TOP 5 UNDERGROUND RAPPERS IN KENYA
Kenyan hip hop is currently in a state of despair. Octopizzo is stealing songs, Rabbit is releasing jams about ugali and Khaligraph hasn’t found a great producer yet. But with all this hogwash, there are still a couple of underground cats who are keeping it real. Here are the top 5 underground rappers in Kenya
Kayvo K-force
Kayvo is a rapper you really don’t wanna mess with. He drops nothing but hard-hitting flows over crazy, well constructed beats. And you can tell that everything he says is true. Kayvo is from Kibera, and you can hear it in his subject matter when he raps. Unlike Octopizzo, Kayvo speaks from the perspective of a maaad kid in a maaad city, and truly gives listeners a feel for who he is and how where he grew up has shaped him..
Oksyde
My favorit track by Oksyde is the ‘Nduru’ remix. He sticks to lacing underground beats with a stoner flow, and is one of the few people who seem to ALWAYS sound hungry on the mic. He speaks from the perspective of the average dude who likes to get high as f*ck, while making sure to always keep it real. Basically, he makes the perfect music to bump in the car, at a party, or even just in your headphones walking down the street.
Virus (Virusi Mbaya)
He was once Octopizzo’s friend but they are now enemies. Fact remains, he is one of the most heartfelt hip hop emcee’s you’ll hear on the mic, period. However, Virus doesn’t sound sad or corny while he tells his life story, it’s more that you can hear the pain and realness in his voice. Virus has been putting out dope tracks for as long as I’ve been listening to hip-hop, and to this day has never had a disappointing release. With banging beats and a head-nodding slick flow, he should be a good listen for anyone who has appreciation for real hip-hop.
Smallz Lethal
Smallz Lethal has been bodying beats for a while now. His gruff flow and vivid metaphors immediately set him apart from his peers. Smallz is battle-tested (he has dissed a couple of people) and a master at the art of storytelling. He’s one of the few rappers who I believe he’s capable of single-handedly hold down an entire album from start to finish without boring you to tears.
Nafsi Huru
Few Kenyan rappers are as skilled as Nafsi Huru. The Mombasa based MC uses his voice and platform to advocate for social justice and political activism, and he’s being doing this since he debuted. Like other greats before him, Nafsi Huru somehow manages to express complex thoughts in song without getting in the way of his message. His cries for hip-hop to rise above mediocrity is sometimes met with resentment, but Nafsi isn’t one to change his message in order to suit popular consensus.
