 I've always wanted to have this sit down with you We're here now DJ Raj is representing you and listening to the sounds of DJ Raj's Maybe you want to say a few words before we take over I'm going to learn the hip-hop That's on me I feel like I can say it Hip-hop nation Hip-hop nation I'm going to learn the hip-hop So the hip-hop, the camera is number four Look them straight into their eyes Take them out of the corner And just tell them who the hip-hop is In 2019 And we're going to introduce you to the city who started this thing But in 2019, who is the hip-hop? I'm not the hip-hop guy We wanted to be hip-hop But guys already know man Hip-hop artists New school Kenyan hip-hop pioneer I'd like to think I've been playing a major role Just putting the real Kenyan hip-hop out there For the guys who are enthusiasts like me And all that But you know Hip-hop I think is the biggest genre Because it kind of Spends off into every other genre Because I'd like to think guys who do Kapuka is still hip-hop Because they rap and mostly Guys who do Gengi They still do hip-hop So I'd like to think hip-hop is the Biggest genre in Kenya Do you think hip-hop is the biggest genre in the world? I think hip-hop is the biggest genre in the world In Kenya That they jump on hip-hop beats And vocalize up and make it nice So I'd like to think I'm that guy That pioneer So keep your comments coming K-Boys in the building Watch 5.4 on Twitter Watch 5.4 on Instagram And watch 5.4 on Facebook When you say you're the pioneer Of new school Kenyan hip-hop Yes bro The song that rings Is Death Wish When you dropped Death Wish You were in high school? Yes man I was in uniform 3 I was in school with Mingi But I was happy Dude I went to like 6 high schools But at that time I was in uniform 3 I remember So when this dropped When I was on TV I wasn't in Nairobi back then I was in Ushago When I was in Japan I was in Ushago Anyway I was in Ushago When I was on TV I was in the sky During that time Hip-hop from Dandora Yes man Gangae And then this From 3 students And English rap And slang What was going through your mind Like would there be a plan to take over And you were just doing your thing Actually I started making hip-hop music Out of Adair When I was in class 8 When I was in class 8 I was talking to Cornelius I used to share the cubicle With him in school I was in school He used to be our child So when I was So when I was in Ocha When I was in Nairobi I used to go to my grandpas Back to school So I was in Boeka I used to relate power When I was in Somana I used to have a disc man I used to have a disc man Exactly I used to have a disc man Most of the time My cousins used to hook me up With compilation CDs With Jay-Z With 50 cents With MP3 I used to have glasses That sounds like But anyway I used to listen to that And then I used to Sing those lyrics back Had no life I used to So when I was in Boeka I used to have a freestyle So my homie was like See you record these things I was like I'm like I don't have talent to record So when I came back To the city My kid bro I tried to get into These Inside My kid bro You never know So I got in I remember that time I was in shortwave And EMO I remember I remember Just getting there So I got in there Unfortunately I didn't win I was second I was in shortwave Then it was me and EMO Shortwave is still doing music? I don't know But last time I checked He does software design I'm not sure So from up with O I got a little recognition Unfortunately it didn't work out The guys from inside took us Took me to Agopa Unfortunately it didn't work out I think my style is not What they were looking for at the time But it's fine They weren't very keen On hip-hop Dancing Lambalolo type We were kids then So I saw good But I think God was on my side Ted Josiah So Ted Josiah and Wairae Actually approached me He's my compa And Wairae and I Come see if we can do some B.U.Palleted At Blue Zebra records Wairae was producing that Wairae was an artist Producer I remember There was B.M.Z.G There was Necessary Noise There was Cheng Obura There was Mara Ted was just a guy He was like Kenyan music royalty I never actually got to record I stayed for like a whole year I went to the studio But I think they were Trying to mentor me What people don't understand Do you see records Back from studios Exactly bro I chilled there They made for me a couple Songs like one or two But I don't know If these guys can do it So can I Plus I'm not trying to be looking For guys to be carrying me all my life So from then We opened our own studio And until now The same spot in Yesiu record I work with that Of course The production quality Has improved dramatically Equipment is good The management is also in check But When we started out My boy and I went to Gish He's actually a lawyer He used to make music He used to sing But he started to produce So it's him and my home He's so fresh It's been a journey So fresh goes way back Like that That tag you hear All those songs so fresh You know I know you came to come With so much These guys called Mantai Yeah those are one of them That's how I came to know So fresh So fresh man You already know I'm sure you're watching So fresh is responsible With so many hits out here From Leban as well From Leban