Hip hop music in Kenya is the current notable genre of music with big followers & huge fan base, Kenya hip hop having originated decades ago has had tremendous changes with tributes going to the pioneers like Kalamashaka, John Vigetti, Mau Mau, Uko Flani & other veterans.
The hip hop community has all been about ghetto life, Drugs, Crime and rehabilitation & Reformation with moral teachings,
With the current world the industry has quite been evolving so fast with new artistes uprising to keep the spirit going. Artistes like Octopizzo, Khaligraph Jones, Kayvo Kforce, King Kaka, Juliani, Ekko Dydda, Kitu sewer and many more has come up to continue to keep the hip hop industry alive.
Most Kenyan Youths have embraced hip hop with more ventures, the sub genres of Hip Hop are quite diminishing, to be particular “Genge” having been spearheaded by Nonini & Juakali & lately Mejja which apparently is created by shift of these Godfathers to other genres of music or their step-down.
There is a lot of controversy evolving the music industry, with the commercial music taking over, its no longer about how real you are with lyrics its about the payroll.
Its so sad that most people don’t understand the dynamics of Rap music, Kenya Showbiz has suffered a lot of frustrations & propaganda hoovering around artists with complaints arising everyday,
“Why can’t we support Our Own, Keep the Culture at Hand”
On recent occasions we have witnessed lack of media airplay for local artistes, embezzlement of artistes loyalties, poor marketing agencies & managements, the list is long with no positive attribution towards these. The game should change With Rap taking Over, “reminisce”
There are prominent names in the underground Hip Hop which should have a taste of the limelight, but the good artists don’t get the chance to be on the media its the club banger artists out there.
“Don’t Listen To The Beats, Listen To The lyrics”
I think mainstream artistes should give an avenue to upcoming talents, Harambee should be slogan in order for our music industry to grow again.
