 Yes, from the theatre arts to now we are focusing on music and we have members of the Ak-Nation who are going to be having an event sometime soon, sometime somewhere around you as well and they're going to be telling us more about this event and now they're tying it to Kenyan music and live Kenyan music in particular. I go by the name of Bayou Moses or it's Bayou Mou on every social media platform. It's always a pleasure. White Fire 4 channel on Twitter, White Fire 4 underscore channel on Instagram and White Fire 4 on Facebook is the way to reaches. Don't forget to leave where you're watching us from because we like to represent for all the counties. So, Karibuni Sana, you're going to introduce yourselves one by one. We can start with the lady, obviously. Alright, your camera is number one. My name is Lillian Kangethe, manager of Ak-Nation. Alright, Karibu Sana. My name is James Orjawa Mwangi. I'm part of the management team in Ak-Nation. Part of the management team in Ak-Nation. Karibu Sana. Hello, good morning. This is Adrian Loki. I'm an artist. I'm a songwriter and I am working in affiliation with Ak-Nation. Alright, and you're one of the artists on the lineup? Yes, I am one of the artists on the lineup. Just say the name again. Adrian Loki. Adrian Loki. Please mark the name because it's going to come in handy somewhere during this interview. But Karibu Sana, it's really nice to meet you guys during this period of time. It's a very good time to be a Kenyan artist. Am I right to say that? It is really a good time. It is really a good time. First of all, you can notice that the Kenyan industry is growing day by day. I mean, I personally guess to meet different upcoming artists more than I meet already established artists. So I can say the road success is not that long. We're heading there. We're heading somewhere. We're heading somewhere and it's a beautiful time to be a Kenyan artist. And there's good content as well. Of course. We'll be talking about that. As a manager of Ak-Nation, when was Ak-Nation founded? Ak-Nation was founded in the year 2011, but back then it had a previous name, Trill Entertainment. And it later changed to Ak-Nation in the year 2016. So we've been running with the name Ak-Nation. So you guys rebranded? Yes. So you appreciate rebranding as an aspect of marketing and business? Yes. So Ak-Nation, are we referring to the same Ak-Nor that was building in the Bible? Well, we could say that because we have to bring everyone on board. We have to bring artists, all form of artists. All form of artists, like-minded guys. The rest are going to sink under the water. That's how you just put it. It's like the lower story. You have to include everyone that has something to offer. Like-minded. Like-minded. And then the rest? The rest can sink. The rest can sink on board. I like this. So you're part of the management team at Ak-Nation? Yes. All right. So maybe you can tell us what Ak-Nation does apart from events, because you guys are having an event on 9th March. So apart from events, there are different aspects to the music industry. So what are some of these things that you guys do? Okay. Ak-Nation is a very wide management team. So we have different guys for different functions. There's the fashion team. There's the gallery part. There are painters. Then there are various artists who have been incorporated to that team. Then for today, I want to talk about the Quenye 237. It's the event which will be taking part on the 9th of March. It will be happening at the Ray Gardens. So it's basically a platform for popular emerging arts. Then there's a kids festival. At the same venue? At the same venue. At the same venue. There will be art galleries, there will be exhibitions. So it will incorporate all types of music genres. There will be band performing at the same same event. All right. So we have your Instagram. And then on the screen right here right now. I'd like to just grab two just a little bit. So as we scroll down, these are the artists who are going to be performing on this particular day. So we have Adrian Loki, who's on set with us. We have Laura Stacey as well from ReSounds Media. If I'm not wrong. Capnay is also from ReSounds Media. We have Wakadinali. We have Wakadinali. Representing Islando to the max. All right. Keba Gendi. Keba Gendi, I'm not so sure. But she's also going to be performing. Yes, she will be performing. All right. Bendy Huru, I've heard of Bendy Huru as well. We can scroll up. All right. So we have, oh, this is just you guys trying to promote the event in a large. So I hope you guys mark the names because they're going to come in handy towards somewhere during this interview. So this particular event, you have something for the kids as well. Yeah. Why did you choose to focus on the kids? Because it will be a daytime event from when guys are trying to unwind and it's on a Saturday. It's not good to remain at home because you have kids. You can bring them on board because it will be an arc. Even if you have nephews and nieces. Yeah, you can bring them on board. Just bring them on board. There's something