New-age musicians are giving established artists nightmares!

If at all there are people who are not so pleased with the emergence of new-age musicians then it’s the local acts who have been in the game for a longer period, say 5, 10 years or more. I won’t mention any names because you know them too well, don’t you?

Ethic

In my opinion, they have been backed into a corner by the new crop of artists and they don’t have a clue how they can get out of it. Put simply, they don’t know what to do to reclaim their fan bases. As such, some of them are left with no choice but to hate.

New-age musicians are very spontaneous unlike established artists. A random idea is turned into a song and they hit the studio to record it. Before you know it, the video (quality notwithstanding) is out and is getting mad love across the country.

Established artists like to think through all their steps because they feel they have been in the game for long, they know what works. In the end, they released a well-executed song/video but no one bothers to listen to it or watch it. They end up getting only a handful views.

New-age musicians are always on their toes. As soon as they release a song, they are back in studio working on the next hit unlike established artists who will wait for a song to marinate for some months. Before you know it, they have dropped another banger!

Boondocks Gang Chura
Boondocks Gang

Truth be told, these youngins are giving established artists sleepless nights. In other words, they are their biggest nightmare. Imagine trying to keep up with someone who has been in the game for less than a year compared to the many decades that you’ve been doing music. I would also feel horrible!

However, I don’t think all is lost. All established artists need to do is see what they can learn from the new crop of Kenyan musicians if at all they want to survive in this industry because let’s be honest, times have changed so why should they stick to old practices?

Watch Ochunglo Family’s latest jam Kaa Na Mama Yako below.

You can’t resist the new-age music revolution!

There’s a time when I didn’t think much of the new crop of Kenyan musicians. It was around the time Ethic debuted on the local entertainment scene with Lamba Lolo. I thought the song was trashy at best.

Ethic Figa
Ethic

Just like most people, I was quick to dismiss them with them with the excuse that their music was raunchy and lacked any message whatsoever nevermind the fact that I found it a little bit entertaining.

With time, more groups or individuals whose music approach was similar to that of Ethic started emerging and I started warming up to the idea of listening to thier music afterall, most people were praising them.

There is a popular adage that if you can’t beat them, join them and in my opinion that’s exactly what happened to me and it’s not that I was coerced, I came to understand their style and as a result, my love for their music grew.

Ochunglo Family
Ochunglo Family

I moved from being a firece critic of new-age musicians one of their strongest proponents, if not the strongest. Chances are if you meet me along the streets, I’ll ask you if you’ve listened to the latest song by Ethic, Ochunglo Family, Sailors Gang, Boondocks Gang, Rico Gang etc. It’s just what it is.

I came to realize that you can’t really resist the ‘new-age music revolution’, as such, you need to embrace it because wishing them away won’t make the players any less popular. Truth is, they will still get massive airplay on local radio and TV stations even if you hate them so why not have a change of heart like I did?

Rico Gang
Rico Gang

New-age musicians are emerging each day, it almost seems like a revolution, one that will define the Kenyan sound for decades to come. I can only hope that their music will get less raunchy or provocative as time goes. Otherwise, they are the best thing that has ever happened to Kenya.

Listen to Ochunglo Family’s latest jam dubbed Kaa Na Mama Yako below.

New-age musicians have killed Nigerian music and that’s a huge win

If you are keen, I’m sure you’ve noticed that Nigerian music is not as popular in Kenya as was the case a few years ago.

Gone are the days when local clubs, radio and TV stations would play one Nigerian song after the other and in my opinion that’s a huge win.

The focus has really shifted to local musicians, especially the new-age artist so much so that you could say that they helped in killing Nigerian music.

Ochunglo Family
Ochunglo Family

You see, the game really changed the day “Lamba Lolo” hitmakers Ethic appeared on the music scene more than one year ago.

In as much as the song was vulgar, many Kenyans couldn’t help but appreciate the fact that their style was different. It was out of the norm.

To add to that, it was very appealing and danceable (is this even a word?). Put simply, it was the kind of music that you could bump in the club.

Sooner or later, more individuals or groups  whose style was similar to Ethic emerged and before we knew it, most local clubs, radio and TV stations were playing their music back to back.

Boondocks Gang
Boondocks Gang

What I love most about the Kenyan music revolution is that the new-age artists are restless which means that unlike their predecessors, they are always in studio. As such, they are releasing hits back to back!

Kudos to Sailors Gang, Boondocks Gang, Ethic, Ochunglo Family, Rico Gang, Fat Boy Gwash, Zzero Sufuri etc.

I can only hope that one day we’ll get rid of Tanzanian music like we did with Nigerian music!