Moving Places

Sup all.

Its been a while since I did anything positive or even thought provoking on this blog. When I started out, it was going to be mainly on Kenyan Hip Hop. But of late, I havent been feeling anything on the local scene. I guess my lack of radio time or even tv time has something to do with it.

At first I never thought that putting a quality post was going to be challenging. Well, I got to admit it is especially when its on a specific topic. But lets head here, new home. I feel rejuvenated

Wacha Moto Uwake - Kalamashaka

This aint a post as such but I just thought I should share it.


I was listening to my green tape (Kshaka's Album- Ni Wakati). I call it green tape because its green in color and they never released it on CD just the tape. I heard this song 'Ni Wakati' and noticed how it fits well into the political or civil situation we are in now. I wont break it down, just listen to to the song and feel the fire.

To make an omelet, you must be prepared to break the egg. - Johnie-Kshaka.

Wish you guys a safe environment.

The Hood Attachment, The Feel Alone, The Music, The Chaos, The Politician & The Hood Detachment (Painting GRIM)

I never moved out of my hood.

I always contemplated it but certain things keep me here.

Whenever there is a gunshot, I can tell you the bullet, hit the wall, hit some wood, it hit mabati, or even worse, it hit someone.

Thats how accustomed I've become to the sounds.

I bet you, in my hood, a five year old cant tell a cock crow, but can accurately estimate the distance from where the shot was fired.

My boss always asked me to move, he now prays that something nasty happens to me and I will afford a place on Riara Road. A 15k room in Nairobi West, now easily affordable, used to sound expensive.

I aint had a girlfriend because I dont want her to come to my hood.

She wont relax to Maxwell, Corrine Bailey Rae, Thelonious Monk, Teddy Pendergrass, The Delfonics, Yanni classicals, Gladys Knight, because gunshots rent the air and are louder than my boom twaf equipment (Thanx Archer, I had to borrow that)

"Why Didnt you get a local for a mama?", You ask me, Look at my taste, not in my hood, fool.

Bunny Wailer, Mutabaruka, Luciano rule the rewind button of CD players. Not my shimmy shimmy yah, not my Strange Fruit or even my 1-A-Hewa Classics, Not my 'Ni Wakati' tape.

A commotion ensued, as he was sworn in. "Ni Kii?", a mum with a kid on her back asked her mates on the roof top of the 'Gorofa Saba Flat'.

"She is one of them!" Exclaimed one of the youths. I watched her hit the ground together with her kid. Bones crushed followed by

Silence, deathly silence, loud silence hit those us who saw it. She didnt scream, neither did the kid.

The 'statemen & women', gleed as we sang them James & Bobby Purify's hit, we are their Puppets. Well, not romantically, but in the chaos they've hidden from, when the gas hits the blind eyes.

Where is your daughter? I didn't see your son throw a brick! I saw you run into Serena when hell broke loose!"

I hug Calm. "Where've you been?" She looks at me and says, "I wont be long, not until you all agree that you must cease to be their puppets.

I aint getting rocked, not tonite, may be next month, when calm brings me frog's croaks and the ear piercing cricket sounds, how do I know them? Thank you National Geographic, thank you New Hood.

GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION

Got this video by Cham "Hip Hop Police", it’s been out for a while, but its one my favorites this year. The song is produced by Jonathan Rotem, he is done a number of trax for big heads. The best part about him is, he is South African! (Pull ya right sleeve up!). If you've been following rap from waaaay back then you must know one of the best story tellers that ever did it. Slick Rick. He is featured on the trak but I felt he wasnt given enough room. The video starts with a humorous skit that goes like

Police: There is alot metal on your neck boy!

Look like u looking for trouble

Cham: No I kna' nobody named trouble mayne

Police: dont try to smart talk me boy, I aint ya mama,

N U, shut up! n pull them pants up! (To Chams colleague)

Hey, aintchu that Chamillion that guy?

Aint he Chamillion that guy? (To his partner)

Cham: In the flesh mayne!

Police: I know U, U been makin them police songs,

am not a fan, last song was pretty big.

Howz this one gon b?

Cham: Bigger!

Police: You just called me a nigger!?

Cham: What! nah mayne u trippin I said bigger mayne. This dude's trippin mayne

Police: U just called me nigger boy

Cham: BIGGER! BIGGER!

The song is basically about people who love to talk shit about Hip Hop. If you are in anyway associated with Hip Hop then you are guilty of “murder”. . Murder in this instance was used as a metaphor like Common did with "I Used to love her" He used this to fight the stereotype that rap is about crime and being G. See the evidence collected?

“In the car we confiscated The Chronic and The Clipse
Diary that you had and all your Blueprints
On the Death Row booklet”

The chronic here being Dre's albums, the Clipse Idont have to explain. The Blueprints offcourse referring to KRS' and JayZ'. Do I have to tell you Death Row? In the skit above you can also note the heavy hypocrisy of the police. "Last song was big, howz this one gon b?" Thats the definition of .......

Another thing about this video is that guy reading the news. He’s an obvious parody of Bill O'Reilly one of the best known hip hop police. I just wish that Kenyan Videos would be creative to that level. I however love the concept of Ukoo Flani Mau Mau’s 'All over the world'.

Hip Hop in Kenya has its police too. The other day I saw some guyz on TV calling on the Government to ban the genre alongside Reggae. How are you going to ban a culture? How myopic can you be? They should know Hip Hop is bigger than they can imagine. Imagine there was no Def Jam? to quote Dre. Then you yakety yak about baning something u ain't got a clue about apart from 50's 'lollipop'

On the post below, "Questions to Mwaf..." I never got a reply but he's been making some noise somewhere on 'Nyese' in The Red Light District. Pulse also had an interview with him and had some of my questions in it. I got a problem with them though, they didnt give credit where due. The interview was conducted by a two people that I dont recall n ---g.r.e.a.m---'s name wasn't any of the two interviewers! Last year I did the piece on hip hop anniversary and it was their story!

On some other fronts, the dumbest thing I've heard lately was blubbered by one Esther Kahumbi a reporter with KTN doing a story about a fire in some slum somewhere in Lunga Lunga. Here is what she said "An electric fault was ruled out as the cause of the fire as the area is not connected with power!"

Questions to Mwafrika: Do You have answers?

Am a big fan of real hip hop and I really felt it when you left YFM. Since then hip hop has kind of been dead, few people know whats happening out there.

What happened to hiphop nites? I know its expensive to run it but the fans were willing to support it. I remember meeting guyz from as far as El-d, Embu on those nights.

You at one time had big planz to have Talib, Mos Def, Immortal Technique come to Kenya. Why did you kill this dream? coz to your fans, the dream is kinda dead? Do you still have contact with Knaan and should we expect you to have a collabo with him and when will this be?

There is SHIKA DVD II, I have searched fro this DD in most stores in town and I cant find it. Where can I get a copy and how come you never publicized the SHIKA DVDs. Why didnt try to have in Nu-Metro or any other shop?

I have been very worried by your silence I have been expecting to hear something from you. I have your entire mixtape with Muki and I really enjoy it. I'd like to know what you've been up to.

I'd also love to hear your comments on eclipsing of Kshaka by Wenyeji as the lead group. I am worried about them not having an album in years or even a hit single. Though I have some reliable news that their album is in the works.
Why do you think Johnie of Kshaka likes to remain eerie avoiding press and videos from the MAU MAU camp and why do you think Kshaka (all three) didnt have a single in the album Dandora Burning? I have a feeling there is some infighting among themselves. Kamaa, what are your thought on him? Whats does it mean about him featuring in most of Mau Mau trax than any other member of Kshaka?

What are your thoughts on Wenyeji's & Mashiftaz new albums?