for them. They'll be good vibes, bands performing good music. All right. Because we've been yapping about playing Kenyan content and the stakeholders having invested their time on it. Invested their time on it. All right. Before we talk about playing Kenyan content, I'd like to know, I've not seen any, is there somebody who's going to be performing for the kids? I've not seen any child act on the, on the, on the rotor. What do you mean? There's not, for the kids, for the kids. For the kids. The music is, the music is not bounded. It's not bounded. All right. It can be listened to from, as in the genus can be listened from, from six years old to. To a, to a senior. To a senior citizen. All right. When we were back in the day, we also grew up listening to what our parents listened to and it really influenced the music. All right. What we're listening to right now and if you're an artist, influence, let me talk to the artist first. What you're listening to growing up influence what you're making right now, right? Yes. So who are some of the influences, by the way? Who are some of the influences? Me growing up. I think I have grown up in, in a more universal industry than the local industry. So, okay, they all, they all acts like Issa, you know, Issa is a legend, you know. Back then when I was in, I think I was in standard three. I was like nine years old. I used to listen to Issa and Nameless coming all around. I mean, besides those local artists, I used to listen to international artists some more like Lil Wayne, you know. This is at a later stage in your life. So there's been a transition. There's been a transition. Over time. Yeah, over time. All right. Out of the acts that you're going to be performing with, you've obviously worked with some of them. Yeah. Which one have you worked with? I have worked with, I have worked with Raj. I have worked with Elf, King Elf and we'll be performing together on the event. And I would say I have an unfinished collaboration to do with Wakadnali. Although it is not yet out. It is not yet even done with recording. So there's still more to come. There's still more to come. Yes. All right. What do you, how do you treat such a network of artists? Because when you're brought together to one stage, I see in festivals in the States, so many collaborations are cooked during these festivals because the artists link up, they vibe, they perform, they watch each other's performances. Then after, you see them posting pictures and then sometime after you see a hit by some of these artists. Is it something that you're looking to do at this particular event as well? Is that somebody that you wanted to work with is going to be on stage? That's going to be on stage. Okay, I'd say I would want to, I would like to work with Kapne. Kapne is going to do some good vocals. Yeah, I would, I would, I would, I would want to work with Wakaninali in not one track. Two, three, four, maybe five. All right. So it's limitless for you. It's limitless for me. It's limitless for an artist, I'd say. Thank you very much for, this leads me to the next topic of conversation, which is Kenyan music. Each artist is a Kenyan, making their music in Kenya and trying to push it from Kenya to the world, right? So we've had this conversation about play KE music. So before we talk about it or ask any question, I'd like to get your opinions on what you think about it. What do you think about play KE music as a hashtag first? First of all, I listen to strictly Kenyan music before I listen to others. So I really appreciate Kenyan music and I really don't understand when people say we don't have content. That is your biggest why. People don't listen. People don't listen enough because however not friendly the song is, the act of appreciating and understanding where the artist came from and what inspired the artist, that's content enough. So that's how you start appreciating because different people, as well as even the people from outside the country, the people you listen to, something drove them and you appreciated this. So first try to understand and never hate what you don't understand. Appreciate, understand, never hate what you understand. I'd like to get a brief... Yes, from your perspective. From my perspective, for this event we did it because of promoting Kenyan content. So our hashtag is Fahamusana. Fahamu ni kufanyanini ni kutambugasana. Kamu jatambugasana, hauezi kufanyanini, hauezi kui tumia. So lazima, ni sanam tani, sana is art. So basically kutakua na different arts on display. Because playing Kenyan music, it's not about music alone. There are different aspects of art we need to consume as Kenyans, but is there content that guys can consume? There is. Does the media do a background check? Because there's always this saying that you can't get Kenyan content in a go. So you have to wait for the mainstream artist to release a new song. Then you say like we're playing Kenyan content but we have been sleeping on so many guys. So many new guys have been slept on and they have very, very good content because I'm sure when you come to an event you'll