Agano Jipya: Don't Judge!!!

After being in the game for 10 years, Agano the one half of Wakamba Wawili returns after  2 years hiatus, with a debut album which will have street talking for years. The album 'Usini-judge' promises  to be one of the most  prolific albums, if the Pre-album is anything to go by, the pre-album is already out,  get a copy to get the insight of what I mean, DaKicker's Chris Prodigy had a privilege to have  a chitchat with Agano and this is how it went down. 

To the people  out there, who’s Agano?

Agano is a simple guy , down to earth. People  have the perception  that Agano  is  not  amiable, because  of the hardcore music I put out, but  I’m approachable and I’m open minded when it comes to music as long s it makes sense.

 You are doing your thing, Labala is doing his thing, are you guys planning to reunite for another album or have you guys decided to pursue solo careers?

It’s not like there is bad blood between me and Labala, Wakamba Wawili is still intact  in fact we  are planning to do a follow up to Tumesurvive kila vita, called  'Tumesurvive  Sio  Issue' ,  to add on that me and Labala  we’re like brothers.

You first came to limelight with the song “Fanya Tena” which also featured Juliani and Kitusewer how did that track mould you as an artist?

 The track gave me courage to visit the studio; it also made me more confident.

Your Lyrics are mature, assertive and street oriented, why do you think you don’t get the props you deserve, compared to artistes you clearly outclass?

 I don’t blame the  media,  I think  I’m  the one not really pushing my music,  Coz most of the times I’m indulged to other ventures  outside music, I’ve  joined forces with  other like-minded individuals and soon we’ll form a company which will be managing artists, I’ll be one of  the artists who will be managed, hence this will make it easier to  push my music.

What artists inspired you to become involved with Hip-hop?

Kalamashaka, Wu-Tang, Red & Methodman.

What’s your favorite album of all time?

Ready to die, Black out 1 & 2.

After being in the game for like 10yrs, how has your approach to making music changes?

I tend to self- educate  myself through reading books,  hence my lyrics  also have that intellectual side, also compared to the past where I used to write lyrics, nowadays I just listen to the track  and come up with like 4 bars,  than another  4 bars  and before you know it , the song is complete. 

The rap game has changed a lot in the last ten years, do you approve of what you see today as opposed to when you first started your career?

I  appreciate the change,  I don’t have the problem  with music artists  put out there whether it’s Genge or  any other genre of music as long as it’s good music, at the end of the day it’s all love.

Edu-Tainment (laughing) does it mean the album will have education and entertainment value?

Yep, the album will combine both entertainment and educational value, it will encompass both aspects.

How would you say this album is different from your previous releases?

First of all Labala will not feature on the album,  I have grown a lot since  our last album Tumesurvive Kila Vita. 

What is one thing  you want people  to understand about you as an artist and also, what do you want people to take away from  your upcoming  album ?

Basically the album will be the reflection of the title “ Usini- Judge”, in other words I’m doing my thing.

You’ve been in the game for more than a minute, are you involved with any side  businesses outside being an mc ?

I’m involved in various business ventures including running a cologne shop, designing aquariums and other businesses on the same spectrum.

Not sure if anyone has ever asked you this, but what would be Agano doing right now, if he never became a rapper?

 I would be a  Businessman.

What can Agano supporters expect with your debut album?

Expect a frank album,  I know some people will consider me  a snitch , but  if addressing the system  vices will earn me the title of a snitch I don’t care,  at the end of the day “ sisi ndio kioo cha jamii”, there will be no  water down stuff, people should  also expect grown up music, “Muziki imeenda shule”,  (laughing)  in other words Edu- Tainment. This album the lyrics are more mature, much better and well written and also the design is more enhanced.

With the likes of Octopizzo, Rabbit dominating the airwaves, do you feel threatened that your album might get lukewarm reception ?

(Assertive) Every dog has it’s day there  was a time when we were dominating the airwaves, It’s their day and  I have nothing  but love for them no jealousy tendencies, it’s all love, But do not expect me to change with the times to fit at the end of the day it’s my thing and I will not compromise or  let people’s  perception affect me. You  know some artists  try to change with the times  just to fit  in the process they compromise  originality, but  I’ll be true to me.

As far as music goes, where do you see yourself 5 yrs from now?

Every year I’m planning to be dropping a new album, outside music five years from now my business venture  will be more expanded, I’ll probably  be having kids (laughing).

(Laughing ) a  follow up to the previous question is Agano  seeing someone?

Agano is very much single, looking for the right  one (jokingly)  if you are out there  I’m looking for you my Cleopatra you better hurry.