Karisma He's doing a lot Like the song with With Taurus Riley And Ziki That's still so fresh He's very well versed In what he does So after Still interested in This death wish What's your record You have to live in a bedroom Yeah exactly So it's my boy And it was Cecil He's actually in South Africa right now He's called Cecil So he was in South B So I think he saw Napenda Hip Hop He saw that song on telly Then he was like imagine my guy Since me I'm a DJ And I also produce what do you think We collaborate and make an album like this So we made an album actually Your death wish was part of an album The album was called Nari That's like the first CD I ever made In my life So we hooked up So we didn't have the video So the video here Another homie of mine He hollered at me He's actually from Europe and He hollered at me I'm hearing this song I bought this CD You remember we used to rap I bought you a CD And if you're down Do you think we can Put heads together and See if we can shoot a video for it I was like That's awesome Dude I had zero cash To spend on videos So he hollered at me He hollered at me He went over the dynamics Then he learned Computer graphics Animation So we set up A green screen And just shot the thing I think I was Sasa I think in my career I've just been lucky I'm exceptionally talented On live but I've also been lucky At the time There were many guys rapping from Kibera And generally from the west side I think they were from Iceland Dandora California I think So At the time me and Octopus were coming up And I think When we approached the likes of DJ Pinyin told them You think you could also put on For this other side We kind of feel like we're being left out So we were lucky In the beat and all that So I think At least we didn't notice We were asking And then you know us we had mad fans We got to the end of the show I'm like 300 guys So it even becomes hard to He call He call So we got to Roll with a large crew and all that So that's kind of how We built the hood Because Before me and Kibera There were some guys Doing it but they weren't Doing it the way it's supposed to be Before I came up I was like I'm busy and you know That's not the new school Hip-hop that we're looking for So It kind of gave everyone else Confidence to Because Most guys used to shy away from Saying they're from Kibera Not even in music bro I'm like So where are you from You know those chiles the way they are I'm like I'm from So I'm from So when I started Putting on for the whole deal Proud man I wasn't scared of anyone saying That's where I was born Unfortunately man That's where I was born So At the time when we were Coming up All that Kind of Social segregation I used to enjoy that I used to feel nice anytime I'm the outsider That means I'm unique I'm different from these other guys So even the way guys treat you Is not the same way that they treat these These other guys From brapping in English What's your problem Kibera Kibera And then just Being proud of you from where you from In fact in case you haven't noticed In all my songs I have to Big up the hood This number nine I have to say this I have to say this Do you feel like Your movement The guys from number nine Impact the spirit of the young kids In that good Actually it has bro I'd like to think The guys who are coming up Are even more vibrant than we were In my songs I'm not old by the I'm not The reason most guys think I'm Older than I am Is because The guys who are my age And rapping were pretty much nonexistent So I used to Chill with older guys I used to chill with them I used to chill with them God bless your soul bro I used to chill with them Over time Over time by the time Bro, I used to feel like I'm not that old But the thing is bro I just turned 30 I was 40 I mean I'm the third flow So guys used to That mature vibe Even guys who are my peers When you do not do the same thing now I want to meet a big bro I'm not old by the time I want to meet a guy Just because I started rapping when I was really young By the time I was 15 I was with John and Kina and Josiah 16, 17 I was with Bro So by the time I'm 25 Bro, I have like almost 8 years Experience I don't know what time I'm in I don't know what time I'm in I don't know what time I'm in I don't know what time I'm in I don't know what time I'm in I don't know I don't know Fast forward Yeah, right now I have Actually we have two record labels One is mine We need to have banana music And the other one is a spin-off That I can create now Some of my friends DJ Device and Mr. K4 So we have two labels So banana music is all me And The guys I'm trying to put on I have two social responsibility Kiasi And the other one is the number 9 skyline We've released a couple songs And the number 9 skyline Of course there's Mighuna It's on YouTube, guys can check it out Nobody There's Letter to Mama It's also online and it was a dedication To all the mothers out there All the African, Kenyan mothers And mothers worldwide It's also out there Guys can check it out on YouTube K4K4 And we also have Some two new upcoming projects Which one is already out But just the audio The video is under construction So here we go out in it on my ninjas So it's just about me and my friends And how we try and push each other In