notice that they are popular guys and they are those who have been slept on and they have very, very good content. I can say for a fact most of them have been slept on. Even the guys that we think are socially known I don't feel like they're getting enough so far. Because the media is functioning in such a way that it's all about networking and the guys who sit at the table are the ones who are being known. But for a new artist... Which leads to my next question. Whose role is it to get that song to the media? Alright, you have a dope song. You have a dope profile. You have a dope brand going on. You have everything that's dope around you. But there are a million and one artists out there. I'm only one person with one head. Whose role is it to get that? It comes down to policies because you have to go back to the government policies. The way the film industry is being regulated we have to regulate even there. The music industry? The music industry. We have to give them platform cause art grows on people. Art grows. As in you listen to a jam for like three times you'll be jamming on it, you'll be jamming on it. So the media should give guys that platform. Like you today. You gave us this platform to spread the word. So guys will come to an event. They'll check out new artists. The same goes applies across all board. Critics will say the countries that are doing good musically have a culture. They've built a culture around the music. So you'll find Lulapalooza the festival. We've had it for the last... I don't know how many decades. And every year we have the Lulapalooza. Tell me an event or a festival that is more than five years old. Blankets and wine. Koroga festival. So many events. Color festival. Color. In a country with 40 million people we can only mention five. Imagine. The non ones. But they have been having so many events but they haven't been getting that much, much, much say. Because of logistic purposes. So many things. Media coverage. So we agree there's a lot to be done here. Let's talk to the artist. Sisi Tunger. What do you think about this Play KE Music hashtag? I think it's good. It's actually the way to go. I love the hashtag. When you say Play KE Music it really means that every artist in Kenya or every artist be it. They're coming from Kibera, they're coming from West Lanzo. They'll get a chance. They'll get equal opportunities on TV. And what is good to me or maybe what I need most is my Kenyan fans first of all to recognize me before me getting recognized in Tanzania or me getting recognized in Uganda. So when you're playing, I might be someone that doesn't really listen to watch TV. Let's say. I don't go on TV to look for different channels to watch. But sometimes I might just find myself watching TV. Naturally. Sometimes you just seek of YouTube. I'm just sick of YouTube. Maybe I'm just tired. I just go to the house and then I turn the TV on while I'm eating. And then the first content that I see is 50 Cent in the club. Which is a song that is so many years old. It's so many years old. And we have a new song in Kenya. We have new songs. We have new songs in Kenya. Personally where I come from I know a lot. I know a bunch of artists. I know a bunch of artists. Given an opportunity, all these artists are very great. Really great. So play KE music is going to open a door for them. Play KE music. I don't know who's going to notice when we play it. Because, yeah, sometimes you might find that I'm talking to a friend and I'm like, hey, hey, you guy, do you know Kapnea? And then they're like, oh, Kapnea. Who's Kapnea? Kapnea. You know, they might not have seen him facially, but might have heard him on the radio. So the more the Kenyan artists are being played on the radio or on TV. It increases their chances to know. It increases their chances to know. It has become familiar with their voices, with their presence. And that's how we know Drake by listening to his voice. You know, his people have already embraced him. So if you are embraced from the place you're coming from, then it wouldn't be defective. So it's very important that we keep pushing this, actually. We should be keeping pushing this brand cause at the end of it all, guys from other countries come to Kenya to be cemented. Some other countries, the country Kenya will be like, hey, in Nairobi, if at all every guy listen to you in Nairobi, then your music is good. So what are we doing about our own? Our own people from Nairobi or from here. All right. There's hashtags still. It's controversial because when Calligraph did a song with YC, people are like, you'll play Kenyan music but they're going to get collabs with Nigerians. How are we going to play that song? It's half Nigerian now. So if I do a collab with someone that is not Kenyan, am I not Kenyan? Still Kenyan content. Still Kenyan content. All right. I'm just trying to incorporate other... But if we play music from where that person is from, so much shade is thrown. There's always that reach because when Calligraph does the music and artists from another country, then our music gets shared to their own country. To