 Will the album  feature any artists?

 The album features Roba of K-shaka, Cedric  of Tpf 1, Judge (Black duo) and other artists, thus the album will be diversified “ yaani iko na flavor zote”,  but  I would like to assure my fans that the album will be still real , the album will also portray the real Agano,  you know some people have the perception that  I’m all street and hardcore, but the album has deep tracks, tracks that  showcase the  sentimental side of Agano and to all my street fans  there’s also something for you , in other words the album is all round, but all in all it’s still real.

When is the album expected to hit the street ?

December, but  as for now the pre-album is out it features 6 tracks, the pre-album  goes for around 200, for more information you can reach me on face book or twitter.

When you and Labala released Tumesurvive  Kila Vita, you were an household name, but one thing that stands out about you is that you didn’t let the status  get into your head, you were still a humble down to earth guy, what made you not to follow the direction  most artists follow as in being carried away  by their star status?

First of all I’m human and we’re all equal before God, it doesn’t matter if you are a star or an ordinary  person in the eyes of God there’s no one superior and I also believe it’s good to give back the much love you get, leave the status behind be human  and down to earth. You know personally  I usually don’t let  star status  define me, coz the star is not the real Agano it’s the image and I prefer people  knowing me as a person  devoid of the  status, so when we meet in streets feel free  to holler  and get to know the real Agano.

Closing Remarks?

If you want something  go get it, be a go getter, Always think positive and be happy coz life is too short and don’t die if you haven’t accomplished what you want in life.

DON’T SKIM THROUGH IT, LISTEN!!!

When I mention hiphop what pops into your head? a b*tch with a thick A%$%,  a dope fiend , an illiterate nigga spittin  about  how many chicks he has boned, the imaginary Bimas and Benzes he has drove,  if this is what  goes through your mind when hiphop  is mentioned then you are suffering  from misconception  syndrome.

Before  I go on who is your favorite Hiphop artist  mmmh!!!!!, I don’t have to rattle my brain cells , I can confidently say without flinching  that you vibe to  the Lils and the soldier boys and that’s  why  when it comes  to  hiphop  concepts you are lil young. Ever had of Rakim, Nas, Tupac, Krs one, Public Enemy? Ooops!!! I’m speaking Arabic. But I don’t blame  you I blame the media for being the propagators  of the  trash, hence you are brainwashed that  life revolves  around the bubblegum  music which is played on radio,  the music videos  with video vixens under-dressed and artists  vibing to that predictable, preschool n monotonous ish of  b*ches, blunts and niggas assuming imaginary gangsta personas.

The most ridiculous thing is what I have stated above has become the trademark of hiphop, hence hiphop has been portrayed by critics as the paragon of immorality and the catalyst of moral decay. One critic argued that hiphop is “devoid of intellectual value”. The critic used artists like lil Wayne, Souljah boy, Gucci mane and artists who express the same sentiments as his basis to vilify Hiphop.

This is what I call being mentally anorexic afraid of feeding your mind. It makes me wonder do the Anti hiphop crusaders really listen to real hiphop music or do they just skim through it.

Real hiphop can be likened to the modern day Bible. I can envisage the priests and evangelists and member of the church bodies running their mouths trying to make this article illegal, but chill before you start pointing fingers. 

Hiphop is the language of the youths, the book of survival, the epitome of morality, the hope for the poor, the foundation of the less privileged and the book which encompasses the practical lessons of life. Many times there’s being a correlation between hiphop and the vices in the society-thanks to the media and the knowledge malnourished critics. 

It’s high time we say NO to the garbage played by the radio stations, I think it’s time to show love to the real stuff: Instead of seeing young girls giving birth to babies, I’d rather see a young girl grow up to a young lady mentally rich who relies on her brains not her beauty to excel. Instead of seeing young boys snatching purse and using a nine, and investing the loot on crack and cheap liquor, I’d rather see a young boy grow up to be a real man using his mind as the weapon to topple life obstacles. 

The solution is not using bullets. The solution is not entirely on the contraceptives, maybe I’m a dreamer, but I think real hiphop should be introduced to the school curriculum, maybe the society is beyond help, but I believe hiphop can play a subtle role in reviving the glimpse of the once beautiful society, as the saying goes “the journey of a million miles starts with one step”. Instead of burying hiphop into oblivion let’s give real hiphop a chance. 

Back to the die hard hiphop critics, Listen to the 90s stuff, listen to Pac, KRS- One, Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, Gangstarr…Listen! Don’t skim and maybe we can trade mental jabs. Before I sign out I would like to live you with these lines by Jigga“They say I only talk about jewels blingbling, do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?”

