(Kenyan Hip Hop/Genge Song & Video) Femi One Featuring Mejji - "Utawezana" ("You Will Be Able To")

Femi One, April 1, 2020

Statistics as of August 8, 2020 at 8:48 AM EDT
Total # of views- 8,185,702
Total # of likes -110K
Total # of dislikes-5K
Total # of comments-8,891

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the hit 2020 Kenyan Genge track "Utawezana" by Femi One featuring Mejja.

Selected comments from the official YouTube video of this track are included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Femi One and Mejja for their musical legacies. Thanks to all those who are associated with this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post

****
INFORMATION ABOUT FEMI ONE
From https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/femi-one.html
Birthday - April 25, 1994

Birthplace: Nairobi, Kenya


About

Kenyan rapper who is known for putting out tracks such as "Usiku Mchana" and "Pilau Njeri". Her real name is Wanjiku Kimani. 

One of her earliest releases was the song "Alejandro" which came out in April 2013." 

****
INFORMATION ABOUT MEJJA *

From https://mdundo.com/a/7

Mejja (Calif Records)

"‘Mejja’ Memme Hadija is one of Kenya’s leading artists in Genge music, and is famously known for comical interpretations of his songs in music videos. The rapper, who discovered his talent at a young age, was prompted to take music seriously after he emerged second overall in an Airtel talent show winning Ksh20, 000. He is signed under Calif Records and through the label he has been able to produce some major hits like Kuliendaje, which won him a Chaguo La Teeniz award in 2008, Niko Poa, Landlord and Furahia.

-snip-
*This is an old review of Mejji when he was associated with Calif Records.  

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
"Utawezana" is a dialogue between a young woman who asks the music celebrity Okonkwo (another name that Mejja is known by) whether he is able to "handle her" because he is overweight i.e.  He has a big belly. 

...."Okonkwo with a big belly, you can? (I can)

When I give you, will you make it? (Yes I will)"...

WARNING:  Many commenters in this video's discussion thread wrote that they like "Utawezana" because of its beat, but don't know what it's about.  Although the song's video isn't sexually explicit and the  song's English translation of the Sheng and Swahili might not be considered to be dirty, a number of commenters wrote that the song is actually quite "vulgar".
-snip-

Click https://afrikalyrics.com/femi-one-utawezana-translation for an English translation of this song.

Read more comments about this song below. All comments in this pancocojams post are profanity free and free of sexually explicit content.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kl3Cap-NzQ

I didn't read all of these comments, but I read A LOT of them.

DISCLAIMER: I don't speak any language but English. I've added some Google translate Swahili to English translation for certain words although I'm aware that Google translate results may not be correct. I've also read (from this video's discussion thread) that this song also includes Sheng words. 

Additions and corrections for these definitions are very welcome.

I also added some information about the name "Okonkwo" (another referent for the Kenyan performer Mejja) below the comment given as #6.

All of these comments are from April to August 7, 2020. These comments are given in chronological order with the "oldest" comments given first except for replies. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.


1. Thomas Agwata

"first one to comment koz MEJA is still king of gengetone from the old school genge. like hapo down ma fans wote wa gengetone.piga like na reply"

-snip-

I believe that the last part of this comment is a request for that commenter's "fans" to click the like icon below the comment.

**

2. Ray Max

"Mejja was the best break out superstar when he joined the industry...This is mejja that we know...lyrical and best word play...huyu wa kansoul ni mejja different.. congratulations to femi one, still the best female MC."

-snip-
I think that comment in Swahili means that Mejji [as he performs in The Kansoul trio] is different than the Mejja who performed as a solo artist.

**.

REPLY

3. gworoh evance

"thought so too...mejja was biiiiig alone..Kansoul imemdilute"
-snip-
I can't find the definition for "imemdilute", but my guess is that it means the group should break up/end.

**
REPLY

4. victor nderu

"Mejja is being limited by The Kansoul

This guy is much better on his own."

**
REPLY
5. sadam ali

"Mahn that is true, Okwonko on his own is the best,,ata ivo hii song ni tamu

-snip-
"Mahn" is a stylized spelling for the colloquial referent "man".

Google translate from Swahili to English for "ata ivo" = "this song is sweet"
-snip-
-snip-
The Kansoul is a Kenyan Gengetone music group formed in 2014 that consists of Mejja (Okonkwo), Kid Kora, and Madtraxx.

