Yeah, so, I know. So, so let me, OK, listen, I'm
doing this for the content guys. Listen, this is how much I fuck
with you guys, so I'm going to give you guys an insight into
the behind the scenes. So I actually knew about Magana.
Like a while ago she released a song, I believe it was called
Drifting like way back in 2018. And I believe I heard it in 2019
and I reached out to her. So, so this is like, like, when
you're a producer, what you do is you find some artists and
they're really exciting and then you just hit them up.
So I was like, because, you know, I saw the release and I
was like, Magana. That name is so familiar.
And I was like, wait, I know Magana?
And then I was like, yo, I actually hit her up way back in
the day. And I still have the DMS.
So this is how this is how it usually goes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. What did you guys like my DMS?
This is how young afam? Young.
Well, young, I say. Well.
Relatively, yeah. Four young compared.
To 4 1/2 year? Yeah, exactly.
So 4 1/2 year AFAM. Wait, 4 1/2 year ago AFAM in the
past. That makes the that's.
A lovely way to see what you're trying to say, read the DMS,
man. Let's see, let's see what?
Let's see what was cooking. So.
The. Yo, what's up?
And welcome to episode 59 of the 30% Podcast.
I go by the name of AFAM and I'm joined by my amazing Co host,
Sam Sam. What's up?
What's? Up was up was up was up.
Good to be back. Good to be back in the flow of
the podcast, which by the way, you can listen to on YouTube.
You can listen to this on Anchor Podcast.
You can listen to this on Spotify.
You can listen to this on Apple Podcast as well as Google
Podcast. You can find us on social media,
you can find us on X, you can find us on Instagram, you can
find us on Threads, You can find us on LinkedIn.
And I believe we have a link tree in our bio which you can
follow and just find all the platforms in which we exist.
Sam, how are you? I am good, man.
I am. I'm good.
I'm. I'm good.
Before, before we before we get into actually how our weeks are,
I found an interesting article about Sam.
Do you believe in Angel numbers? I don't even know what those
are, so. So Angel numbers can be a
powerful source of inspiration and guidance.
By staying receptive to the messages they contain, you could
uncover the key to unlocking your full potential and purpose
in life. When interpreting Angel numbers,
thinking about how you felt in the moments leading up to seeing
the number is essential. Now we are in episode 59.
I want to read the Yeah, like let's figure out what this whole
episode means. Sam.
Ultimately, the 59 Angel number symbolizes abundance, wealth and
success. Everybody who's listening to
this podcast right now, you We are put no is an episode.
Wait. Wait, no, no, no.
This is serious. This is serious.
No, no, this is serious stuff. This number symbolizes
abundance, wealth, and success. Well, this Angel number appears
in your life. You.
Sound like a Nigerian? Appearing in our lives, Sam, let
me cook. It can indicate that you are
about to experience a period of great prosperity and good
fortune. The Angels are encouraging you
to keep taking steps towards your goals and your dreams.
They are signaling that the universe is ready to open the
order of abundance in your life. You listen Episode 50. 9 This is
unexpected episode of a bundle no.
And it's only this episode. So when you get to 60 what are
we doing? Is is it are we?
Are we back to to and? Then when we get to 69, you know
what time it is, bro? Anyway, I'm sorry, but yeah,
listen. Episode 50. 9 Let's go, Let's
go. What did you say?
Episode of success and abundance?
Abundance exactly. Prosperity.
Prosperity, Abundance, and. Wealth and also success.
Of course, of course. Of course.
And and as as we we definitely
wish because we won't just want to use that blessing on
ourselves would we so on everyone who's.
Did you have an abundantly wealthy success this week?
Let's take the wealthy out. We can, we can live with
abundant abundantly successful. No it was it was it was actually
a successful week. I was in the studio more times
than I have been, which was cool.
Worked on some really good music.
I had a really cool experience where it's interesting as a
producer where when you make something and before you play
it, it just like just Kuchi Shukutu and then and then you're
like you know what let me sneak this one in.
Hopefully they'll like it and then you sneak it in and they're
like farm this is the greatest thing ever.
So it's it's very nice when that happens on my head on those and.
OK. Yeah, so it was just that.
And then just really honestly working.
I've been trying to produce a lot more and link up with
artists. So that's that, man.
My my life right now is grind mode.
It is grind mode. So that's what I've been doing.
That's what I've been doing. What have you been up to?
Me, I've been smoking gasoline in the Kili Valley, Gaza.
I've been getting cheese like a Milli Valley pasta linking with
my rasters. Picking with pastas.
We be in the cell like Mikasa sukasa, Sukasa, eh Promoters
wouldn't followed you. I don't know.
I didn't know that line. The vision in a song.
Come on, Sam, Sam, I appreciate how much for a set.
How much for a set? What did you say, Bonga?
