who came up with vigour and verve, with much promise and dedication, only to come down trampling like building blocks let off from the 20 floor of Times Tower building.

While some died completely from the industry, others who still remain are not just a disappointment but also a disgust, a let-down and a platoon of shame.

Ghafla Kenya has dug deep and come up with a refined list of some of these musicians who hit the airwaves and disappeared and those who have tried to remain but are a constant disappointment to the fan base.

Kenrazy

Born in 1987 as Kenneth Aketch Oluoch, Kenrazy coined his current stage name after what he says is people calling him crazy. So he went with Kenrazy after scrapping some letters from the two words Kennetha and crazy.

Alright, away from that, Kenrazy’s debut song Ti Chi catapulted him to the limelight in the Kenyan Music industry in 2008. His strength and lyrics were a revelation to many especially after promising musicians like E-sir had perished.

Many were moved by the way Kenrazy did his music and tipped him to be the most promising musician of our time. However, this could not come to pass. Year in, year out, kenrazy has gone from bad to worse, disappointing in every song he releases.

Talking from his latest release, Mbilikimo mkora is not just a disappointment but also a joke. What is Mbilikimo Mkora? Ok we may be knowing what mbilikimo is and what mkora is. But how does help Kenyans?

At this time and age do we need something like mbilikimo and mkora? Nah Kenrazy, nah. Infact a keen listening to your mbilikimo mkora will tell you that there is nothing a Kenyan can learn from it.

The more you try to remain relevant in the industry, the more you are a disappointment to the fans.

Change it or stop it altogether Kenrazy. Ama you’ve fallen lazy? Quit the industry.

With the likes of Elani and Sauti Sol doing what they know best and in the right way, nobody is likely to listen to your crap. Yeah, it is crap. Take that to the bank or leave it.

Ask yourself why Sauti Sol were nominated for MTVEMA awards. Ask yourself why not you but Elani were chosen to perform in Big Brother Africa. It is because of mbilikimo and other crap.

Kenzo

He is another of the many who promised heaven on earth musically but ended up constructing hell on earth, instead.

I will take issue with Kenzo’s latest release, Na Bado.

Kenzo bwana you are not serious! And I say this with a lot of bitterness and the seriousness that this article can elicit.

Na bado is a Swahili word we all know well. Here, you have featured this lady Maida.

But without fear of self-contradiction or favour, my advice is that Tanzanian songbird Rose Muhando needs more singers in her growing singing group. In fact you can blend so well with Rose Muhando to exalt the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen?

Your Na Bado sounds more of a gospel song than a secular one. Those in the gospel industry know very well why they are there, and not the secular section of it. That is where you as well belong, but I have doubts whether you can deliver without much supervision.

The rhythm in your Na Bado song is more gospel than secular. That said, the Na Bado video is one of the most disgusting video I have ever seen over a long period of time. Look brother, you can’t into a workshop somewhere where a carpenter is busy making his daily bread and shoot a video from there.

Infact even the views on youtube tell it all. Over two months and you have less than 5000 views? Boring! Disgusting. This is why your decline is even faster than how you rose to fame.

Unless you change, you are bound to fall with a thud. Period!

Kendi

I hate to write about Kendi. I love people called Kendi. In fact my best friend is called Kendi. My attachment with Kendis runs deep. I understand Kendi is a Meru name which means the loved one.

Ironically, nobody loves Kendi these days. Oh no, I mean we love Kendi but nobody loves her music. She is declining like she was commissioned to decline.

By the way I wonder how this lady shot to fame. But I will also take issue with her very latest release, Independent Woman.

Funny enough, Independent woman was published four months ago but by the time I viewed the video on youtube, it had exactly 1107 views. My view made it 1108. Hahahahaha!

Independent woman indeed but Kendi you are a let-down to yourself and the Kenyan music lovers.

It was rumoured that immediately before your release you had dumped your rich white man after siphoning his resources, and then followed that heinous act with a single dubbed independent Woman! You see how you killed yourself?

It is none of my business if indeed you conned and dumped Rossell Booth or not but your music, nah! Yours is a decline every day. Releasing independent woman after dumping Booth is an insult to men. It is an insult to fans.

This is how you dug your own music grave. This is how you construct your own coffin. This is how you burry yourself Kendi.

You started off as a promising girl. With good songs in 2012. But with time, you are becoming so irrelevant. Come on Kendi.

Change or change will change you. We no longer value you.

Nyota Ndogo

Taking on ladies is the hardest task for a man. But because it is the truth, I will not succumb to this difficulty. Nyota Ndogo habari ya Pwani?

I am disappointed in you, for the very first time. As much as age is a fact here, you are disappointing.

For the fans, Nyota Ndogo shot to fame slowly but steadily. Born in 1981 in Mombasa, the taarab-pop singer who worked as a maid plunged herself into singing and released her first single, Chereko.

She went on to release other singles but watu na viatu is the song that shot her into fame. Through it, she went on to win major awards such as Kisima awards in 2003 and Best Female singer in 2005.

Her song Watu na Viatu was nominated for the best East African song at the 2007 Tanzania Music Awards.

However, steadily, Nyota Ndogo has continued to decline before effectively disappearing from the limelight. The last time we checked on her was a month ago when she was learning playing guitar.

That is our Nyota Ndogo. Shooting to fame and disappearing for an artist of Nyota Ndogo’s stature is so appalling.