Click https://www.nation.co.ke/kenya/life-and-style/showbiz/it-s-time-for-mejja-to-leave-the-kansoul-74652  for the August 2018 Kenyan article "It's time for Mejja to leave The Kansoul". 
I'm not sure if he has fully left that group, but his fans seem to be really pleased with his performance with Femi One as they wrote that his performance in this collaboration is the Mejja who they love from his solo performances.

**

6. edwin opondo
"Okonkwo indeed he's a genge legend..wapi likes za mejja"

-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English "wapi za mejja" = where likes of mejia"
I think this commenter is asking people to click the "like" icon below his comment "for  Mejja".

"Okonkwo" is a nickname for Mejja. I'd love to know how he got this nickname. Did Mejja chose it for himself? Was this a character in one of his songs? Or did Mejja chose that name because of its connection to Chinua Achebe's character in his now classic novel "Things Fall Apart"?   

Here's 's a description of "Okonkwo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_Fall_Apart

"Okonkwo, the protagonist, has three wives and ten (total) children, and becomes a leader of his clan. His father, Unoka, was weak and lazy, and Okonkwo resents him for his weaknesses: he enacts traditional masculinity. Okonkwo strives to make his way in a culture that traditionally values manliness."-snip-
" "Okonkwo" is an Igbo (Nigerian) name that means " "born on Nkwo" in Igbo, Nkwo being one of the days of the Igbo  week"
https://www.behindthename.com/name/okonkwo#:~:text=Meaning%20%26%20History,days%20of%20the%20I

**
7. Moh Ahmed

"If Mejja had stayed by himself since Calif records went down he would be up there with the Best, But again how the Industry went from 2008 to 2015 i don't know if he would have survived without the Kansoul all said and done, Mejja is the only artist that Lyrically sounds Kenyan. Gives me home vibes 🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪"

**
REPLY
8. Bank Roll

"Ukweli"

-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English= "the truth"

**

REPLY
9. jeff oukoh

"Truth be told, he is not catching up with the new face of music. This is what has been letting Kenyans down."

**
REPLY
10. Yusra ali

"Mejja is a GOAT still here thru it all boss"

**
REPLY
11. poet starknow TV

"@jeff oukoh originality, not flowing with the wave"

**
REPLY
12. Artik

"opinion"

**
REPLY
13. Peter Gathiaka

"mejja is the King"

**
REPLY
14. Bryan Mulwa

"I disagree. A lot of our local artists sound Kenyan. But I like Mejja."

**
REPLY
15. Daniel Yego

"He wouldn't be up there with the best. When Gospel music took over, secular artists suffered in this industry...most of them went under. But mejja was smart, the kanseoul was his lifeline."

**
REPLY
16. jeff oukoh

j"@poet starknow TV let's see what originality will do. But honestly he need to do something"

**
REPLY
17. Moh Ahmed

"@jeff oukoh He was famous in the hood in 2005 he didn't even make it Nairobi yet, man used to rap, sing them days, He used to take part in Nyeri town competitions at a very young age and he eventually won a chance to record at Calif Records the rest is history. HE came along long way.. Seeing him surving and still being here today is a testament to his adaptability to every wave that came along all that period. A Legend in his own rights, Love and respect to all that agreed"

**
18. Tom Keybet

"Now this is the Mejja from back in the dayz.... We had missed this Mejja.... Ngoma... 🔥🔥🔥🔥"

**
19. Waziri Mshefa

"Meja has switched back to factory setting wachana na gengetone"

- snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English-
"wachana na" = "let go of"

My interpretation of the phrase "switched by to factory setting" in this comment is that that is something good, i.e. Mejja returned to the performance style that he was previously known for. 

**
REPLY

20. Lameck Nyaga

"But this is gengetone..."

**

REPLY

21. Lameck Nyaga
"Isn't this still gengetone?! 🤔 Here is where he belongs though!"

**
REPLY

22. Chris TMT

"@Lameck Nyaga this is Genge ile ya kina Jua Cali and not new generation Gengetone!"

