Elani Set For Comeback At Inaugural Tudishi Feastival

Popular Kenyan pop group Elani will make its awaited music comeback at the debut edition of Tudishi Feastival slated for August 6 this year at Kunste Gardens in Nakuru. The unique outdoor event aims at celebrating Kenyan/African cuisine and music.

"Our rich culture has much to offer and we are set to create a platform to wine and dine while celebrating our diverse Kenyan/African cuisine and music that makes up our culture. Our main campaign is to preach peace especially during the election period in one of the areas affected by the post-election violence in 2007," says the organisers.

Elani, comprised of Wambui Ngugi, Brian Chweya and Maureen Kunga, will be the headline act at the event, which will mark their official comeback. The trio released its debut single titled Jana Usiku in November 2013, which became a great success, creating a pavement on their subsequent singles. In 2014, Elani released numerous singles in the making of their debut album Barua ya Dunia. The group is currently working on a new album that is poised to be officially released at the Nakuru peace concert.

Tamasha Band will also be among the entertainers at the event.

Tamasha Band

Founded in 2011, the band consists of young vibrant members from Nakuru namely, Faith Mwende, Robert Riziki, Anthony Njagi, Gideon Musyoka and Robert Mwambonu. The band also runs a music school called Tamasha House of Music, which trains, records and mentors rising artistes.

Tudishi Feastival will be hosted by Nick Mutuma, a multi-talented Kenyan actor, model, television host and emcee. Drop Deejay will be on the decks.

Nick Mutuma

Tickets are available for Sh1,000 by dialing *229*88# or visiting www.haiya.co.ke. Gates open from 12pm-10pm. 

Kenyan Hip-hopper Insectdudu Releases Patriotic Single

Lyrical, soulful and conscious hip-hop maestro Kelvin Kiprono aka Insectdudu has released a patriotic song about truth, justice and reconciliation, aiming to bring cohesion to Kenya ahead of the upcoming General Election.

Insectdudu

 The single, titled Kenya Ni Kwetu, features Ciro Githunguri (one of Kenya’s most sought after voiceover artistes), Do Clan’s Mc Blaq hip-hop artiste and activist Hustlajay Mau Mau and Mystic Breed, children from Riaira Springs Academy.

The song was produced by the ever-consistent musical genius, Short Wave, whose beats and musical arrangement has been the signature of all of Insectdudu’s hit singles.

“Kenya Ni Kwetu's mandate is to shift the mind of the Kenyan from focusing too much on tribal leadership and concentrate more on fighting corruption. Kenyans must instil a sense of ownership and personal responsibility of our bountiful nation Kenya, preserving peace, equal rights and justice for all people,” he says.

Insectdudu’s music blends a mix of genres and seeks to tell life’s tale with all its joy, hardships and struggles. The artiste, who launched his solo career in 2005, has recorded with various producers and collaborated with different artistes such as Cece Sagini, Dempsey, Nafsi Huru, Zakah Ukooflani and Kantai. He’s currently working on his much anticipated solo debut album slated to be released later in the year.

Insectdudu

Busy Signal Geared Up Ahead Of Nairobi Concert

One of Jamaica's best reggae and dancehall stars Reanno Devon Gordon aka Busy Signal is excited about his upcoming Free Up Peace concert in Nairobi. The much-awaited event will be held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on July 28.

Busy Signal

"I’m gonna be live performing in Kenya with my band. It will be a celebration of greatness, the 33rd Anniversary of Shashamane. I’m just awaiting to be there to represent for Kenya," the 38-year-old told his fans via a video recording this week.

The organiser, Papa Bingi confirmed that everything was set for the show saying: "Busy's band members will be jetting into the country on July 24 and Busy Signal will be arriving on July 26."

Bingi assured reggae enthusiasts that the concert’s main priority is security and lots of entertainment.

He said, "The security will be beefed up just like Romain Virgo show last year. Busy Signal is a very good entertainer and he is ready to rock the Kenyan audience plus I'm also trying to promote our own homegrown reggae artist and they will be able to showcase their talent."

Busy Signal

Bingi continued: “This will also be Shashamane International 33rd Anniversary in the business plus we are trying to educate the youths to be peaceful during and after the election and that is why the show is Dubbed Free Up Reggae Concert."

Busy Signal is known for his hits such as Free Up, Come Over, One More Night, Reggae Music Again, Bedroom Bully, Night Shift and The Gambler, among others.

See Busy Signals video message to Kenyans here:

Akothee Unveils Her Latest Video For 'Baby Daddy'

Award-winning Kenyan singer Akothee has released a new video for her latest single, Baby Daddy. The mother of five says she hopes the song will highlight the struggle of single parenthood in poverty-stricken environments.

Akothee

"The video envisions social and economic transformation due to paternal figures abdicating their roles in the family unit. You will see these cases daily in the news where men throw out their women on the streets and the domino effect of this actions impact negatively on the children," says Akothee.

Akothee plays the role of the single mother, who was thrown out of her home with her children. The video hopes to increase awareness on the impact of poverty on children, and the overall effects of single parenthood in poverty-stricken environment.

Akothee, and 'her children', is 'kicked' away from home

She adds, "A single mother has a backbone made of steel and a heart of gold."

Additionally, the video highlights challenges women face to secure food security and welfare of their children in absence of their fathers. Baby Daddy was produced by Akothee's personal producer Herbert Skillz who is based in Manchester, UK.