The Power of a Gal: Lness Launches her album

By Nasta

The calendar reads Saturday 21^st day of July 2012, the time is around half past 7pm, according to my estimate. Together with Dakika Media’s VO, we are on our way to the YMCA studios to have a brief with the DaKicker crew on how best to cover the Lness' Gal Power album launch.

We pass by the venue-Goethe Institute and as expected the event that was scheduled to start at 7pm has only a handful of souls. Ask GQ’seditor Andy Moris, and he’ll tell you it is “Hiphop Time”. The sound and light engineers are busy making sure that everything is in order, and truth be told their output is turning out to be quite commendable.

Kick a few minutes off,  and it is now quarter past eight when we make our way into the venue. Jefro of the Madlove fam has just finished praying. In the house are some of Hiphop’s respectable emcees who include Oksyde , Ekori, and Gandhi Blaka.  The DJ is busy mixing everything that is quality upbeat hiphop-mostly from the 90s. A few names are dropped and their bearers jump to the stage for some cipher session, amongst them being SoReal and Jefro. Despite the latter being gospel, he manages to drop some tight verses on Gangsta rap instrumentals, all in the glory of God’s Kingdom.

MC for the night is Pepe Haze and he does some good work keeping the audience engaged. The curtain raisers include Monaja, Radii, K47 and a host of others who have all showed up, to show nothing but love. It is now 9pm, and the energy inside the fairly small auditorium is to the roof top, but so is the heat and low is the circulation of air. 

We decide to step out for a breath of fresh air and while there,  we get to see even more familiar faces amongst them Washamba wenza, Khaligragh Jones (who had been hosted on Hot96 earlier in the day), Shaky, and a few members of the head bangaz clique-who stream out to welcome their defacto leader Kimya. 

Their activities cause quite a stir and after a few photo sessions, they go inside the auditorium. By this time there is more action on the outside than there is on the inside. VO walks to the event’s magnet, non other than Lness herself, who by this time is seated at the contact desk together with his son Paul and daughter Subira. VO proceeds to tell Lness that she is the night’s pied piper, and if she walked into the auditorium, everyone seated and standing out would follow into her footsteps. 

Before they can finish up with their brief conversation, the sound of Kimya dropping his classic Maliza Njaa, draws everyone who had stepped out back inside.

Finally the moment that for long had been waited for dawns, and Lness clutches the MIC after a meticulous intro by Pepe Haze. Everyone is looking all round like Maasai men from Rongai, trying to figure out where the Lioness is. With a mic gripped on her left hand, she emerges from the back of the crowd dressed in an almost all red everything. The crowed cheers as the Queen of Hiphop-since Nazizi went Reggae and STL techno-takes to the stage roaring with vicious rhymes that symbolizes a Hiphop emcee who has truly come of age.

She spits rhyme after rhyme, line after line, verse after verse, and track after track, much to the pleasure of those in attendance. In between her performances are appearances by featured artists amongst them Radii and K47, but the crowning moment comes when her Lion, the ever energetic His honor J.U.D.G.E  steps to the stage to help his queen tear down the party with the 2004/2005 classic hit Msanii, which was featured on Ukoo Flanii Mau Mau’s  Kilio Cha Haki album.

While holding the crowd’s attention like a gavel, and showing total disregard of any appeals to take it slow, the unforgiving judge pounces the frenzy filled crowd back into time, when he calls Shaky(Mandugu Digi) into the stage to drop one of the best Hiphop records to ever emerge from Kenya.

On realizing that we might just be tempted to party with Lness and her team all night, we decide to call it night.

Despite being an absolutely amazing show, it was saddening to see a few rappers, who presumably were not on the performance list, pestering the DJ and the MC to slot them in.

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Around Nairobi.

By Vo.

Recently luck luster music has surrounded the atmosphere and a sought of dead passion engulfed my love for the reason I color my world. Man, Kenyan music sucks!!!!!!!! I can’t stand the radio. Am sorry but I shun 1 FM from my radio frequency like the same reason they bury corpses at the cemetery let Kenyan music be there.

But that was until I ran into ‘Oksyde & Sudough – Nairobi rappers’. They sparked interest. The boys tell of the epic tale about the city of Nairobi and the taste they savor from the music that defines their world.  

I recommend this to every one that suffers from a deficiency in their music, a prescription suited to remedy that spark into their life, believe me it works. A dose of the duos song every morning and evening is meant to keep you on a reasonable music high.

Trust; justlisten……….. “Oksyde & Sudough – Nairobi rappers”