Sorry, I'm letting you down, man.
I'll let you down. I heard he was speaking, then I
heard he was no longer getting way too okay.
Anyway, I like. I like the.
Bonga. Bonga no longer.
I like that. That's very.
Very. Very.
The cover to Befika Juba Doba Zina.
Gonga was a gone guy. I got it.
Anyway, anyway, anyway, for those of you guys wondering what
is affirm on about, those are the famous lyrics by a famous
Kenyan artist called Korbs Corby.
Anyway, so it's just been in my head, man.
I don't know why these things have been in my head.
So my my week has consisted of me listening to that song.
Then what? What?
OK, the first three days of my week were dedicated to making
Afrobeats for reasons unstated. But yeah, it was, bruh.
It was intense. I was making Afrobeats like from
dusk till dawn. Like it was.
I made enough Afrobeats for a lifetime, almost.
That's how it felt. But yeah, so I made a bunch of
Afrobeats until Wednesday. And then So what else did I do
this week that was of note? Oh yeah.
And then on Thursday, we had the announcement.
So Steph sent me the the the trailer for the song for cocoa
butter, like the video. And I was so impressed.
But bro, I'm telling you, like videographers are like magicians
because like, on the day, like when we were doing the shoot,
like it was very run and gun. It was like it doesn't look like
much. We shoot this, whatever.
But then you he sends the edit in and I'm like, what?
It's so insane. So anyway, that edit was the.
Miracle of Editing is what it is.
I know. So yeah, so then we just, we had
the announcement for the for the song, for the video, which by
day, if you guys are listening to this, it's coming out
tomorrow. The music video for Coco Butter.
You may see me there again, but like you, if you see me, you
didn't see well, You dripped out.
But moving on, no, I wasn't. You didn't have the drip, drip
for my bad. Sorry.
No, I just look like I'm music producer.
It's sad. It's on brand.
What else? What else did I do on the week,
bro? Whenever anybody asks these
questions like. Whenever anyone asks any
question, that's when the answers decide not to show.
They're just not available. Camouflage.
That's what it is. Yeah, let me see.
Let me see. Let me see.
Mama. Say Mama.
I don't know. I didn't really do that much.
Like my week was mostly about just making music and then
scheduling a bunch of stuff as well.
In terms of music, you know, we have a few release plans down
the pipeline. Actually, There's some music
coming. On this I also saw, I saw I saw
something you had posted the the there's some artists you posted
on on on on Instagram page. What was that page?
None. None of.
Oh yeah, yeah. Then me and my bro Foster, we
started a page called None of It Was Real.
And essentially what we'll be doing is we'll just be
highlighting artists, this artist who we listen to more on
the alternative spectrum of music.
And yeah, it's literally just that.
It's just where we're highlighting the whole world of
drum and bass and maybe a little bit of hyper pop and maybe a
little bit of shoe gaze, maybe a little bit of alternative
rockish leaning stuff, but just stuff that's alternative in
general. Just just for highlighting sake,
that's like that's the goal, just to highlight it.
Yeah, just for highlighting sake because like we feel like it's a
space that's not really highlighted.
Like the the spaces that are really highlighted are like the
trap scene is very well covered. The hyper pop scene is very well
covered. The pop scene is very well
covered. But just the area in between
that Gray area where it's like people who are making like D&B
and stuff, but like also like being very experimental with it,
like this girl called Ivory. Yeah, like we just wanted to
like highlight that. So yeah, so we started the page
and. Hopefully that's what.
But yeah, Sam, Sam, tell me, tell me what, what, what is
happening in this, the the musical, the musical streets as
they will be referred to by myself?
The industry is waking up. Bro, the industry is really,
really waking. Up.
The industry is waking up. It was a good, good sleep
towards the end of the year. OK, people need to get back.
So I've found an article, yo, I mean one shout out to Sophie
Anzal of course. So I listened to the I know this
is like this is not the music segment, but it makes sense.
Listened to the remix by Major Lazer.
I know Diplo did a remix to Milwaukee of course.
And that came out, which is, yeah.
It's interesting that. Yeah, go ahead.
Sorry, No, I'm saying no. Just sorry.
Actually, I interrupted you for the reason.
Continue. I'll oh.
No, no, I was just going to say, yeah.
And so Diplo is actually doing a show on the 20th of January.
It's going to be in Carnivore and this is actually the third
time he's going to be in the country.
The the, the, the, the event is organized by Kenya Knights and
he's going to be sharing the stage with Cool Drink from South
Africa, Night Freak from Zimbabwe and our very own
Hiribai who used to be 1/5 of EA Wave among other local DJs who
will also be there. TA Wave.
Yeah, I don't know. I think they're more like a
trying to be like a label or something.
I don't know. So apparently he made a video
kind of saying that yo, you know how they always make videos?