their own country. But does it mean we be selfish? We don't play any music from Nigeria or any music from Tanzania? No, no. Even in Nigeria, they have a policy where they're playing like 60% of their own music. In here in Kenya, we're always in every station, in every five songs. Like four... Four foreign songs. Four foreign songs. All right. Even in the club. This play-key music doesn't mean we stop playing music from other countries. It doesn't mean that way because guys always will love to listen to good songs from wherever. So it's like, you give guys the same-same platform you're giving to them. Foreign in here. Foreign, foreign, foreign. Let's be just a little bit biased. Let's play more Kenyan. Let's play more Kenyan. It should be like that. You know, at the stage we are, we are playing more of the rest and less of Kenyan. Less of Kenyan. So let's get like, want to play more Kenyan. Yeah, get 70% to Kenyan music. Uh-huh. The rest of that can be given to Internet. They already have money, man. They have a lot. They have a bigger life out there. All right. I think also it lies also in those big people, the telegraphs and the like to also mentor- Mentor other artists. Because when I look, I really watch international arts. I love my Kenyan and then African. But you realize even in the states I see some artists just pick someone who wasn't known. A typical example is Donjazi. Yeah. Donjazi has a label. He's signed so many new acts. I can already tell you the rest of them. Like, you just Tanzania. Diamonds. I didn't know about, I just knew about this other guy. The one he sings with. Rivaani. Rivaani. He wasn't there back in the day. I didn't know him. But look at what has happened. Because of just the pool that Diamonds get to this. Yeah. When you're up there, pool shows are on the ladder for guests to come. Pool. All right. So you realize you find new content. You find new content for you. You reinvent yourself. As much as the same play, Kenyan music, we also have all the people still in the industry. We're not helping at all. And if they pick someone who is coming up, you know, they'll still remain fresh and relevant to the industry. You know, everyone just wants to, I am a veteran. Pool. We can't point to one veteran Kenyan artist who has signed another successful artist. Can you point to anyone? I can point to Nhipi Nye. Nhipi Nye brought in Octopiso. All right. But it's not an artist. I'm trying to... An artist. Yeah. So artists all are trying to do right now. Yes, this happened yesterday. Last week. But we can't point to any legendary Kenyan artist who has tried to help another artist. Another artist that we know because of another legendary artist. There's none in the job. According to my opinion, I can say... I can say... No Nini. Uh-huh. Brought in this... Pwnit. Yes, Pwnit. Uh-huh. But after Pwnit, Pwnit is, I think Pwnit is a bit still all, like the new friend. But at least it's an example. It's an example. It's something we can appreciate. It's an example. It's something we can appreciate. Uh-huh. Yeah. So apart from that, there's none whatsoever. There's none. There's none. There's none. All right. Maybe you can tell us on Y2F4 channel on Twitter, Y2F4, and the school channel on Instagram and Y2F4 on Facebook. Don't forget the hashtag Y in the morning or entrepreneurship Tuesday. Tell us that legendary artist or that artist that you know because of a legendary artist or pulled him or her up. Let's get back to the event. Uh-huh. By ACK Nation. What is the name of the event? The event is Quenya 237. Quenya 237? Yeah. Along Tikkarod. Uh-huh. Come to Gina. Along Tikkarod. Along Tikkarod. All right. From town, how do we get there? Uh, you can use Yuba. Uh-huh. Obviously. Of course. Of course. Yeah. Good. There's a bus. Uh-huh. There's a bus. Yeah. So the event is at Ray Gardens. Uh-huh. It's at exit 13. Uh-huh. Next to Nibs College or next to Spamola. Uh-huh. Yeah. All right. So we have a ticket at hand here. Uh-huh. The tickets go for 500. Yeah. 400 for one. Uh-huh. And then if you come three, you pay 1,000. If you come three, you pay 1,000. Yeah, we have tickets over 1,000 shillings. Oh, 1,000 shillings. Group ticket. Group ticket, yeah. All right. Is it going to be live, Kenyan News? It should be live. Uh-huh. Everybody's performing with a band. Yeah. With a band. Even the hip-hop artist is doing with a band. Myself will be doing with a band. You will be doing it with a band. Yes. You've been re-assing with a band. Oh, damn. It's going down for real. It's going down for real. I like to see this. It's going down for real. All right. So Loki, do you, do you consider yourself a rapper or an artist in general? Well, I consider myself an artist in general. Uh-huh. I don't like limiting myself to the rapper name, you know. Uh-huh. Because if you're a rapper, you can just rap. There's nothing else you can do. Uh-huh. There's nothing else you can do. There's nothing else you can do. And sometimes you tend to turn to a teenage girl. Yeah. Yeah. You start beefing. Beefing. Yeah, yeah. Of course, now. All right. Anyway, I like this so much. So, when you, when you, 237. 