I know you have a feeling Doobeez lost it but to me I think he is the local equivalent of ODB or Redman. Comment.

Chiwawa is also said to be doing an album, are you going to eat a humble pie and guest star if he invited you?

Black Duo, do you think they'll ever wake up again? Were these guyz real they appeared to be?

STL, L-Ness, Nazizi which of this ladies would be willing to work with and why or why not?

Wakamba Wawili, I feel them, we feel them, do you think they are worth the salt?

What new local hard hitters, undergrounds, are out there that we don't know about?

If you are doing an album which local rappers would you like to have in it?

Most of us rely on Pulse and Buzz to get the latest on any artist, whats hot, whats new on local hip hop. Do you think they are doing a good job? If not, what should we do about it?

Whats your favorite radio show at the moment? Are you still a fan of Eve-D Souza's Hits not Homework and do you think its still the show it was years ago?

Internationally, which are your most anticipated albums this year? Personally I am waiting eagerly for 8 Diagrams, I read an interview about it do you think this will put Wu back on the map? The title is very well thought what do you think?

You have good judgment and you know much about hip hop, I'd like to hear your insight on all this.

Prison Thriller Dance

I was looking around in youtube and got this video that I thought was nice and very positive. Its about prisoners in a Philippines' correctional facility. Its not only funny but it had me feeling that this was not just a jail, its really a correctional facility. The perfection is also amazing! This one is a remake of Micheal Jackson's thriller. They have also done Sister Act, Black Eyed Peas among others. I wonder if we should wait for Sarafina! I just hope they dont watch prison Break they could perfect it to. I couldn't embed it so follow the links.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o

I was thinking, shouldn't the warden of this prison get an award of some kind?

If Wayne & Ja Were Put in The Same Cell

I dont like Wayne but he does have some good lines in his rhymes at times. Pictures this one from the song 'Neck of The Wood'. "Your face gets buttoned up and you look like a Jay Z shirt" Now For those of you not inclined to the hiphop matrix, let me break it down for you. "Face gets buttoned up" is when you get shot in the head. "You look like a Jay Z shirt" is even a deeper line. Remember when Jay used to put on those colored Hawaii shirts? well, when you get shot, and blood spatters, you get colored like that Jay Z shirt. Get it? Any one including KRS and Nas will tell you that was smart.

With Ja, he to is smart with the lines but I hate the way he changed his subject matter. Those of who got a copy and listened to Venni Vetti Vecci will tell you Ja got it wrong when he started doing rap with babes and doing the singing.

Now if Ja was put in the same Cell as Wayne this is what would get down.

Lil Wayne: What's your name?
Ja Rule: Jeffrey.
Lil Wayne: You lookin' kinda sweet there.
Ja Rule: Don't talk to me, bitch.
Lil Wayne: I think you're hot.
Ja Rule: That better be my career you are talking about.
Lil Wayne: Let me kiss you.
Ja Rule: What are you, some kind of fag?
Lil Wayne: HELL YEAH
Ja Rule: OFFICERS! GET ME THE FUCK OUTTA HERE, PLEASE! I have a wife to come home to.
Lil Wayne: But you are my type, you're all man.
Ja Rule: Officers, I will snitch on whatever you want, just get me away from this bitch!
Officers: All right, come with us.
Lil Wayne: See you soon, honey(smooches)!
Ja Rule: Go fuck yourself.

I think that was funny..........

GUESS WHOZ BIZACK

It feels like.......I dont even know how to put it! I have been busy, I have been money hungry (that contributed big time to my being away), I have been lazy, but definitely not out of touch with how things are. I really want to come back but I need some anti-lazy pills.

Has anyone listened to Siku Njema or the lyrical mashifta's Mashifta Volume II? Those are classics I guarantee. Full review will come shortly need to oil my writing. Its abit rusty. or more like a car that hasnt been started in 5 months! Get the welcome back committee ready.


It feels sooooo goooooood 2 be back!