Yo, Nairobi, what's up? What's up?
Do you always find those videos cringy?
Yo, Nairobi, what's going on? You're Nairobi.
Oppressed. And then and then at the end,
and then and then at the end they always said.
Exactly, so just. Be like hey.
To to to. Looking forward to having you.
He's just like, all right. Thanks, bro.
Shut up.
Wait, wait, who tells them to do this thing?
No, you have to, but no, you have to.
You have to because no, but you have to at the end, at the end
of like you want. You want them to feel like, like
you're part of of them. You know, it's like how?
Like when? Yo, Nairobi, Yaj.
I go by the name Drake. I'm sorry bro.
And Jake would imagine Jake would definitely.
No, man, no. Jake is corny enough to do that,
I think. Because you know the video of
Jake where he's like, there's a video of Jake where he's the one
where he's like, oh, man's what does.
He say. Oh man, don't care about all
that. It's like, why are you saying
that? He was saying that because of
this song. But why are you saying that like
in the video? Because you're out in the UK.
Drake is a good he's he's good at that.
It'd be interesting. How are you talking about Drake?
You know shout out to shout out to Diplo man.
Diplo. Diplo.
Kanye seems to be a this is, this is.
I was aware of the 2014 one and OK, no, no, no.
Yeah. So he's been here twice before.
OK, man, that's that's supposed it's interesting that he dropped
the market release right before he decides to come here.
Like that's that's good marketing in my.
Sense. Tactically, yeah, bro.
Before the podcast, Sam was telling me that he released a
song with Yashinsky and I was like, it must have been really
poorly marketed because I. I can't even.
I can't even find it anywhere. You can't even find that song.
Yeah, that's all. Must have not done really well
because, like, I didn't even know that was a thing that
happened. Yeah, those skulls, but.
Yeah, I mean skulls. Stay open.
Yeah.
Diplo MO, which is MO was on Lean on.
You need somebody to lean on and Yashinsky.
I didn't even know that song. Exists, yeah.
But yo, for those of you who are oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.
Sorry, no, I was, I was trying to stabilize on streaming
platforms, stills actually, but I couldn't find it recently.
Anyway, continue. No, I was just going to say for
those of you who are very into the UNS, the UNS is in your
blood streamed. I guess this is something that
you guys are looking forward to some.
Do you think you're going to attend the Kenya Knights?
Good. I don't think so.
I mean why?
Don't you? That's not your scene, that's
not your vibe. It's not myself.
No, not necessarily. I mean, not I I could go for the
music's sake but then I don't know.
I just don't think I'm going to deeply is cool.
So this raises is this is this deeply solo or Major Lazer?
Major Lazer's deeply so. It's just Diplo.
Yeah, I think it's just deep. Deeply sorry but.
He shows love, bro. He must, he must love coming
here because, I mean, this is going to be the third time he
comes through. Yeah.
Yeah, shout out to Mr. Thomas Wesley Pence.
Thomas Wesley Pence. He's from America.
OK, so so that's Diplo. OK, so yo, this is the what we
are in January and this bro, do you feel like this year is
already good? Like it's already been 2.
Weeks halfway through January, the.
Year is already flying. Back Oh, that's how the year
moves at a constant speed. I think it's just our
participation in it that that dictates whether it's also slow.
Also, I read somewhere that like the older you grow, a year
becomes less of a of a of a big period of time because it's it's
a. It's in the way in just in the
sense of how we perceive it because it becomes a smaller
fraction of our entire life. For example, when we were 10,
right? And you're in Class 5, you'd
only lived nine years prior to that.
So a year is really, really significant.
So that's why like a year like when you're in Class 5 felt like
a year like that year felt like really long and like because at
the time when you were experiencing it, that was a
tenth of your life. Now if you are 30, for example,
a year is a 30th of your life. So it feels relatively less
significant than it would 10 year old that does?
No, that makes, it makes definitely makes sense.
It makes sense, it makes sense. But then now it's like so now as
you grow older because you don't know how much of the year, I
mean how many years you have left because we never know,
right. But I guess you're just
functioning off, that's the truth.
Did you get that from the same site as the Angel Angel numbers?
Wow, Sam throwing shade. So wow, Angel.
Numbers. I can't believe you did that.
No. Prosperity.
Prosperity.
And and and and wealth. I can't believe Sam doesn't want
us to be prosperous and. Wealth and prosperity.
Angel numbers. What does that even mean?
Who came up with that? Who was sitting in their
basement typing that up? That's what I need to.
That's what I need to know. That's what I need to.
Know, listen, Sam, Don't be so sceptical, man.
Don't be such a sceptic. OK, so, so this.
Like I was saying, this is the beginning of the year and you
know a lot of people are especially in no in all
industries, we're trying to set up what 2024 is going to look
like. And you know and if you're in
the creative scene, there are a few opportunities that you
should be looking to kind of involve yourself in.