237. Hashtag sana amtani. Sana. Hashtag fa. Fahamu sana. Yeah. Fahamu sana. So, tell me the reason why you're pushing these hashtags in particular. Yeah. All right. So, how can they get to on social media just in case they want to, to buy some tickets or just interact with Acne Nation and do business? Um, we can get us on. The camera is number four. Okay. Number one, rather. I can get us on Acne Nation Corporation. Uh-huh. It's just Acne Nation Corp. Uh-huh. Shot in that way. On Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter. Okay. And they can also get us on our private accounts. Uh-huh. Um, Lilian Kangethe. Uh-huh. On Facebook. Uh-huh. Wakangethe underscore Lilian on Instagram. Uh-huh. All the, they can also get us on Kendall Noir. Uh-huh. On Facebook. Uh-huh. And Acne Nation on Instagram. Uh-huh. They can also get David Martin. Uh-huh. On Facebook. Uh-huh. As well as on Instagram. Uh-huh. Yes. So, Acne Nation. Corporation. Yes. Acne Nation Corp. Acne Nation Corp. Acne Nation Corp. Acne Nation Corp. Yeah. That is a way to find you guys. Yeah. At least that is sent and sent and they can find everybody else from there. Yeah. All right. As much as artists complain, as somebody works with artists, what do you think some of the things artists need, artists need to correct in Canon? Okay. You've worked with them. Well. You see, you see, I don't mean artists. You go here to learn. You don't know. Just have a learning spirit. And appreciate. Stay hungry. Yes. Stay hungry because you get 5,000 followers on Instagram. You're there and you can't convert the 5,000 to cash. And at the end of the day, your music needs to give you money. So, you need to put your music or your followers and everything, convert them to money because at the end of the day, it's not about performing. You go into the studio, you need this music to pay your bills at some point. And the music needs to You need a life. You need a life as well. And it needs to be on autopilot, like it needs to sustain itself. Yeah. You realize once someone is on like 10 followers on Instagram, hasn't sold a record, hasn't sold a single, doesn't even have full like songs. Full songs or EP or compilation. Yeah. But you can't even reach them. You can't like this. MZ Hammer. I think you need to have the learning spirit and also learn how to convert your followers to the money. And it all drowns to events. Like when you go to events, work on, work, get a working relationship with these people. Again, just, I think humble up you need music to convert it to money and you need the business to sustain itself. Like any other business. Yeah. You do it when you go to events, when someone approaches you, become approachable to do events. And work with people. Yes. Work with people. So artists need to improve on that. What about their presence on on social media? So as I say, I mentioned earlier, most of them have followers, but the challenge is converting the followers to. They don't even reply to comments. They don't reply. They text them. They don't have time to reply. She's about engaging with the audience. Engaging with the audience. It's very important. You have an you have an influence, but you have to engage with the audience. What is the importance of engaging? Because somebody will say, I don't see Drake reply to comments. How do you explain that? Drake doesn't reply, but how many people go to shows? But he has a team. So he'll be listening to the critics and to those who push him to make mistakes. Because we need to relearn and to learn at the same time. You need to relearn the mistakes you did in a certain song. So you need to relearn first, then you learn and then put your work out there. Regardless of how it looks, just put your work out there. I wish you could equate the Kenyan artists who have made it rather than those who are out there because they are doing what they are doing out there. Drake, but you know I don't want to throw jabs here and say I can learn new words, respond to comments, they are helpful. There are many terms of that. For example, people attend their shows, people attend, people buy their music, people access their music. Can other artists aim to get to that level? I mean, is there a platform where like the media fraternity, because we have been recouped, you're like, hey boss, I need to change my career. So like, I mean that push, that push, because you can look at the likes of Kanthai, I mean, you have good content, but where's the push? Where's the push? From corporate to She's focused on converting it to money, which is very important. At the end of the day, you go to an event you perform, like you come to Kenyan 237, you perform, it's business for you, it's business for you. You need to work together. You need to work together. Because you can't be the artist, you can't be the event organizer, you can't be the manager. You can push your own music. Alright, let me talk to the artist now. So, Loki, as an artist, you've performed on different stages. Yes. I'd like to know, as an artist, how important is it to keep performing? How much