-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English
"Ile ya kina" =  that of depth [of Genge recording artist] Jua Cali 

**

23. Topic 254

"I missed story telling za Meja...this song is dope👌..okonko go back to this kind of music pliz"

**
REPLY
24. SENIOR TV

"True...mejja is back"
** 

REPLY
25. etalanta 

"now this is Meja a story teller"

**
26. Bongo updatesTV

"Femi and Rosa ree are the only female rappers who represent East African hip hop to the international level. Sending love ❤️ from Tanzania 🇹🇿"

**
REPLY

27. LARRY ACHIYA

"Petra...she's bigger"

**

28. Peter Nduati

"Not the type of music I would listen but I had to come watch the video after the young lady Azziad TikTok post.  Demonstration of how integration of social media can drive purchase. I doubt it was planned and if it was, great plan"

**
29. Victor Legacy IT""Mejja & Femi one Good stuff, However this ka gal Azz_iad should just get a share she advertised this Vybe bigtime. mpee kitu please she deserves a medal."

-snip-
Google translation from Swahili to English for "mpee kitu" = "give him something"
-snip-
Corrected gender: give her something

**
30. VicSeezzo

"Azz Tiktok has done more marketing for this song than any social platforms, gift her"

** 
31. Johnstone Rotich

"AZZiad GOLDEN SMILE .....SO perfect🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

**
REPLY
32. obwaya maryanne

"Me i had to check it out in someway she made us know this song"

**
REPLY
33. Lauryn wambui

"She is the reason we are all here😂😂😂😂"

**
REPLY

34. juddie shiroh

"Same.I didnt even know of this song till I saw her."

**
REPLY
35. HEALTH & WEALTH SECRETS

"In fact she is burning"

**
REPLY
36. Mesh Mogana

"me here, i had to see this song"

**
REPLY
37. denzy_beats

"Same 😂"

**

REPLY

38. Joslin Malongo

"She’s the reason am here .they should give her kitu kidogo since she made the song popular"

-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English
"kitu kidogo"= little thing [meaning “a little bit of money as a token of their appreciation”

**

39. MR BLOOM KENYA

"UTAWEZANA - ft the Sexy TIKTOK Girl

Dancer

 AZZIAD NASENYA

WATCH 👉    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ6iCruAI5Y&feature=youtu.be - WE MASKINI UTAWEZANA..?"

-snip-
That YouTube video of Azziad dancing is now unavailable due to a copyright claim by Femi One.

I learned about Femi One featuring Mejja's video "Utawezana" from the African American vlogger Big Ralph who hosts That Fire LA (TFLA)  vlog. Here's a link to that video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRrB0IBfxAI&t=42s " BEST OF AZZIAD NASENYA TIK TOK DANCING VIDEOS! BTG NEWS | THAT AMERICAN REACTION". 

**
REPLY

40. REPLYChris Oghenetega Maloney

"edwin opondo who’s okonkwo?

 **
REPLY

41. edwin opondo

"@Chris Oghenetega Maloney mejja of kansoul

 
**
42. Docter love

"Finally the mejja who first won our hearts is back.... Majengo"

**

43. rotich kalya
"Kansoul has slowed down Okwonkwo. He is undisputably one of the best story telling artists and a smart lyricist. he's gelled well with Femi uno"

**

44. Ateef Dawood
"Growing up been a fan of meja fav track landlord 😅😂 love all the way from 🇹🇿🇹🇿🇹🇿🇹🇿"

**
45. Oliver Sagala

"From 'landlord' now 'Utawezana'big up mejja; it's 🔥🔥🔥"

**
46. steve omondi

"Old Mejia is back 😂😂, comedy and lit music all in on"

**
47. bo deplora

"🇺🇬#trending 10

🇰🇪#trending 1

🇹🇿#trending 4

Huu mziki ni ya afrika mashariki 🔥🔥
-snip-
Google translate from Swahili to English: "This music is from east africa"

UG= Uganda
KE= Kenya
TZ= Tazania

**
REPLY

48. Amani Longishu

"🇹🇿no 3🔥🔥"

**

49. Mustaqiim Abdiqani
"I don't understand any word but the song is very sweet greet from your neighbour country #somalia."

** 

REPLY

50. Peter makau mutuku

"Its a Swahili song.The girl is asking the guy whether he can manage to sleep with her with that beer belly..."

**
51. Bling chris Brown

"Femi One😍😍😍😍😍"

**
52. Ken Junior

"Femi one ur the baddest , this is a smash hit...."

