Kenyans don’t give their musicians enough support

Local music rarely transcends borders and to be honest, it’s partly our fault as Kenyans. We don’t appreciate our artists enough. Maybe things would be different if we did, who knows?

Stella Mwangi

Artists from Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and other African countries have been making headways in the international music scene because of the support that they enjoy from their country mates.

This support motivates them to set bigger goals and pursue them. Perhaps this explains why their music industries are way ahead of Kenya and from the look of things it will take us time to catch up.

You could argue that local musicians are not doing enough and that they are not making music which can be played outside Kenya. That notion is wrong and the complete opposite of what is really happening.

If you are keen enough, you’ll notice that the likes of Sauti Sol, Khaligraph, King Kaka, MDQ, Victoria Kimani, Octopizzo, Stella Mwangi, Blinky Bill, have been working hard to show the world that Kenya has so much to offer.

Billy Bill

However, their efforts neither here nor there because we don’t support or encourage them. It’s almost as if they are making music for the sake of it. This should not be the case.

At any given point in time, the biggest song in Kenya is always from Tanzania, Nigeria or some other African country. It’s rarely our own music. We are consuming foreign music at the expense of local music and this is wrong.

If you look at the biggest Kenyan concerts the last few years, you’ll realize that the main performer was either an international act or from Nigeria, Tanzania and the likes. Why is this so?

By giving local artists a chance to be the headline acts of such big concerts, we’ll show them that we have a lot of faith in them. This way, they will be have the confidence to chase even bigger goals.

Another way we could support them is by buying their music and merchandise, showing up for their concerts, sharing their new music releases and encouraging them every chance we get. What would it cost you to send a tweet to your favourite artist telling them to keep pushing? Absolutely nothing!

Watch Khaligraph’s latest single Superman below.

Octopizzo should pull up his socks before it’s too late

If you’ve been following discussions on social media over this past week, I’m sure you noticed that one of the subjects that people could not stop talking about is rapper Henry Ohanga, better known as Octopizzo.

Also read: Has Octopizzo lost relevance?

He released a song titled Che Che featuring Barak Jacuzzi and most people felt that it’s below par and to be honest, it is. To make matters worse, people discovered that he had copy pasted Pop Smoke’s Welcome To The Party.

Barak Jacuzzi at it again in 'Lifestyle'
Barak Jacuzzi

If you compare and contrast the two songs, you’ll realize that everything is pretty much the same. From the concept, the style and the execution is exactly the same. Even the beat and instrumentation were lifted.

But this is not the first time Octopizzo has done this. A jam that he released with Sailors Gang titled Wakiritho some time last year was later discovered to be exactly the same as Tyga’s Loco Contigo. I’m sure there others as well.

You know, when he started off, the Kibera-bred rapper was really good but of late not so much. I’m sure that even if you are his die-hard fan you agree with this assertion to some extent.

Octopizzo

Of late, he is not only not unoriginal (I am trying to restrain myself from using the word fake) but his lyrics are also uninspired. When you listen to some of his recent songs, you are left wondering what the heck?

I get it that an artist won’t be the same as when you first hear his music – with time they will fade out but why can’t he try out a new style instead of copy pasting songs unashamedly?

Remaining relevant in the Kenyan music industry is not as easy as most people think but you would expect someone who has been around for more than a decade like Octopizzo to have known how to maneuver.

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around Octopizzo’s latest approach but I can’t. All I can say that he needs to shape up or ship out. Enough said.

Watch Che Che below and tell us what you think.

Khaligraph Jones confesses that he is ready to work with Octopizzo

Baba Amali aka Khaligraph Jones is ready to put all his differences with rapper Octopizzo. Khaligraph revealed this in his latest free style that has left his fans excited.

Khaligraph Jones confesses that he is ready to work with Octopizzo

The father of one shared the video on his Instagram page and judging from the lyrics in his rap – we can indeed confirm that Khaligraph Jones is ready to become besties with Octopizzo.

In the freestyle that is making rounds on social media, Khaligraph is heard saying;

Na mi sina beef na Ohanga. Ohanga hunitaki kwa nini, mbona usifanye track na mimi tu top hizi charts za Mjini, after that I would be happy amini. Sitaki interview za gazeti , maswali za ufala hazileti , mimi huomba kama ndingi wa Nzeki, GOAT kama Ronaldo na Messi, nani mwingine kama mimi (hakuna), mafuta napaka Marini…”

Khaligraph Jones real life story

Judging from story he is narrating through his favorite style, rap; we also understand that he gets too personal because the story is based on his past life.

He is however one proud man and having grown up in the ghetto – made him the man he is today!

Mi ni Ras ni dread tu sina, na nishawahi kuwa mwizi masimba, najua mapedi majina aidha way hamwezi nishinda , ukikuja east mi kamanda, try kunidiss pia ni blander , form ni Mazishiana Matanga.

