Ambition of Wannabe Millionaires

HAVE YOU HEARD KENYAN ROCK?

Finally an original Kenyan Rock Band. Apart from my dream of retiring as a multi-millionaire at 40(check out City Boys In The Country, category: Leo Mtaani), my other dream is attending a live concert by a major Rock Band(U2, System of A Down, Evanescence or American Rejects). I just want to see the drummers and guitarists doing their wild flips and churning concoctions of crazy rhythms. The grapevine around town is that we have our own rock band known as Fret Wire. They don’t concentrate on cover versions but write their original music. They also have an album out.

The closest that I have come to a rock concert was at the Extreme Weekends that I used to attend while in High School. There was a Christian Rock band that brought the house down and ever since my dream has been to attend a huge rock concert. For now Fret Wire will do. I read in te papers that they entertain revelers in Karen,
Nairobi. If you know exactly where they perform please tell me the following:

·        Which venues they perform and when

·        The price of beer in those venues (I don’t want to by pint at KSh.180 a bottle)

·        Entrance fee, if there is any.

·        And… if the Fret Wire performance deserves the entrance fee and expensive beer

STARLY DIVA

 Nyota ndogo (small star) has been getting more beautiful with each new single that she releases to the market. The latest ‘Watu na Viatu’ is a melodic mix of African instrumentation and excellent vocals by the diva. This comes after her notable hit collabos with Nonini and Mr. Blue(TZ). Soon she will have to change her name to Nyota Kubwa. She rose from the dusty world of a housemaid to being a vocalist that could be mentioned in the same breath as the best Bongo has to offer. The new single shows her ability to appeal both to the young and old. With the right promotion, it might propel her to the international realm.

AMANI: LOVESTORIES FOR TEENS

The First lady of Ogopa DJs seems to have specialized in the teen audience. Her ‘Bad Boy’ single, which earned her and Nyash of Klepto a Chaguo la Teeniez award, had a nursery rhyme jingle to it as most Ogopa productions have. Si uliskia “Oya mabeshte Oya” from that so-called rapper who over-smiles in his vid clip. Her current ‘Tamani’ reminds me of my infatuations back in primary school but I’m not complaining. She should try her hand at writing books for teens, a Kenyan Mills & Boon. If  Madonna can do it then surely, Amani can.     

MWAFRIKA AFIKA

The Kenyan hip-hop freestyle king has finally appeared in a music vid in which he spits a few bars. Together with Muki Garang, these two Kenyan MCs do justice to a track with the same title. It is done in typical hip-hop fashion and highlights the plight of the oppressed. The lyrics scope from political to social issues. Finally I repeat finally…we are heading somewhere in hip-hop after riding on the wave of Ukoo Flani, Doobiez  a.k.a Abbas and Chiwawa.