**
53. M. Malet

"This song is killing it out here 🇲🇱"

-snip-
ML= Mali

**
54. Angelee Peele

"Don't understand the words but I love it 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲"

-snip-
"JM" = Jamaica

**

55. Franklin Kasongo

"Iyi ngoma ni kali saaana, hata Bujumbura tutawezana...welcome Ms Femi

This dance is so intense, even in Bujumbura we can get along."
-snnip

Bujumbura- largest city and main port of Burundi (in east-central Africa

**
56. Abdul Ssewanyana

"I don't know this kiswahili but just enjoying the rhythm"

**
REPLY57. Martin Makau

"It's safer that way 😅"

**

58. owiny innocent kidega

"Love from China Wuhan"

**

59. Ifechukwu Uche Onyilofor

"Much love from Nigeria, the beat is too fire🔥🔥🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬"

**
60. Bonface M'Etharia

"Kali sana  drop the best sasa @femi one"
-snip-

Google translate from Swahili to English
"Kali sana" = very strong; "sasa"= "now" 

**

61. kalibouy kalibouy

"Am from Malaysia this song is fire 🔥🔥"

**
62. michael gichia

"Funny, got interested in the jam after it was banned."

**

63. Eddy Mswazi TV

"Who are these people and Ezekiel Mutua saying that this song has no content😁 don’t they know that i got to learn a new vocabulary here. Now i can tell my crush that she is “Flattering” me🙈🙊"

**
64. Justin Biketi

"From the Beat, Bars , Chemistry and Video is just LEGEND!! Respect Mejja X Femi1. OFFICIAL KENYAN ANTHEM"

**
65. Samuel Oduor

"Actually am here after hearing that KFCB chair Mr Ezekiel got pissed off by the song    anyway am short of words. Good work but I'll say it's for this current crazy generation"

-snip-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_Film_Classification_Board
The Kenya Film Classification Board (abbreviated as KFCB) is a state corporation that operates under the Government of Kenya whose mandate is to "regulate the creation, broadcasting, possession, distribution and exhibition of films by rating them."[1] The Board … has since involved itself in the rating and classification of films and television programmes"...

**

66. Kaone

"Actually this is kiswahili mixed with sheng. Sheng is slang or street language mostly spoken in eastlands Nairobi and ghetto. I     am from Nairobi and I understand but I don't speak sheng.hapo anasema fungua bonnet toa screw hata sielewi yuwamaanisha bonnet gani . I either speak kiswahili or English."

 -snip-

Google translation -Swahili to English translation

"then he says open the bonnet remove the screw even I don't know what the bonnet means"
-snip-
This commenter may have been facetious when he or she wrote this because even this African American grandmother who only speaks English can guess what that "open the bonnet etc." sentence means.

**
67. The princess

"Ghosh kumbe the song is so dirty!"

**
68. ismahaan hassan

"someone can translate what the say 🤐🤐🙄🙄🙄"

**

REPLY

69. Micky stinger

"Its a dialogue  where a woman is asking the man if he can manage to handle her"

**
70. George Kimani

"Who would have thought genge would go international one day! I was alive when it happened."

**
71. Kamala Black

"I'm jamaican don't understand one word lol but I love this song its lit🔥🔥🔥🔥vibes on point"

**
72. Alice Maina

"Mejja is like a cat with 9 lives... He goes down the rises up blazing with absolutely mellowing tunes.... Big up mejja big up femi one ❤️❤️❤️❤️"

**
73. Stanley Dadaille

"I don't understand anything, I just feel everything..."

**
74. Tumi Tladi

"I love you Femi, I dont even understand you but I dig your style, all the way from Pretoria S.A"

**
75. P-South Beats

"Much love from USA❤️ I don't understand the language but I know haga means conversation"

**
76. Deborah Njeri

"😂😂😂😂 haga means "ass"

**
REPLY
77.Jackie Mukolwe

"Haga means ass Kenyan slang."

**
78. Neil K. Patel

"this track if FIRE! what's a Tambla in English?"

**
REPLY
79. Naomi Wanganga

"Plastic ' glass' used when taking alcohol the one mejja is drinking from"

**
REPLY
80. Sasha Lillian

"Tumbler"

**
81.

Mary Maina

"Mejja uko juu !!!!kip up the gud work n continue entertaining us with ur gud music !!!Allah akupe miaka mingi ya kuendeleza talanta yako ya muziki ,mi napenda ngoma zako sana,all the way from embu !!!mtoto wa khadija mola akubariki!!!!"

-snip-
"Mejja is on top !!!! kip up the gud work n continue entertaining us with ur gud music !!! May Allah give you many years to develop your musical talent, I love your dances so much, all the way from embu !!! khadija mola bless you !!!!"

-snip-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embu_das_Artes
"Embu das Artes, previously and commonly known simply as Embu, is a Brazilian municipality in the State of São Paulo. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo.[2] The population is 261,781 (2015 est.) in an area of 70.40 km².[1]

Its history brought it an unexpected specialization as a city for artists. This has paid tourism dividends to the city."

**
82. Ntate Makonyane

"South Africa 🇿🇦 approves 🔥🔥🔥 I don’t understand the language but the song is fire 😅🤞🏼 LOVE 🤝"

**
83. akasha elvo

"Pure Talent....Big ups!!"

**
84. Kuria Mbugua

"The baseline in these beats is massive!!!"

**
85. kyngNick
"This Bangs🔥🔥🔥.The beat reminds me of a Dancehall song here in Jamaica🇯🇲🇯🇲"

**
86. Yun wezy

"I luv this song but damn I don’t even understand the language, one luv from a west African bro base in France 🇱🇷🇫🇷, Africa to the world 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾"

**

87. Noor Mak

"not many kenyan projects cross to ug🇺🇬 but this banger is in its own league. i cant understand the lyrics but i dance to this. love u kenya🇰🇪🇰🇪"

**
88. Rayne Davey

"WAGWAN

MEJJA"
-snip-
"Wagwan" originated as a Jamaican Patois term for the greeting "What's going on?" ("What's happening?") and has spread to other nations from there.

**
89. JEROME BARTHELEMY

"i understand nothing but VIBE is so good !!!!!!!!!!!!"

**
90. kulothungan kulothungan

"Watching from India..I love Kenyan swahili"

**
91. Richard Mugendi
"I love this song...too much creativity" -snip- In standard American English, "too much" is usually a criticism, but in this comment "too much means "a lot of". **** Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.

Comments About Kenya's Genge Music & Gengetone Music Genres (From A July 27, 2020 That Fire LA Reaction Discussion Thread)

That Fire LA, July 27, 2020

Just giving y’all more content. Link to original video: https://youtu.be/VAyd4PZEMo0
-snip-

Here's information about that video that is the subject of the reaction:

The Story behind........ Gengetone

Nina form, Feb. 12, 2020

Africa has had a rise in emerging sounds and in Kenya, Gengetone is dominating the airwaves. Question is will it grow big enough to dominate the African sound or even the international market or will it die a slow death? In this episode, we look at the birth of Gengetone, its growth and where it currently stands.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcase a That Fire LA reaction video of a Kenyan vlog about the history of Kenya's Genge and Gengetone music genres.

Selected comments from that reaction video's discussion thread are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and historical purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Nina form, That Fire LA, and all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/two-excerpts-of-online-articles-about.html for a pancocojams post entitled "Two Excerpts Of Online Articles About Kenya's Gengetone Music".

Also, click the Genge, Gengetone, and Gengetrap tags below for more pancocojams posts on these subjects.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THAT FIRE LA'S VIDEO DISCUSSION THREAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7VzoXlxu44

All of these comments were published between July 27, 2020 and August 2, 2020 at 6:00 PM EDT. These comments are presented in chronological order with the "oldest" comments given first. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. Ian Leeroy
"Gengetone emerged from an old genre known as genge"

**
REPLY
2. kelvin k
"True"

**
3. Mwenye Kiti
"Kudo!!, this dude did his research right. I grew at the time  when genge and Kapuka  was taking off in Kenya and my goodnesses the reception was not a good one. Simply because most  lyrics in the songs were vulgar and  our parents were not ready to hear none of that. But after awhile, with persistent and consistency, Genge and Kapuka was slowly accepted. This opened doors to many new artist in the industry lead by Nonini and Jua Kali. Actually Nonini is the pioneer of Genge. He is known as the Godfather of Genge. He is the guy who got all the "beating"

Another artist worth mentioning in Kapuka is Nameless. Him and his Ogopa DJs lifted Kapuka high . To date,  Nameless together with his wife wahu are still relevant to Kapuka though she, the wife, is into gospel nowadays. They are blessed with two beautiful kids and I think should react to some of their  songs most of  which are patriotic and family friendly.