Watch it here:

Here Are Kenya's Jack Daniel's Brand Ambassadors Finalists

American whiskey brand, Jack Daniel’s, has shortlisted the three finalists in the search for a Kenyan brand ambassador conducted through the 'Gentlemen Wanted' campaign. The campaign, launched in May this year, received over 2,000 applications that underwent rigorous processing by a panel of judges and observers to narrow down to the three finalists, namely: David Mutunga, Blessing Lung'aho and Fidel Maithya.

“When we launched the Gentlemen Wanted campaign two months ago, we received an overwhelming number of applications and we are pleased to report that we are down to the final three. We are now calling on the public to help us select the best of the three by voting through our Facebook page”, said Zara Kuria, Jack Daniel’s Kenya brand manager.

The Gentlemen Wanted campaign was targeted at charismatic Kenyans above 21 years with the ability to embody the spirit of the brand and its values of authenticity, independence and integrity. The first selected group comprised of 100 of the best applicants who were then narrowed down to top the 24.

From Left: Finalists David Mutunga, Blessing Lung'aho and Fidel Maithya

The top 24 were then invited to attend one-on-one interviews, where they were given the opportunity to convince a panel of judges, including rugby star Humphrey Kayange and actress and media personality Eve D’Souza, on why they should be Kenya’s Jack Daniel’s Brand Ambassador.

The voting phase started on July 18 and closes on July 31, after which the winner will be announced. The ambassador will then travel to the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, USA, where he will be shown the same whiskey making process that Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel himself used, before heading back to Kenya to officially take up his role.

The Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg is situated in and around a hollow known as "Stillhouse Hollow" or "Jack Daniel's Hollow", where a spring flows from a cave at the base of a limestone cliff. The limestone removes iron from the water, making it ideal for distilling whiskey (water heavy in iron gives whiskey a bad taste). The spring feeds into nearby East Fork Mulberry Creek, which is part of the Elk River watershed. Some 1.9 million barrels containing the aging whiskey are stored in several dozen barrel houses, some of which adorn the adjacent hilltops and are visible throughout Lynchburg.

The distillery is a major tourist attraction, drawing more than a quarter of a million visitors annually. The visitor center, dedicated in June 2000, contains memorabilia related to the distillery and a gift shop. Paid tours of the distillery are conducted several times per day and a premium sampling tour is also offered.

Five Kenyan Speakers Selected For TEDGlobal Talk In Arusha

The organisers of TEDGlobal 2017 have announced the speaker program for its Arusha, Tanzania, event scheduled to held from August 27-30. Kenyans Eric Mibuari, Kamau Gachigi, Kisilu Musya, Nabila Alibhai and Washington Wachira are all featured on the speaker list.

TEDGlobal 2017 marks TED’s first official return to Africa in 10 years, and will feature roughly 40 speakers sharing ideas in the form of short, powerful talks that last 18 minutes or less. The theme of the event is "Builders. Truth-Tellers. Catalysts."

"Africa has experienced spectacular economic, demographic and creative growth, and has made exciting progress toward its rightful place in the world. Yet, many African nations are beset by challenges, and the stakes have never been higher. As populations continue to surge, both opportunity and danger are rising," sites TEDGlobal.

The organisers continue: "At TEDGlobal 2017, we’ll bring together an incredible group of speakers, who can collectively help shape how this plays out. Dreamers and doers. Technologists and entrepreneurs. Business leaders and creatives. The event ten years ago felt like history in the making. The ideas and connections forged then have had untold impact. We want to reignite those sparks and invite anyone passionate about the future of Africa, and the future of the world to come and be part of something special."

Among other speakers at the event includes: Paul Kagame (President of the Republic of Rwanda), OluTimehin Adegbeye (Writer and activist), Qudus Onikeku (Dancer, choreographer), Gus Casely-Hayford (Cultural historian), Meron Estefanos (Refugee activist), Kingsley Moghalu (Political economist) and George Steinmetz, an Aerial photographer.

Rapper King Kaka Releases New Video For Koth Biro

One of Kenya's best rappers, King Kaka, has released the video to his latest single, Koth Biro featuring legendary singer and prolific Nyatiti player Ayub Ogada. The single is from his album Success Begins Now.

King Kaka

Koth Biro, which in Dholuo translates to 'Rain Is Coming', was inspired by the rapper's trip with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Kenya to Turkana to visit their programmes. UNICEF is a United Nations (UN) programme headquartered in New York City, USA, that provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.

"I saw kids walking half a day just to get a five-litre jerrycan of water. I saw kids who had malnutrition, a family who had not had a descent meal in weeks surviving on a fruit called Makoma, which keeps their tummy full. In the same country, people throw away food, leave taps running and money meant for drought relief is embezzled. Play your part, make a difference," says King Kaka.

Koth Biro was produced by Kevin Provoke, one of most avant-garde sound engineers in Kenya. After working as a ghost writer and producer, Provoke went on to start his own production facility and studio called Provoke Music.

In the recent past, he teamed up with other music professionals in a project he initiated dubbed Dance Africa, with an aim of promoting the continent’s diverse music to showcase it to the world. The project has caught the interest of artistes and other music professionals across the content such as South Africa’s HHP, Angola’s Maya Zuda and Nigeria’s Olamide.

Kevin Provoke

So far he has been able to work on various music projects with top Kenyan artistes such as Wangechi, Fena, Karun, Dela, King Kaka, Avril, Jay A, Madtraxx, Octopizzo, Camp Mulla, Mejja, Kenny Young, Collo and Marushka, among others.

The video for Koth Biro was directed by Johnson Kyalo for Empire Films.

Ayub Ogada

Watch it below: