MUSIC REVIEW: Khaligraph’s New Track ‘Wanjiru And Akinyi’ Is Dope But The Video Is Still As Mediocre As They Come

Khaligraph Jones has a new track called ‘Wanjiru and Akinyi’. His delivery in it is as great as usual. His introspection and positivity is refreshing and imbues each line with a spark that engages the listener.

The themes and sentiments may have evolved, but Khaligraph’s music and rhyme schemes remain familiar. That’s both a strength and a detriment to the song. The production is great. I hope motif didn’t lift someone else’s beat again and call it sampling. Like he did in “Yego”. There are simplistic but effective piano keys, drawn-out organs that would make Metro Boomin proud. Soulful cries also back the Kayole rapper’s rhymes. The result is music that is pleasantly familiar but never tired.

The same can’t be said for Khaligraph’s lyricism. He seldom strays from his syrupy flow and elementary trap rhyming. One would have hoped that within the content would have come creativity. However, basic rhyme schemes are abundant and, at times, underwhelming. Though somewhat lacking lyrically, ‘Wanjiru and Akinyi’ is aspirational without sounding forced and wise without being preachy.

However, like in every other song, he feels the need to address his critics. One can only imagine what it would be like to live a life under such intense scrutiny that it feels like you’re constantly being hounded by a pack of angry, hungry wolves. Navigating these incessant rounds of duck and cover from the prying lens of the certified haters is a game that all Kenyan artistes have become accustomed to playing. Nonetheless, it must be hard. And, it definitely must wreak havoc on maintaining any kind of peaceful life. But I really don’t see the need for him to keep on defending himself.

I have a problem with the video. It makes the whole piece of work come off as a disjointed attempt at times, as Khaligraph’s  flow and the all too familiar dark background with smoke come off as a not-so-good fit for each other. A more concerted effort from the director Johnsom Kyalo could have netted a much better result.

Maybe it’s the extra-close shots, maybe it’s the cheap cars, maybe it’s the lighting but this video just seems so cliché and even more unnecessary than anything a Kenyan rapper has ever put out before.  

At a time when Octopizzo and King Kaka have produced messy, ambitious tracks full of statements on art and accountability, Khaligraph’s goals seem modest and quaint. It’s the difference between trying to do something different and trying to stay relevant.

I don’t understand why Khaligraph never thinks of trying out a different video director. I feel like some of his songs would have sent shockwaves all over Africa but the videos that accompanied them stifled their ability to go viral. Johnson Kyalo might be his buddy but in business there is no friendship. The guy doesn’t do him justice.  

We are living in an age where you can be considered a god artiste by having great videos, even if your delivery is whack. The race for Youtube views is real. Khaligraph needs to set his priorities right and put more money on videos.

Make no mistake: this song will be unavoidable in the coming days, as it’ll definitely receive some radio airplay, inspiring some to grind a little harder, motivating those who lack riches to get laid a bit more. But it’s hard to stay in the world of “Wanjiru and Akinyi” for too long. While watching the video, my field of vision kept shrinking until I felt that I was looking at a narrow band of light. There’s something universal about Khaligraph’s determination to feed us the same kind of music in the name of trap, but it begins to feel tedious to linger too long in the self-conflict zone when so much other music aspires to take in the world all at once. He continues to make music that sounds magnificent but leaves you feeling a bit unfulfilled because of a  lack of proper packaging. As fans, we can only hope that this changes soon.

Watch Wanjiru and Akinyi HERE