Though am a bit older now I still find Gengetone fascinating. The beats are on  another level. The only challenging thing is understanding they lyrics simply because they use Sheng and Sheng changes so quickly. The Sheng I use to speak is not the one the speak nowadays. The words and their meanings changes within days if not hours. So Ralph good luck keeping up with sheng haha!”…
-snip-
Here's some information about Kenya's Kapuka music from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomba_music
"Boomba music, also referred to as kapuka (due to the beat pattern; not to be confused with kapuka rap), is a form of hip pop music popular in Kenya. It incorporates hip hop, reggae and African traditional musical styles. The lyrics are in Swahili, Sheng or local dialects. It is associated with the Ogopa Deejays and is believed to have originated in the late 1990s with artists such as Redsan, Bebe Cool and Chameleone. It went on to dominate East African airwaves (especially Kenya and Uganda) after the release of the Ogopa Deejays' first album in 2001, which included artists such as the late E-Sir, Nameless, Mr. Lenny, Amani, Mr. Googz and Vinnie Banton amongst others.

The over-saturation of playlists with this music style caused some to criticise it, including the artists K-South who had a hit titled "Kapuka This, Kapuka That". This^{[clarification needed]} also led to other styles such as genge music being formed by producer Clemo to diversify the market. Despite the critics the music continues to be very popular in Kenya although more so now in Uganda. Of late, "genge" has also come to refer more generally to boomba and "kapuka" music."... 

**
4. Njeri M
"Hey Ralph. Genge is actually a Swahili word meaning ‘Gang’.

Some of the names mentioned on this vlog are from artists from back in the days who were signed up to Calif Records, which was huge back then. Some of those artists in Calif Records considered themselves as a part of a ‘genge’.

Soon after, I’d say in mid 2000s, ‘Reggae-ton’ music from Jamaica became huge here in Kenya. So just recently, people like Ethics came up with the Genge-ton music..a fusion of genres of Kenyan music, and their own unique style. “…

**
5. Greg Stephen
"The guy has some background knowledge on KE music. I think Gengetone is more like Reggaeton done in a Kenyan. The influence of Jamaican riddim is on the nasty lyrics and ratchet videos. The only association they have with the old Genge music is from the fact that they all come from Eastlands which is mostly ghetto."

**
6. Piman Mann Jaques
"Sounds like reggaeton using Kenyan lyrics. Not too original."

**
7. Mark Bosire
"A lot of creativity in gengetone but limited theme...sex & weed... Kenyan Music come with uncertain expiry dates"

**
8. Emmy K
"You just been given the history of gengetone..checkout and react to the older versions Kapuka and genge. For night life in Nairobi wetlands has a strip of clubs..B-Club is the hot spot"
-snip-
The comment about the Kenyan clubs was in response to a question Big Ralph (That Fire LA host) asked. 

**
9. Kennedy Mwangi
"he is spitting  truth boy has done his homework well"

**
10. Arthur Adinda
"With the right exposure to the international stage, Gengetone will be a trademark genre from Kenya, just like Gqom, Kwaito and the rest"

**
11. Mutegi Kanana
"That Makmende vid was the 1st kenyan video to go viral........ Within I guess 24hrs.... It ws featured on CNN"

**
12. Otieno
"Gengetone originated from Genge producer: Clemo and main artist were Jua Cali, Nonini, Flex which was crazy back in the mid 2000's and gengetone has a future it won't stop cause it can't stop and E-Sir is a legend Bamboo and Abbas were also 💥 back in the day... Makmende was Kenya's version of Chuck never watched your video this early must be the timing"
-snip-
My guess is that "Chuck" mentioned in this comment is Chuck D, "an [African] American rapper, author, and producer.^[1] As the leader of the rap group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav,^[2] Chuck D helped create politically and socially conscious hip hop music in the mid-1980s."...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_D#:~:text=Carlton%20Douglas%20Ridenhour%20(born%20August,music%20in%20the%20mid%2D1980s.

**
13. Stephen Kyenze
"It's true Genge was Born in Calif Records, which included the likes of #JuaCali #Nonini and #Mejja.

And it ws produced by #Clemo #BeatyaClemo"

**
14. Gathenya Kamau
"CTA- Clearing The Airwaves has good coverage of the history of various of genres of Kenyan music 🎶.

**
REPLY
15. Victor Dali
"True 💯 CTA is dope history...

**
16. Samwel N
"Ethic type of Gengetone may not last unless it slightly evolves to embrace the fact that corporates in Kenya are key to sustaining the music industry. A slight tweak to match the Chris Kaiga brand of gengetone will suffice.
**17. FT Maren"Well if yo gonna do an analysis of our music and history come correct, i give him a 40/100"

**
18. Coffee Radio
"Gengetone is Just Kapuka, Periodt. Same same Kapuka started by Nameless, Got a swing by Jomino, Then Grandpa, The Kansoul, Timmy Tdat timez, Then it got a new Name. Nothing New"

**
19. ale key
"I feel like gengetone won't last.. because these days anyone can just hop in the stu and drop a gengetone as long as the beats are right... Genge needed one to actually be talented"

**
20. Master Wong
"You should react to #For the culture festival,the best genge tone fest to date."

**
21. Clement Gitonga
"Genge in Swahili means a large grouping (of people in this case) so Genge music from back in the day was music for the masses, hence Gengetone would fall in the same lines... music for the masses"
**Edge T"This guy has a done a good job on history of gengetone in addition to some questions"

1. The part he talks about chris brown's 90 mil ($900k) payday in kenya answers another question you asked in the reaction for micasa sucasa by khaligraph where he mentions the same issue and talks of how kenyans dont appreciate kenyan.

2. Please react to the Makmende song.  Very few people realise this but makmende is the ONLY kenyan superhero. The song seemed to kinda mimic a shaftlike 70s themed badass.

3. Genge came about to give kenyan music a name and was proposed by the calif records guys but some players dint see the vision. That said, genge and gengetone are not the same. Genegtone by design is (as put in there) very ratchet, while Genge wasnt. I guess gengetone is a version of genge like mumble rap is a subset of rap.

4. Finally, gengetone will not have another 5 yrs. If you listened to the guy who did the video, kenyans go through genres of music periodically... We had the kwaito season, edm season, dancehall season and rhe always returning bongo season. Its gengetone season now but one thing is for sure.. Kenyans are loving and appreciating kenyan entertainment more than ever and whatever will come next will be equally loved"

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Two Excerpts Of Online Articles About Kenya's Gengetone Music

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents excerpts from two online articles about Kenya's Gengetone music genre.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and historical purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to  Barbara Wanjala and thanks to Elizabeth Musyimi, the authors of these articles and thanks to these articles' publishers.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/08/comments-about-kenyas-genge-music.html for an August 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Comments About Kenya's Genge Music & Gengetone Music Genres (From A July 27, 2020 That Fire LA Reaction Discussion Thread)"

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EXCERPT #1: 

from https://www.themantle.com/arts-and-culture/play-i-some-music-gengetone-music "PLAY I SOME MUSIC, THIS GENGETONE MUSIC: An examination of Gengetone and the future of Kenyan music By Barbara Wanjala 

Note: No date was cited for this article. However, the article includes references to 2019.
I retrieved this article on July 20, 2020.

"A new musical wave, dubbed Gengetone, has been gaining momentum and shifting the tides for Kenyan audiences. Young MCs, each with a signature flow, deliver rhymes in sheng – a mix of English, Kiswahili and other Kenyan languages – over pulsating electronic beats. The typical hit is a synthesis of Kenyan-style dancehall and rap, an amalgam born of Jamaican and American influences. The eminently danceable hits feature clever and often risqué wordplay and catchy hooks. The accompanying music videos display vigorous unabashed twerking.

Rife with controversy, the new wave has been lauded by its enthusiastic supporters as the future of Kenyan music, while others have forecast its imminent death amid copyright issues and calls for song restrictions.

New Wave and New Hits

Gengetone is perhaps the most significant development in Kenyan music in years.

[…]

Cashney Mathu, frontman of the group Sheddy Empire, talked about riding the Gengetone wave. “People used to complain that Kenya doesn’t have a sound, that we copy others. Gengetone is feel-good music. It has the appeal of dancehall and it talks about mambo ya mtaa – things of the ‘hood’. It is our own. That is why it has caught people's attention,” he said. Prior to Gengetone, the group made Trap music. “The market is what determines the kind of music that we make which is why we switched,” he added.