does it build your movement and how have the performances you've had before impacted your music or increased genre? Performances. Performances, in general, they give you exposure. They give you exposure. They give you confidence. They give you the confidence to stand in front of a thousand people. The first time I was performing, I performed in front of a thousand people, my friend. It wasn't easy. It was very rough. So, you need to start with the 10, 20 years. No, I didn't start with 10. No, you just got thrown in the evening. No doubt. I just used to sing and a friend of mine just said, okay, I'll come bust you one day. And they used to take it as a joke until that day came. I was busted. I had to. But it was work. But then after cities of performances, performances, I gained my confidence. I gained, I gained my audience's trust, you know. After a couple of performances, I'm like, okay, okay. This is how it's done. Okay. And studying other people who have done it before. I came to get a round of applause and I was like, okay, now I'm here. Now you're here. Now you're doing it. And you're looking forward to another round of applause at 2237. 237 as you dare, man. Nice. I'll be hoping to see everyone. All right. I like that so much. How did it impact your fan base? Do you feel like when you go out to perform and meet your people? Because I look at the likes of Joey Badass and the Bro Error. When they were coming up, they went on tour so much, so much, they were even recording on tour. And this is how my fan base grew because I was watching their videos and I'm like, all right, people really love this thing. They have people wilding to this thing. All right. So how did it impact your fan base? Do you feel like it grew your fan base going to perform in no time? It has actually been improving my fan base. It has improved my fan base. I get to, I get to, I get calls from people I have never met before or we've never spoken. Some guy may be coming from Nyeri and I've come from Kiamboo, you know, people just happened to come across you on the internet and then they want to reach you for some sort of a collaboration or maybe asking you to a performance. Because of something you've done before? Yeah, because of something I have done before. They actually have gone to perform in different places. I have performed in Umorja, performed in Sarakasi Dome town. We've performed in UON just here. You see, we've been performing Kasarani. We've gone out for performances. Always, always, always. Always, always. All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Loki. I think you're done with you for now. Maybe you can tell us one last thing. One reason why you think people should make it to the Gwynic Redactor. The why? Why they should come to Regardons? First of all, it's the experience, the ambience as in the art of it. Because there'll be exhibition. There'll be guys who are doing graffiti. There'll be bands, live music basically because we've been complaining about the quality of music. So like when you come to an event, it'll be all live on set, drums from the piano to the, all the whole set. So it'll be good to your ears. Generally good. Good things are good. Good things are perfect. All right. Also, toward on that, I would like to, not only the fans, this is me speaking to some of my fellow rappers and singers, artists in general, that are upcoming. You see, there are stages to this. Now, I would like to, to have them come into the event because one, not necessarily that you have to perform, but it's an experience. You will get acquainted. Come interact with other artists. Come interact with other artists. Come learn something. Come learn something. It will give you a push to wherever you're going to. All right. It will definitely give you a push. So not only the fans and lovers of music, if you're an artist as well. Not only the fans and lovers in music, if you're an artist, just come through. Many of us are trying to connect here. We appreciate it, my brother. We are running out of time. So maybe your last words to the people who are watching right now. On behalf of Acne Nation. On behalf of Acne Nation, we have the event when you're 237. Come, have fun. Come expecting some good vibe. Come expecting some mingling moments here and come enjoy. Thank you very much, guys, for coming through to Why in the Morning. We appreciate you all the best on 9th March at the Ray Gardens Thicker Road, exit 30. Exit 30. All right. Yes, we've come to the end of Why in the Morning on this particular Tuesday or on Entrepreneurship Tuesday. I go by the name of Bymosis or It's Bymone, every social media platform representing for Hilda Wathiti, Calla Miival and Joy Muchache. On behalf of everybody who made this possible, we appreciate you so much. So today we have had a lot to learn from the theatre arts to the music industry and hashtag play KE. Loki says let's keep pushing it. So we have a lot of shows but still I lined up for you in the course of the day before we can come back with Why in the Morning tomorrow on Queens Wednesday so don't go nowhere. Don't touch that down.