Kenyan musicians have so much to learn from their Tanzanian counterparts

I’m not a fan of Bongo music. I only listen to Tanzanian songs when I have to, for instance when I am doing a review or when they are randomly played at a club, party or in a matatu.

Also read: Why it’s hard for artists to be consistent

On the flip side, I admire so many Tanzanian artists not for any other reason but because they really work their asses off. I could list them but their names would take up all this space. So, I’ll save you the agony.

WCB arists
WCB artists

Bongo music has always been big deal  not only in Tanzania but across the continent and it’s bout time we – or rather our artists – borrowed a leaf from them.

They should ask themselves questions like,”What can we learn from Tanzanian musicians?”, “What areas should we work on?” and “What are they doing differently?”

One of the Bongo artists that I really admire, just like most of you is Diamond Platnumz. Despite being accomplished and all, he has never been content with his success. He keeps pushing each and every day.

Since the year begun he has released more than 30 songs, perhaps more, including collabos. As a result, he is always at the top of people’s minds.

Khaligraph Jones
Khaligraph Jones

It always seems like he is a pacesetter for the Tanzanian music industry since most people – including his stablemates – like Rayvanny, Lava Lava, Mbosso and Queen Darleen want to keep up with him.

The local music industry lacks a someone who keeps artists on their toes as is the case with Tanzania and this means that very few musicians, if any, give a hoot about consistency.

The truth is that people get bored very fast. I doubt if any of the people who are reading this article can have a jam in their playlists for more than a week and this means that artists need to release more music. There is no other way.

Many of you will be quick to point out that new age artists such as; Sailors Gang, Boondocks Gang, Ochunglo Family, 34 GVNG, Gwaash, etc. are constantly releasing music but let’s be honest, that is not serious music.

Nadia Mukami
Nadia Mukami

In as much as we find the songs by these youngins catchy, they rarely transcend our borders. It’s what it is. To add to that, the quality is always wanting.

I’m talking about the likes of Nyashinski, Nadia Mukami, Octopizzo, Khaligraph, King Kaka, Redsan, Nameless, Jua Cali, Avril etc. Will they ever wake up from their deep slumber? If so, when? Enough said.

‘So Alive’ hitmaker Sage Chemutai is a back with a new jam ‘Majestic’ and it’s really dope (Video)

Talented singer Barabara Chemutai Ng’eno, popularly known as Sage and famed for her So Alive hit with Octopizzo, is back with a new jam.

Also read: Where did Sage Chemutai disappear to?

The song titled Majestic is her second release in a series of songs for her once a month challenge featuring her and 4 other Kenyan artists have committed to dropping one song every month until December 2019.

The word ‘majestic’ means beautiful, powerful or something that causes great attention. This song is more about the former since it puts a  lot of emphasis on outward features that draws one person to the other.

Sage Chemutai
Sage Chemutai

As I was listening to this song, I kept marveling at how the song the song is such a beautiful composition. I can listen to this jam for an entire day and not get tired of it. It’s so sweet to the ears.

To add to that, Sage’s voice is just out of this world. This sultry lass is just majestic like her voice never mind the fact that this is not the kind of songs that we are used to from her.

I also loved how she featured Kipsigis words in her lyrics. The other thing that struck me about this jam is of course the Afro-beat track by Dillie. It really blends well Sage’s voice and you just want to keep listening to the song.

Listen to Majestic below and tell us what you think.

Octopizzo Vs Khaligraph: Who has more international appeal?

If you are keen, I’m sure you’ve noticed that both Octopizzo and Khaligraph Jones  have really upped their games in the last few years.

Also read: Octopizzo Vs Khaligraph: Whose music approach is better?

From their music videos down to language that they use, their content is definitely packaged batter than it was 5 (or so) years ago.

Octopizzo Zikishika
Octopizzo

After winning the hearts of Kenyans, they both decided to shift their focuses to the international audiences i.e. potential fans outside the country.

This journey has seen them go out of their ways to work with some of the best audio producers and videographers because let’s be honest, how can you compete against the likes of AKA, Sarkodie, and Nasty C if you don’t invest in good quality?

Khaligraph Jones
Khaligraph Jones

Of late, the music videos that are being released by Khaligraph and Octopizzo are of high quality and  you could easily say that they meet international standards.

In as much as we appreciate the efforts that are being made by the two rappers, we’d still like to find out who between them has more international appeal.

To help you decide, we’ll ask you to compare two of their most recent releases that’s Kanye by Octopizzo and Leave Me Alone by Khaligraph Jones.

 

 

Who is killing it when it comes to international appeal? Leave a comment below!

Amina should get back to making music

Did you know that The Trend host Amina Abdi Rabar was once a musician? If you are not aware then you are too young (I’ve been waiting to drop this line on someone).

She released two songs circa 2013 and they both performed well. Actually, one of them is a collabo with the one and only Octopizzo.

The other song, which happens to be my most favorite, is a collaboration with rapper K-Letta dubbed Paint The Town Red.

Amina Abdi Rabar
Amina Abdi Rabar

Apart from the fact that she has a melodious voice – the kind that will make you hit the replay button a couple of times –  I think she really has it in her.

She can actually give the likes of Avril, Mayonde and Vivian a run for their money. I’m willing to bet about this.

The way I see it, she should get back to making music because the local industry needs her but that’s just me.

Come to think of it though, how will she juggle all her hustles and still get time to get into studio and record songs? It would be tough.

Or she could release a song once in a while. I don’t know how she will do it but it needs to happen. Amina, if you are reading this, do the needful.

Listen to Octopizzo’s collabo with Amina dubbed Swag below.

Octopizzo could be Kenya’s richest musician, here’s why

Have you ever wondered how rapper Henry Ohanga, alias Octopizzo, makes his money because the truth is that he’s not hot on the streets as was the case 5 (or so) years ago which means that he does not get many shows – which is the biggest source of income for most artists.

Also read: Has Octopizzo lost relevance?

Interestingly, the Kibera-bred rapper is still laughing all the way to the bank and in my opinion, he is making more money than any other Kenyan artist and it’s not necessarily from his music.

You see, at the peak of his career Octopizzo developed a relationship with humanitarian organisations such as the United Nations and they have continued to engage him to date.

As you would expect, such assignments come with hefty perks and a lot of travel which explains why he is always out of the country.

Secondly, Octopizzo has maintained a clean image save for an incident early this year where he got into a scuffle with a 19-year-old boy, an incident that left the latter dead.

The Oliel hitmaker sells the story of grass to grace since he came from the slums and became something.

To add to that, has has a good image and this is what many brands love this explains why he was picked as an ambassador for Smirnoff alongside other brands.

Lastly,  unlike many Kenyan artists, Octopizzo monetizes his music. His songs are enlisted on platforms such as iTunes and Spotify, this way he’s able to make some coins through his music.

Listen to his latest single Kanye below.

Octopizzo performing his new jam ‘Kanye’

Octopizzo performs his new jam Kanye. Kanye is filled with a lot of energy. We all know how this guy performs and the treatment he gives his music. The talented Kenyan artist has been doing so well in the music industry for a long time. Consistency is his thing.

Henry Ohanga, commonly referred to by his stage name Octopizzo is an award winning, recording and performing artist, humanitarian and an entrepreneur. Born in the sprawling slums of Kibera, Nairobi. He purposed to earnestly pursue his career in music.

What is ‘Kanye’ about?

Kanye in this context is all about where. There is a lot of self praise in this jam. We look at the first stanza first; Enda umwambie ongeza sauti asikie Mrembo asilie kwa Benzo we nikalie Pandisha mzuka babe nizungushie Akisha cooker dele nichachishie.

Octopizzo Knaye singer born and raised in Kibera

The kind of language used here though. To start with, here he is talking about a girl not crying in a Benz. Also the girl is told to dance for him. Find out which kind of dance this is and which cooker the driver is lighting!!!!

Its another one ni ngori eeh Kila siku kwetu holiday Msupa de punguza chocha de. In this stanza he praises his song as he says that everyday to them is a holiday.

Also there are stanzas that you should not miss, like this one; Niite plumber venye nabonga choo Kwenye boxer the only place nakuwanga ligi soo Ligi libido, niko ma ngiri though NFL, NBA hizo mbili bro. There is a lot of symbolism in this one where he compares himself to a plumber. Did he just say Ligi libido?

Kanye has had a positive reception from his fans. In addition, the jam has also proved that Octopizzo is not leaving the music scene anytime soon.

In conclusion Kanye by Octopizzo gets a rating of 6/10.

Below is a link to the video.

Octopizzo Vs Khaligraph: Who will survive the new-age music revolution?

Truth be told, the new-age (new wave) Kenyan musicians are giving established musicians a run for their money, even the likes of Octopizzo and Khaligraph. Allow me to explain my line of thought.

Also read: New-age musicians are giving established artists nightmares!

At the end of the day, even if their music genres are different, they are competing for the same fanbase, which is you and I, and as you know there can only be one winner so it’s either the new age artists beat the established artists or vice versa.

Khaligraph Jones
Khaligraph Jones

Both Octopizzo and Khaligraph were doing well before the emergence of new age artists because they were both releasing street music i.e. songs that are in Sheng and relate to the struggles that the ordinary person goes through.

If you’re keen then I am sure you have noticed that Khaligraph has stayed the course. On the other hand, Octopizzo has veered off. In the recent past, he has has changed his style so much so that you would think that he no longer cares about his local fans.

Both Octopizzo and Khaligraph have been trying to surmount the pressure that they are getting from new-age artist and it got to a point where they bowed to pressure. The way I see it they had no choice.

Octopizzo
Khaligraph Jones

If you listen to Octopizzo’s Zikishika, there is a verse where he drops lamba lolo. In Leave Me Alone, Khaligraph pays homage to Zzero Sufuri and the likes. As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them join them.

This got me thinking, who between the two can survive the new-age music revolution because let’s be honest, these youngins have taken over. From the fans, to music streaming sites and YouTube to local TV and radio stations to gigs, all people waiting to consume is new-age musicians.

Between Octopizzo and Khaligraph Jones, who do you think can keep up with the new-age artists?

Has Octopizzo lost relevance?

You might hate me for this but sometimes I get the feeling that Kenyan rapper Henry Ohanga, alias Octopizzo, has lost his relevance or he’s on the verge of losing it. Well, I could also be wrong.

Also read: Octopizzo Vs Khaligraph, whose music approach is better?

Admittedly, the Kibera-bred artist still makes good music but the truth is that is not what the mass market is consuming heavily. Put simply, it’s not the kind of music that most Kenyans are vibing to at the moment.

Octopizzo has released two songs since the year begun i.e. Babylon and Zikishika. While both songs were above par and well-executed, none of them was hit and we can debate this until the cows come home.

You could argue that the Oliel hit maker targets a particular niche with his music and he’s not interested in the mass market but the truth is that every artist wants his songs to go viral and garner millions of views on YouTube.

Octopizzo
Octopizzo

As we speak, Zikishika – which was released in April, has 810,000 views. Babylon – which was released in February has garnered only 780,000 views so far.

Now let’s compare this to Ethic who make music for the mass market. They have also released two songs this year namely Pandana and Figa. Pandana, which dropped in March has 2.3 million views, Figa which was released a fortnight ago has slightly above 1 million views.

If it is indeed true that numbers don’t lie, what does this tell you? What does it imply? The way I see it is that Octopizzo is losing or has lost relevance in the local music industry. It’s just what it is.

The emergence of new age-artists like Boondocks Gang, Ethic, Ochunglo Family, Rico Gang, Zzero Sufuri really tilted the scales. The mass market is consuming their music heavily at the moment and the sooner Kenyan artists realize this, the better!

We’ve seen the likes of The Kansoul working with these new age artists so that they can remain afloat so why can’t Octopizzo follow suit?

Watch Octopizzo’s latest release dubbed Zikishika below.

 

Most Kenyan musicians don’t know their worth and it’s sad

Despite being super-talented and all, you’ll be shocked to learn that most Kenyan musicians don’t really understand their worth. This is a sad fact of life!

So, here’s the scenario, you are are dead broke despite being an accomplished musician. You’ve dropped three new singles since the year began.

To add to that  you have thousands of followers on your own social media pages, meaning you can easily pull crowds to a gig.

Naiboi
Naiboi

Someone, say a fraudulent promoter, approaches and asks you to perform at an out of town gig for Ksh. 10,000 and you agree because you need to sort out some bills and what not.

Who’s the fool here? Is it the promoter or the musician. It’s definitely the latter and I’ll explain why.

You see, Kenyan musicians should be aware of their worth and stop undervaluing themselves. When they accept paltry amounts for out of town gigs, they are unknowingly setting a bad precedence.

Event organizers are always in constant communication. If word goes around that you charge a certain amount for a performance, your rate card is set.

Nyashinski

The next time an event organizer calls the musician up, they will probably offer them the same amount or much less.

At the end of the day, a musician will be bitter for getting bad rates yet they are being offered such meagre amounts because of the precedence that they set. It’s your fault bro!

Musicians should know that it’s okay to turn down amounts they are not comfortable with and that their personal needs or debts should not come before their crafts.

If a musician  needs a manager to help them evaluate how much they are worth, they should go ahead and get one. It’s totally okay!

This way, they’ll get paid what they are worth.  The musician, will also be able to do more things. Instead of performing at many small gigs and being underpaid, just have one or two and get your worth.

Some of the musicians who have been smiling all the way to the bank because they understand their worth are the likes of Naiboi, Khaligraph, Sauti Sol, Otile Brown, Nameless, Avril, Fena Gitu, King Kaka, Octopizzo, Nyashinski, just to name a few.

Avril

If you’ve been wondering how come they always have a new song every now and then it’s because they are getting paid what they are worth.

Also read: Khaligraph’s performance fee has shot to 1 million bob per show and it’s totally okay

Where did Sage Chemutai disappear to?

Most of us came to know Sage Chemutai when she released So Alive with Kenyan rapper Henry Ohanga, alias Octopizzo, but for some reason not much has been heard from her since then – at least musically.

Have you ever wondered where the mellow-voiced songstress disappeared to or what happened to her? She crossed my mind a few days ago and I sought to find out.

As you would expect, the first place I looked is her Y0uTube channel. It then dawned on me that she is still an active musician. Our songbird is still belting out sweet tunes ladies and gentlemen!

You should have seen my face when I realized that she’s still releasing music. Actually, she even dropped a new song dubbed Where Did Y0u Go about a fortnight ago.

Truth is Sage Chemutai is so talented but I don’t understand why the mainstream media has given her a black out for the last 5 (or so years).

If you asked me, I’d rather we see more of her kind than listening to Rieng, Lamba  Lolo, Wamlambez and the likes or we could have a mix of both.

Sage Chemutai
Sage Chemutai

We live in a country where people who make beautiful music are given a cold shoulder so much so that you even forget that they even exist.

While at it, we celebrate mediocre content and put in on heavy  rotation on our TV and ratio station and this begs a lot of questions.

Maybe, just maybe one day we will celebrate the likes of Sage who put so much work into their craft and treat our earbuds to beautiful sounds.

Side note: If you know where she is performing next leave a comment below because attending her gig has been on my checklist for the longest time. Like, really!

Listen to her latest single Where Did You Go below.

Rapper Joefes to replace Octopizzo and Khaligraph as the new king of bars?

For a while now rap music in Kenyan entertainment industry has been showing great potential thanks to the likes of Octopizzo, Khaligraph Jones among other many.

Joefes

However not many rappers have been able to hold their spot in the rap game; and for this reason new artists keep joining this game to portray their potential.

Kilometers

One Joefes who has been putting in extra efforts in his music career is currently showing signs of taking over hiphop thanks to his creative bars and style.

So far he has released a number of songs but his latest song dubbed Kilometers has left many dumbfound by controversial bars that will leave you rewinding the song over and over.

 Despite his young age, there is no doubt that he will soon be the talk of town and the song below can form this.

Octopizzo’s latest release ‘Zikishika’ is possibly his best work ever (Video)

Henry Ohanga, alias Octopizzo, has released a new song dubbed Zikishika and it’s a classic ladies and gentlemen. Why, you ask? Because he is rapping to the instrumental of a Rhumba classic – something like this is almost unheard of.

The song that he has sampled is none other than Massu by Franco and Le T.P.O.K. Jazz. The song was released in 1986 – that’s 33 years ago. If you grew up in a home where your dad was always listening to Rhumba or Lingala then you must be familiar with this song.

In the new jam dubbed Zikishika, Octopizzo raps as the instrumental of Massu plays in the background. However, it has been polished a bit to give it an urban touch.

After listening to the song a couple of times, I arrived at the conclusion that it is Octopizzo’s best work yet. It really dwarfs all his other songs. It also shows how much the Kibera-bred rapper has grown.

Zikishika appeals to different generations. Chances the next time you’ll visit your dad. You’ll find him jamming to this song and he’ll ask you whether you know of a rapper by the name Octopizzo. Anyway, I hope you get my point.

Octopizzo

As expected, Octopizzo’s rap flow in the song is also flawless. I was not disappointed at all. He spits in Sheng, Swahili and English. I particularly loved how he was interchanging the words.

The only part that upset me was where he said, “lamba lolo, pewa lollipop”. This was a great song until Octopizzo added the words “lamba lolo“. Now it’s just a good song. Anyway, I am joking, this is one of the greatests songs ever!

The song’s video, which was directed by Nathan Collet, is also excellent. There’s a beautiful co-ordination of the locations with Octopizzo’s outfits. I was actually surprised when I learnt that it was shot in Kenya. It has a West African vibe.

Watch Zikishika below and tell us what you think. Get good earphones or headphones for this!

Octoppizo calls out Nas following his ‘Living like third world brothers’ comment

Rapper Octopizzo has called out American rapper Nas following his recent comments that black Americans live like their brothers in third world countries.

Nas in post mourning rapper Nipsey Hussle who was shot six teams on Sunday, said that blacks in the US are fighting like they are in Africa.

We are at a great loss today. This hurts. Straight to the point. It’s dangerous to be an MC. Dangerous to be a b-ball player. It’s dangerous to have money. Dangerous To Be A Black Man. So much hatred. We live like our brothers and sisters in third world countries live. Right in America. Decisions we make about our own life be based on decisions cuz we might not live. It’s so deep rooted. It’s not a easy fix. Hard to fix anything when kids are still living in poverty. I ain’t shutting up though, Nipsey is a True voice. He will never be silenced. He still is A stand up General for the People who never left his people. He is loved by the people. Prayers for his family. Let’s keep pushing Truth for The Man. Love You King Nipsey Hussle/ Ermias Asghedom Respectfully, Nasir Jones,” wrote Nas.

Peaceful

Octopizzo didn’t like his comments and took to his comment section to blast the rapper assuring him that Africa is a peaceful comment unlike what they show on Western media.

“@nas This was a dope caption till you said “Brothers and Sisters in the third world” all we do here is spread love and try to come together to address social injustice and advocate for equality, you need to take a trip down to any country in Africa and see the difference, don’t believe on the “violence” and misrepresentation that western media give Africa, we have problems yes which are mostly orchestrated by greedy tribalistic politicians but we don’t have “black on black” gun violence. Its time all you guys come back home and invest in a Place of Love. RIP NIPSEY HUSSLE,” wrote Octopizzo.

Octopizzo: Legalizing weed is not about me, it is a serious thing

Rapper Octopizzo continues with his campaign to try bring Marijuana to your nearest shop. The rapper of late has been urging the government to legalize the drug saying kids are already using it.

“This is not about me, but it is a serious thing and it has even been tabled in parliament,” Octopizzo said.

“Marijuana users will freely smoke it anywhere because whether it’s legalised or not, our kids are using it but they are abusing it. People are using it badly and that is why it is affecting them while others have made businesses out of it.”

Make it public

The singer went on to share that he uses medicated Marijuana and since people are using it at large, the government should really consider bringing it to the shop.

“What I am saying is if it is already being used, why don’t we just legalize it but then create ways that it can be managed how people use it.We know that marijuana is sold in chemists in some counties but it’s access us managed. That is why some people will never shy away from using it,” he said.

Octopizzo finally at peace after being ‘exonerated’ of any wrongdoing in the death of Kenneth Abom

Octopizzo was the main suspect in the death of 19-year-old Strathmore University student Kenneth Abom who died on Saturday January 19th.

Kenneth was said to have been assaulted by Octopizzo after the rapper found him in his house in Woodley Estate in unclear circumstance.

The teenager returned to their house with bloodstained t-shirt moments before he fell through the window from their fourth floor apartment.

Post-mortem on the body of Kenneth however revealed that he suffered multiple fractures on the limbs, abdomen and the head, after he fell from the fourth floor apartment.

Kenneth’s family blamed Octopizzo for his death, they insisted that the rapper assaulted the teenager who was passionate about music.

Patience

Octopizzo took to social media on Thursday January 24th to thank family and friends who stood by him during the trying time. The Kibera rapper indicated that he had finally found peace.

“PATIENCE ??
Thanks to all my family,friends and fans who’ve constantly checked up on me during this trying week, Peace and Love ❤️ #Studio,” Octopizzo tweeted.

Postmortem for teenager allegedly killed by Octopizzo out… this is what caused his death

Speculations about what caused the untimely death of 19-year-old Strathmore University student Kenneth Abom has been solved by post-mortem examination.

Kenneth is said to have been assaulted by Octopizzo at his house. The teenager returned to their house in Woodley Estate with blood-stained t-shirt moments before he fell through the window from their fourth floor apartment.

He was rushed to Nairobi Women’s Hospital before being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital where he died on Saturday January 19th at around 10am.

Cause of death

Kenneth Abom
Kenneth Abom

Post-mortem on the body of Kenneth has revealed that he suffered multiple fractures on the limbs, abdomen and the head, after he fell from the fourth floor apartment.

Kenneth’s family blamed Octopizzo for his death, they insisted that the rapper assaulted the teenager who was passionate about music.

 

 

Daddy Owen: Let’s not be quick to judge Octopizzo, let’s wait for the truth to come out 

Gospel singer Daddy Owen has come out to quell hate spewed at rapper Octopizzo who is accused of having a hand in the death of 19-year-old Kenneth Abom.

Kenneth was reportedly assaulted by Octopizzo after the rapper found him in his house in unclear circumstance. The boy returned to their house in Woodley Estate with bloodstained t-shirt moments before he fell through the window from their fourth floor apartment.

He was rushed to Nairobi Women’s Hospital before being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital where he died on Saturday January 19th at around 10am.

Don’t be quick to judge

Section of Kenyans on Twitter are squarely blaming Octopizzo for Kenneth’s untimely death. Daddy Owen however asks critics to exercise restraint until the whole truth comes out.

“Let’s wait for the truth to come out….. Let’s not be quick to judge,” Daddy Owen tweeted.

In another tweet, he he said;

“Let’s leave ths story to our able investigators to do thr job. Let’s not be quick to judge. I pray for the Family who lost thr son/brother. ..”

 

 

 

Octopizzo’s sister is giving two contradicting statements, she cannot be trusted – Abom’s brother

Kibera rapper Octopizzo is currently fighting an ugly press storm following the mysterious death of a Strathmore student last week.

The rapper has insisted he’s not behind the murder of the 19-year-old ICT student, Kenneth Abom, who died on Saturday after jumping from fourth floor flowing an altercation with the rapper.

Kenneth’s big brother Antony has come out to claim that Octopizzo’s sister, who was in the house when it all happened, shouldn’t be trusted because her statements have been differing.

“By the time he came back into the house, he was disoriented and even talking to himself. Octopizzo was again seen by neighbours carrying a panga and threatened to use it on Kenneth.” he said in an interview with The Star. 

Adding:

“Octopizzo’s sister is giving two contradicting stories. She is saying she let Kenneth in and in another statement, she says he knocked the door and pushed her in.”

Anthony said that they have been trying to get a statement for Octopizzo since then but he’s proving to be arrogant.

“We can only get the right information from Kenneth, but unfortunately, he is dead. And from Octopizzo, but he is turning out to be arrogant and rude. On Saturday I went to the hospital and requested to get the explanation from Octopizzo but he did not want to do it freely. We have even reached out to his management but he is arrogant, saying that Ken stormed into his house.” Antony said.

Octopizzo denies involvement in death of Strathmore University student Kenneth Abom who broke into his house

Kibera finest Octopizzo is accused of having a hand in the death of 19 year old student Kenneth Abom who broke into his house in Newbury court in Nairobi’s Woodley estate.

The rapper is said to have beaten Kenneth and chased him wielding a machete after he found him in his house in unclear circumstances.

The teenager, who lived in the same apartment block with his family, reportedly ran to their house on the fourth floor with a cut on the right side of his head and blood-stained shirt.

Moments after entering their house, Kenneth fell off the building in unclear circumstances. His brother Paul Abom said that he rushed into the bathroom to clean himself up and the next thing they knew he had fallen through the window to the ground.

Didn’t hit the boy

Octopizzo
Octopizzo

The incident, which happened on Thursday January 17th, left many residents shocked as neighbors couldn’t fathom why Kenneth even broke into Octopizzo’s house.

The 19 year old, who was a student at Strathmore University, died two days later after the incident. He was rushed to Nairobi Women’s Hospital before being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital where he died on Saturday at around 10am.

Octopizzo has since denied involvement in Kenneth’s death, the rapper claims that he didn’t hit the teenager contrary to statements given by some neighbors who say they saw Octo chasing after the boy welding a machete.

“No, I did not hit the boy. His father was the first person I talked to after the incident. I did not know what he came to do in my house. An hour later, we heard that the boy dropped from the fourth floor,” Octopizzo in a phone conversation with Standard.

 

 

Octopizzo ako wapi bana? King Kaka’s ‘Dundaing’ only Kenyan song in Apple Music’s 2018 A-list

Apple Music has released a list of African music that made waves in 2018 and only one Kenyan is on the list; King Kaka.

The list, which is first for the streaming platform, was largely dominated by Nigeria, which has 19 songs featured. The country is followed by fellow West African nation Ghana with 13 songs.

Dundaing which features Kristoff and Magix Enga, has over 1 million views on YouTube and has been winning in all ways.  Last week, the hit made waves after it played during an NBA game between Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks.

International market 

The two happenings have come barely hours after Octopizzo took to social media to brag that he’s the only Kenyan dominating international market despite other Kenyan rappers trying to expand their brand abroad.

Here’s the full list:

  • Mayorkun (Nigeria) feat. Peruzzi, Dremo & Yonda – ‘Red Handed’
  • Tekno (Nigeria) – ‘On You’
  • Kwesi Arthur (Ghana) feat. Kidi – ‘Don’t Keep Me Waiting’
  • Davido (Nigeria) – ‘Wonder Woman’
  • Nasty C (South Africa) – ‘Jungle’
  • Sho Madjozi (South Africa) feat. Ycee – ‘Wakanda Forever’
  • Amaarae (Ghana) – ‘Fluid’
  • Ayo Jay (Nigeria) – ‘Let Him Go’
  • Mr Eazi (Nigeria) feat. Simi – ‘Surrender
  • Kizz Daniel (Nigeria) & Davido – ‘One Ticket’
  • Sho Madjozi (South Africa) – ‘Huku’
  • Petite Noir (South Africa) – ‘Blame Fire’
  • Jovi (Cameron) – ‘Ndolé’
  • Aya Nakamura (Mali) – ‘Djadja’
  • Vegedream (Congo) – ‘Ramenez la coupe à la maison’
  • Olamide (Nigeria) – ‘Motigbana’
  • DJ Snake & Niniola (Nigeria) – ‘Maradona Riddim’
  • Darkie Fiction (South Africa) – ‘Bhoza’
  • DarkoVibes (Ghana) feat. Stonebwoy (Nigeria) – ‘Stay Woke’
  • Shane Eagle (South Africa) – ‘Gustavo!’
  • R2Bees (Ghana) feat. Wizkid – ‘Supa’
  • King Kaka (Kenya) feat. Kristoff – ‘Dundaing’
  • M.anifest (Ghana) feat. Kwesi Arthur – ‘Feels’
  • Stonebwoy (Ghana) – ‘Smile Time Done’
  • Wizkid (Nigeria) – ‘Fever’
  • Mr Eazi (Nigeria) feat. King Promise & Maleek Berry – ‘Dabebi
  • Teni (Nigeria) – ‘Askamaya’
  • Burna Boy (Nigeria) – ‘Gbona’
  • D’Banj (Nigeria) feat. Cassper Nyovest – ‘Something for Something’
  • Wizkid (Nigeria) – ‘Master Groove’
  • Fally Ipupa (DRC) – ‘Aime-moi’
  • R2Bees (Ghana) – ‘Boys Kasa’
  • Anatii (South Africa) – ‘NDAWENI’
  • Tiwa Savage (Nigeria) feat. Duncan Mighty – ‘Lova Lova’
  • Joey B (Ghana) feat. La Même Gang – ‘Stables
  • Sarkodie (Ghana) feat. King Promise – ‘Can’t Let You Go’
  • Mbosso (Tanzania) – ‘Hodari’
  • Toofan (Togo) feat. Wale – ‘DJ Dosé
  • Davido (Nigeria) – ‘Nwa Baby’
  • Reniss (Cameroon) – ‘Big Tinz’
  • Fally Ipupa (DRC) – ‘École’
  • King Promise (Ghana) – ‘Abena’
  • Olamide & Wizkid (Nigeria) – ‘Kana’
  • Burna Boy (Nigeria) – ‘Ye’
  • Adekunle Gold (Nigeria) – ‘Damn, Delilah’
  • Toofan (Togo) – ‘Affairage’
  • M.anifest (Ghana) feat. Bayku & Yaa Pono – ‘Don’t Follow Me’
  • Kidi (Ghana) – ‘Thunder’
  • Wendy Shay (Ghana) – ‘Astalavista’

‘English is not a measure of intelligence’- ‘bitter’ Octopizzo continues to throw shade at Khaligraph Jones

Rapper Octopizzo has really disconnected with his Kenyan market but he’s not really worried because he’s winning abroad.

The rapper took to social media..again, to throw shade at Khaligraph Jones who has been dominating the local market just a week after he(Octopizzo) spoke against him while promoting King Kaka’s album.

The shades against Khaligraph have become common now and it seems they are the only way the rapper can make it to the local headlines.

Shots

Recently, while bragging of how he get’s shows abroad, Octopizzo threw more subliminal shots to Khaligraph who raps in American English and slang.

“Mbona Jay Z huwa harap na Kiswahili. Halafu kwanza hawa marapa Wakenya wanarap na English hakuna mwenye amepiga shows majuu (abroad) kuniliko. Hakuna,” Octoppizo claimed.

He went on to rubbish all artists who do their music in English just to appeal to a bigger fan base.

“English is not a measure of intelligence. I don’t need to rap in English. I rap like I do because am selling me.” He added.

 

Octopizzo shreds Khaligraph Jones while showing support to King Kaka

Octopizzo and Khalihraph Jone’s beef is like a stubborn sexually transmitted infection that just won’t go away, one minute they reconcile the other they are tearing each other apart.

Octo took to Twitter to show support to rival rapper King Kaka ahead of his Eastlando Royalty album launch this coming weekend.

“This Friday 30th one of my Favorite if not only East African Poet & fellow Royalty @RabbitTheKing will be Dropping his Album, Make sure you attend the event & purchase his Hard worked project. Apuoyo Am KUJAIN’GGGGG #EastlandoRoyalty,” Octopizzo tweeted.

Omollo

A tweep congratulated Octopizzo for the support he was giving King Kaka, he also implored the Kibera rapper to extend an olive branch to Omollo (Khaligraph Jones).

Octo however dismissed the tweep saying that he doesn’t recognize Omollo.

Octopizzo explains why lovers cheat on each other

From a rapper to a relationships councilor. It seems those are the moves Kibera rapper is currently up to.

Recently in an interview with Capital FM, Octopizzo didn’t really confess of cheating but explained why everyone, whether woman or man, cheats in a relationship.

“Come on, people are human, every man cheats. Every woman cheats,” he said in the interview. 

Flirting

The Noma Ni rapper then went on to add that flirting comprises of simple things such as just admiring someone and that’s cheating.

“If you have a main chic you have a main chic, there is no two ways. Si then you just become polygamous? I don’t believe in having someone on the side. Cheating is broad, flirting is cheating to some extent and flirting is normal to some extent because even when you have the love of your life you can still see things you have never seen and you admire, that is flirting.” he said.