The 10 Greatest Kenyan Hip Hop Songs Of All Time

Since, almost everyone that works for Ghafla is a hip Hop ahead, a unanimous decision was reached today morning stating that a list of the 10 best songs in the genre should be done. And guess who they shoved the responsibility to? Me. I hate doing lists like this because whoever gets left out ends up holding an unnecessary grudge. Anyway, let’s ‘nduthis’

1. Fanya Mambo – Kalamashaka

Kalamashaka were among the pioneers of Kenyan Hip Hop. They made it possible for other cats to realize that it was possible to do a Hip Hop song in Kenya and people would listen. Fanya Mambo was the first Kenyan song to ever get played on Chanel O. It was Hip Hop classic no doubt. And for that, we salute K-Shaka

2. Mizani – Wenyeji

Soma dibaji ya wenyeji inasemeje. The word play and delivery on this track was worked out to perfection. It can be equated to Van Gogh’s brilliance on a painting. I wish these guys were still releasing music. Unfortunately they aren’t. I doubt if they’re even intending to. , Zaka got saved and chilled out. I don’t know where the other guy disappeared to but I hope he’s safe.

3. Tuendelee – Kleptomaniax

Everyone was jamming to this song back in the day. Even people who didn’t give a shit about Hip Hop adored this song. Tuendelee found Nyashinski and Collo at their best. Both of them delivered verses that shall forever remain embedded in our skulls. Even when ‘Tuendelee’ gets played today, you still get the “Why don’t guys release songs like this anymore?” feeling

4. Mna Feel Aje – Chiwawa

There was a time Chiwawa was a god in this industry. That’s the time he released Man Feel Aje – a monster of a track. It isn’t hard to figure out why this track became an instant hit. Apart from Chiwawa’s unique rhymes, the chorus was well crafted. The message was simple: ‘How are you guys doing? We are doing great.’

5. Bumba Train –E-sir ft. Nameless

E-Sir was like Kenya’s 2 pac. Some say he was the greatest Kenyan rapper to ever live. Which is somehow true. But that doesn’t mean he had the best hip Hop song of all time. Bumba Train was up there nevertheless. It still is. Kids were jamming to this song, even grandmas. Even that 6 year old boy who is listening to it for the first time today is loving it

6. Biceps- Juliani

Well, Juliani is a gospel artiste but Biceps is one of the most conscious Hip Hop tracks ever made here in the 254. When the track came out, everyone was like “Who is this guy? Why is he so different?” Many didn’t know that he was actually a member of Ukoo Flani before he got saved. In this track, he touched on a number of societal issues and laid them out in a beat that dwarfed all secular productions at the time of its release. No wonder he has always felt he was king.

7. Ivo Ivo – Octopizzo

While he was still a struggling artiste Octopzzo was frequently accused by fellow rappers for having too many senseless punch lines in his tracks. In Ivo Ivo though, he kept the many punchlines but this time it worked. The track became his breakout single and within a month, he was a mega celebrity to the point of being labeled an Illuminati member. From the slums of Kibera, he proved that anyone could make it, no matter where you came from.

8. System ya Majambazi –Mashifta

Well…well …well. Rarely do we get hip hop tracks that call out the wrongdoers in society nowadays. Mashifta were never afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves, and here we witness a Hip Hop group deep in the throes of eye-opening music. Telling it like it is, they revealed how crooks were not only the gangsters brandishing guns but the corporate people as well. ,

9. Kapuka This – K-south (Abbas and Bamboo)

Abbas and Bamboo have plenty of great solo tracks but when they were K-South, they were a solid unit. A musical couple that gave birth to a couple of crazy tracks like Nairobbery and Tabia Mbaya . But this was but the best of them.

10. Ojuelegba Refix (Open Doors) –Khaligraph Jones

When it dropped. few expected “Ojuelegba Refix” to take over the world. Before this track, Khaligraph Jones was considered a good rapper but not an excellent one. But the moment he decided to jump on Wizkid’s Ojuelegba beat, everything changed. Even staunch haters had to shut their mouths and listen to Mr. Jones

 

Honorable mentions

Dodoma – Rabbit aka King Kaka

Chapaa – Abbas

2050 – Abbas, Chiwawa and Malik

Punchlines Kibao – Ukoo Flani

Kantada – Kantai

Bad As I Wanna Be – Stella Mwangi