 […]

Other observers of the new wave phenomenon have referred to it as Odi Pop. Odi means ordinary in sheng, referring to the common mwananchi, or citizen. According to Mumbua Nzula Nyoka for KBC, the style originated from the Nairobi neighborhoods of Kayole, Umoja, Dagoretti, Rongai, and Dandora and was an underground genre before being brought into the mainstream with Collo's 2016 hit “Bazokizo.”

Earlier in the year, mainstream media was criticized for failing to promote local talent. Sounds from Nigeria, Tanzania, and further afield dominated the airwaves, leading to the hashtags #playkenyanmusic and #playkemusic. Kenyan artists were accused by local audiences of producing mediocre music in comparison to their counterparts from other parts of the continent. Gengetone is believed by some to have risen as a response to this criticism.

[…]

Controversy and Exposure

The male-dominated new wave has been criticized for its explicit content. Those opposed to it say some of the song lyrics promote violence and misogyny, and that the videos promote the sexual objectification of women.

There was public outcry over Sheddy Empire’s song “Pigwa Shoka” which led to their music being taken down from YouTube. The video was released around the same time a university student was hacked to death with an axe. The group issued an apology. According to Mathu, the sheng lyrics were misunderstood, leading to the banned song’s message being misconstrued as being about femicide.

Ethic Entertainment’s latest song, “Tarimbo” has also stirred controversy for its lyrics which have been condemned for encouraging rape.

[…]

The Kenya Film Classification Board Chief Executive Ezekiel Mutua called for Ethic Entertainment’s arrest for going beyond the prescribed delimitations on freedom of expression by advocating for violence against women. The group issued an apology via Twitter …

Fans argue that “msanii ni kioo cha jamii" -- the artists’ music is simply mirroring society. The controversial songs have millions of YouTube views, and even after official videos being taken down, fans continue to make their own versions.

The Contemporary Sound Landscape

What is it about the new wave that has grabbed the nation’s attention?

Kenyans didn’t have a sound they could relate to,” said Mbugua. “Also, Kenyans love our songs because as soon as you hear an Ethic song you want to have fun and Kenyans love having fun. Ethic’s art is raw. It stems from the environment around, from what we see in society.”

According to avid hip-hop consumer and critic Richard Oduor Oduku, early Kenyan underground hip-hop from the early 1990s to early 2000s.

[…]

Since then, Kenyan artists have been experimenting to see what will capture the youth. The contemporary sound landscape runs the whole gamut, from songs that speak about debauchery to conscious lyricists rapping with conviction. Other artists straddle both worlds, producing output that has commercial appeal as well as tracks that are socially responsible.

[…]

When I spoke to Oduku, he emphasized that what matters is authenticity. “To what extent can you be differentiated from the next artist? The reason why Zzero Ssufuri and Ethic are up there is because they are fresh and authentic.” In an article on Kenyan hip hop, he writes that style is the soundscape through which the geyser of content can be channelled. If stylistic inventiveness is what wins.” the contest for Kenyan ears, then it appears that the future belongs to the audacious.”

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EXCERPT #2
From https://www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/word-is/2020-01-02-the-rise-of-gengetone/ "Here To Stay? The Rise Of Gengetone ...Some critics say genre may fizzle out"
by Elizabeth Musyimi, January 1, 2020

"Gengetone is the new music genre that almost everyone is jamming to. In 2019, this genre rose to become Kenya’s newest love in the music industry.

But how and where did it come from?

It started when #PlayKeMusic trended, with deejays and media houses accused of playing Nigeria’s Afro-beat and Tanzania’s Bongo Flava instead of Kenyan music.

Then Gengetone was birthed and, it would seem, Kenyans have consumed more of their own music in 2019 compared to the past few years.

And, there have been fewer complaints from Kenyan artists and fans about the music played in local media.

Gengetone has, however, generated a lot of controversy because of its vulgar language, with critics saying it is encouraging immorality.

Critics have also pointed that the genre may fizzle out if the artists keep serving fans the same theme.

But some fans disagree, saying Gengetone has revolutionised the Kenyan music industry.

The genre, characterised by fast-paced beats, has spread its roots to gospel music.”
-snip-

This article continues with profiles -including song titles= of the following artists."

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