Kenya Rocks!
A window onto the soul of a people, must certainly have music playing from it. Kenya’s musical history draws extensively from its 42 tribal communities and the sound of modern day Kenya is a culmination of this rich heritage. Although it cannot be painted with any one brush, this culture is today as unique and richly diversified as it ever was.
We’ve come very far in advancing our music production skills since Fundi Konde showed-off his electric guitar skills in the 1950s. Konde was the first person to master this instrument in the region and his accomplishments strongly influenced the establishment of the Kenyan recording industry.
In today’s digital era, we have seen Kenyan music rapidly grow up and out. Old school favourites like Eric Wainaina, along with upcoming artists like Octopizzo, Sarabi and Kato Change, are developing the modern sound of Kenyan music. Through their fusion of global and Kenyan genres, these artists have proved that there are no boundaries to this country’s music. And JAB has proven – with their recent appearance on the front page of the New York Times – that all eyes are on East Africa’s burgeoning cultural prowess on the world stage.
Wangechi Waweru is a twenty year-old female rapper based in Nairobi. Her debut mixtape: Chakula Ya Soul [Soul Food] resulted in her being catapulted to the top of Africa’s hip-hop charts. Produced by the prolific Kevin Provoke, Waweru’s music embraces a collaborative mentality by featuring big Kenyan names like Rabbit and Alex Big Soul. Waweru’s strategy is not unique: Kenya’s musicians are not as isolated as they once were and are far less protective about their product than in the era of the big music labels. This has resulted in a sharp increase in collaborations both offline and on, and a proliferation of multimedia endeavors across the arts.
The Kenyan music industry has been experiencing exponential growth in the last few years and 2014 alone has seen the industry’s markets surge. To see this we have only to look at the numbers of downloads resulting from last month’s Mdundo Awards, where crooners and rappers were celebrated according to their market prowess.
With increasing numbers of artists collaborating across borders and more festivals and concerts coming up over the country - think for example of the Rift Valley Festival, Blankets and Wine, Hakuna Matata festival, Live at the Elephant and of course our very own Upstairs, artists have increasing opportunities to earn a living through their art. There are more paying gigs at restaurants, television shows and events. As a result, choosing to be a musician doesn’t seem as suicidal as it once was.
Today with Mdundo, Youtube, Facebook and other social media sites, the process of making music and releasing it to the world has become almost instant: songs like Kato Change, Lisa Oduor-Noah’s Aparo, and Nishike, Sauti Sol’s instant internet sensation, show that you don’t need an album, or a concert for your music to make an impact.
A thriving music scene exists throughout Kenya with new local styles, incorporating tales of the past with sounds from the present; and that is fundamentally what it’s all about. To progress we must continue to reap the fruits of the digital revolution but never fail to forget where we are coming from.