the right direction And just support each other's hustle And all that The guys is working Yeah, bro So there's one of your songs That really instilled out for me last year Okay, which is I want to feel safe when I'm walking Actually it's called Hakkino Osalama But the hook is catchy You can find yourself Titling the track according To what you remember from the song Hakkino Osalama is a very dope song We sang on this So the song was actually Part of our compilation album The album is called The Mona Inchi Initiative But in short TMI So I did the Mona Inchi Initiative Because of When it comes to politics Kenyans think about politicians More than they think about themselves Or ourselves So this was just to Highlight the fact that The whole album was just to highlight the fact that As much as we support Different factions and different political Parties and politicians And their ideologies and all that At the end of the day We are what's important It's not them who's important We are what matters Because most actually Exactly Exactly Exactly They're just interested in the numbers So this was just to remind guys That you know Out of bad governance The corruption Comes up The tribalism Comes up What do we call it This religious Segregation in order Isosotesi come out of bad governance So at the end of the day We end up killing our energy End up killing our social Standing with each other Of some pointless things Things like politics The album was just to remind us That After all is said and done After all the politics and all the support For your different factions We are what's important So it was just to highlight The ills that come About as a result Of bad governance And tribalism So those are the things I was addressing in the album So I did two videos From the album So the one you're talking about Is called Hakina Usalama Where I just pretty much talk about Just being in a safe environment To hustle Being in a safe environment To thrive where your kids can grow Exactly And you know There's no safe environment And conducive Any growth We won't have any growth if you're always Looking over your shoulder These guys still come and get me So in layman's terms The song pretty much just means Like I want to feel safe When I'm pulling in work Like Mr. DJ Apa and you I want to feel safe when I'm having a nice time When I'm out on the town with my boys And all that It's just a feel good song The whole album was produced By my friend he's called Akish With the help of my other friend He's called Farouk So they are the ones who are very instrumental In helping me Put together the whole thing Before I talk about another song That is going to lead to another thing People don't know that this song Was A live production Actually the whole album Is going to be a live album If you listen you'll hear there's no electronic Sound up under me It's all authentic instruments And all that So we pretty much linked up With this one guy From Yunasi band He's called Toby In case you didn't notice The thing is mostly acoustics So it's a lot of guitars So that homie of mine Is going to work for me In the Yunasi band I see y'all I see you That authentic Kenyan I just love the whole vibe Those are my big bros right there They may not do hip hop like me But we're on the same page As far as that is concerned Music is the universal language I'll take you to another song That really stood out for me Nubaba How did this come along? Actually Me and Rain go way back Rain is my boy From when I was Master been in college I was in university with Rain's sister So Rain's sister was my friend In college At that time Rain was in College also but in Russia now So when he came back I was going to do medicine So when he came back His sister was like His sister is my fan So his sister was like Do you think you can do something with K-Force Manzee Because I think I can make it happen Hook you guys up So I met Rain courtesy of his sister So At that time I was in a camp I think So when I arrived We did one song back A while back he said Welcome to Nairobi So we did that From then we've been homies on and off But this time we're in traffic I think we're going to South B Or Mugoya or somewhere So Rain is like I think we should do another song It's about time So I'm like So I'm like Then he's like But I don't have any production Right now I don't have any guys who can source beats So I told him Let me make a couple calls I called one of my boys Asked him If you have any Beats that are Just lying around See if you can drop me something Then after the project is done So Ujo is like Yeah sure why not So Ujo He sent me some beats So he said Yeah So we listened to the beat I came up with the chorus In traffic I came up The hook was created By the time Tunafika studio We had the chorus But we didn't have the verses So by the time Tunafika We weren't even going to the studio We just We just went to the studio Let's just go in Let's carry the sessions Go mix them Exclusively on Y254 On Y in the morning After the break We are going to know how Steph Capella came to jump on the track as well Let's take a short musical break I hope we're going to play some cable cables Then we'll be back with some more of Hip Hop Thursday on Y in the morning Go tight like that