Hiphop's Prodigal Sons

By Nasta
This post is about those musical  acts who would have been Hip-hop sons but got away for one reason or the other, we call them prodigal sons coz we believe that one day, just like the proverbial Jewish kid  they’ll return to our hiphop hut. 

Nyashisnki

Nyash the former Klepto member is arguably the best talent Ogopa has ever had to present if you ask me. As much as Kleptomaniacs was a predominantly commercial group with hits such as Hare and Swing Swing. There was always something about this group that made it clear to us, they wouldn’t be wiped off as part of the kapuka bandwagon. That something must had been Nyash’s lyrical delivery.

Almost single handedly this guy tackled the fiercest battle emcees at the time- FBI, head on. His opponents in FBI included the likes of Chiwawa, Chizi Noma, Wardhess, Attitude, and Bamboo amongst others.

Although his subliminal diss track Tuendelee that he did under Klepto, became a singalong to evry Tom, Dick, Harry…Jane, Daisy and Mary, Nyashisnki’s lyricism left every Hip-hop head thinking like Damn! Picture this…

“Kabla single yako ipite yangu kwa chati/

                               geuza jina, geuza flow, geuza trouser na shati/

                                   Na bado ukitoboa kuni guza ni bahati/

                                     Naroga na kihindi tena kigujarati/

                                      Yeah, zaga blow/ zigi zao zigi zao/

                                   Kutema na mimi, lazima utupe mbao/

                             Yule jamaa muli dharau saa ana spit ka binduki/

                              (za makarao) chiki plow, chiki chiki plow plow”

If that’s not proof enough that  Nyashinski is indeed a runaway Hip-hop son, then you need to pay attention to his verses in songs such as Amani’s Bad Boy, Motorola-sponsosered Tatizo and Klepto’s Bado Niko.  If you are not convinced after that then in Jay Z’s words, your whole perspective is whack.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Nonini

“Ukistaajabu ya Maina Kageni, Haukuyaskia ya mwimbaji Nonini” so goes a corrupted version of an old Swahili saying. Hubert Nakitare otherwise known as Nonini, is one man who shook the moral ground of an entire nation, and became a topic of discussion on almost every one lips. The ‘explicit’ lyrics in songs such as Manzi wa Nairobi, wee kamu and Keroro, which catapulted him to fame, became a curse that almost ended his musical career. Yet like Nas who in 2001 crawled out of the grave of a failed commercial stint, Nonini too came out of his musical depression, with a fresh sound that not only redeemed his face on the national glare, but also earned him immense respect within Hip-hop circles.

His 2005 diss track to Rufftone that he did under esoteric records alongside Walanguzi and Lord Shiri was nothing short of a Hip-hop great. And then there was Waliotuacha, Nimetoka Mbali , Hii Ngoma Ni Yako and the classic Ghetto Tale Labda ft. Jua Cali and Mahatma,  all of which had themes only synonymous to that of a Hip-hop track.

In recent times, this self proclaimed Godfather of Genge has continued to earn respect amongst Hip-hop heads, mostly for his lyrical content  in tracks like Kadhaa rmx, Heshima, Color Kwa Face and the new one  Ha-he remix.

Nonini whose musical themes revolve around Love, Hustle, struggles and respect for all, is not only doing it through records. Just over a fortnight ago he took to twitter and facebook citing lack of lyrical content as one of the troubles with the music industry. As much as all indications show that he is part and parcel of the Hip-hop movement, Nonini has decided to stick to Genge, a genre he co-founded. If this man is not a hiphop prodigal son, I don’t know  who is.

Mejja

Whether Mejja should be on this list is totally debatable, nonetheless a few of his verses makes him a suitable feature. In his 2008 Bongo La Biashara hit alongside Jua Cali, Mejja gave it his all lyrically. Coming in as an underdog and totally washing out his mentor ‘Baba yao’. 

Mejja’s lyricism might not be as complex as that of a certified Hip-hop lyricist; however his way with words is something that is undeniable.  Mejja’s wittiness always comes through regardless of the theme he rhymes about. Whether he is paying homage to his hood, recollecting thoughts after a night-out, or complaining about an obnoxious landlord, you can be assured of Mejja’s delivery.

One more thing that endears this comical genge rapper to Hip-hop lovers is his refusal to detach himself from his ghetto roots and always keeping it real. 

 

Gkon

Years back when WaPI was still at The British Council, I used to see him getting on the stage to lyrically battle other rappers. Although he was far from my favorite freestyler, I considered him an OK rapper and that’s where my thought of him took a stall. Fast forward to 2011 and Gkon reemerges, albeit not as a Hip-hop son, but a Hip-hop prodigal son.

He has been considered by many as a sell-out and as his commercial success continues to rise, his respect within Hip-hop nation keeps fading. 

E-sir

Every third month of each year, flashbacks of the untimely death of a great musical talent engulfs the minds of many Kenyan youth. It is almost a decade since the passing of E-Sir, a kid who rerouted the direction of local music. Although his allegiance was to Ogopa DeeJays-a stable viewed as the one responsible to the decline of Kenyan Hip-hop, E-Sir had a special talent that would’ve easily opened doors for him to freely mingle amongst hip-hop’s sons and daughters.

From the onset of his career E-sir earned the title ‘South C’s Finest’ from his fans, reminiscence to Brooklyn’s Finest, a title that had been reserved to a lyrical genius, the Late Notorious B.I.G (whose death anniversary incidentally falls in March). It wasn’t therefore by accident that E-Sir’s fans likened him to the legend Biggie Smalls. Just like Biggie, E-Sir had natural lyrical skill and tracks such as Jo, sare, and Lyrical Tongue twister did a good showcase of that. His track Hamnitishi ft.Talia Oyando was a very introspective track, and yet another great display from the dearly departed.

Bobby Mapesa

In a recent interview with a local press, Bobby boasted of his unmatched lyricism, a showoff that many of you reading are likely to disregard. Nonetheless, this Huruma bred rapper has had flashes of brilliance, throughout his musical career.

There you have it…so next time you meet any of these artists ask them why they decided to abandon Hiphop when they had the potential to exploit it. Others worth mentioning include Collo, Cannibal, Prezzo.