Essentially these opportunities can really, really greatly
impact your year and even next year because some of these
opportunities span two years. And you know one thing, one
thing and we've talked about this in the pod in the podcast
before when highlighting different various opportunities
like you know getting grants and all this type of stuff can
really, really help facilitate the art.
For example, like even the press play, I believe, I don't have
the specific grant like pulled up, but I believe a sole
generation secured a grant that kind of enabled them to to
engage in the press press play project.
And so like there's some and and look like now that's that's
initiative that has put on the likes of Juanita and Bakita
like. So you see like grants can
really help unlock industries because it helps people have
that ability to facilitate like some of these initiatives that
might take a lot of capital that maybe you just don't have liquid
at the moment, right. So I found a few articles, so
one of them is. So there is.
So there's a there's an open call for the Nafasi Co
Production fund which is going to be led by Goete Institute.
They are inviting applications for the NCF fund in Kenya.
The initiative was birthed to encourage more dialogue and
interdisciplinary collaboration between artists and the fund
will support 3 innovative collaborative works slash
projects grounded on a collective artistic
collaboration that explores new art forms in the areas of visual
art, music, dance, theatre and new media.
Each of the three selected projects will benefit from will
benefit from a grant of 400,000 Kenya shillings.
The final output will be presented at the Goatee
Institute, Nairobi or any pre approved and free to use space
of the artists choosing in the year 2024.
The application deadline is on the 31st of January and listen,
the eligibility is open to all creatives in Kenya.
Like all you just need to do is you need to submit your
project's description right which must include like a brief
profile of the artists involved and any relevant links to the
websites that you have ETC. You have to have a a a time plan
for your projects because all of these outputs must be presented
before the 31st of November. You need to have an itemized
budget which shouldn't exceed 400,000.
You can cover the cost of production props, space, hire,
assistant fees, all that jazz. So brah, if you.
I mean if you're building up to like like now if the music
industry and you want to build up to like an album or an EP and
you you know this is. Something it's a good thing to
apply for. It's a good thing to apply for,
yeah. So you you're the applicants
will be contacted before the 3rd of February and there's no
specified format for the application process.
And yeah, the costs to be covered by Gote directly include
posters and PR material, photography of the final output,
and all space related costs. So yeah, listen, if you are an
artist listening to this podcast, I would greatly urge
you to, like, look at this opportunity and see if it fits
or suits your vision. And then, yeah, go for.
It I mean if you if you have a vision that takes money it's
just I guess so they have a budget limit which is which I
guess would be the the major thing and they also said that
the so the artists what was what was the term they used the
artists fee it should be part of it but it shouldn't exceed 4545%
So that's just important to note because we know how some
sometimes it could be where the artist fee is the bulk of
actually with a lot of productions working in a lot of
productions outside I've seen that artists well depending on
what it is sometimes artists tend to take a huge chunk of
like even in like Hollywood films and stuff like that like
they have a but the artists will take like 10 to 20 I mean sorry
the actors take like 10/20/30 sometimes 40% of of the entire
budget which is huge but yeah no it's a definitely it's
definitely a good a good a good opportunity a good opportunity
be good be good to see what comes to say that there's three
projects that they're going to they're going to sponsor so.
400,400 thousand is good money to like for a project, yeah.
No, Yeah, it's good enough for. Successful like a music.
Project. Yeah, it's good for successful
project here locally. So that's pretty dope.
That's pretty dope. Yeah, that's cool.
So on. On other Gothe Institute is it
Gothe, Gothe. Do you not pronounce it Gothe
Gothe Institute News. So there's the SASA Nairobi
Artist Fellowship, the Open Call for the Stuff Nairobi Artist
Fellowship. To go to institute.
Man, yeah there's they're they're doing a whole bunch in
like we've we've we've I think we've covered them last year
also. They're doing a whole bunch for
not let me just say a whole bunch, but they're doing quite
creating opportunities for artists, not just artists but
creatives which is really cool. So the Artist Fellowship is is I
guess the the other grants sort of that they're that they're
looking for applications for. Yes Sir, yes it's part of the
the the Institute's visual art programme.
It aims at giving artists space and resources to present concept
based exhibitions. So two year programme that wait.
Did you say this is the Sasa Nairobi Artist Fellowship?
Yeah, yeah, the Sasa Nairobi artist.
The Open Golf is Sasa Nairobi Artist Fellowship.
Yeah, it's a two year programme that attempts to bridge the
grap, the gap the grap the gap between artistic scholarship,
research and practice and is designed to provide structured
support to meet career artists and curators to help them
advance to the next stage in their careers.
So this one is almost slightly different from the last one we
talked about. This one seems to be more more
how do you put it, more focused, more technically?
I don't know if technically is the right word, but it seems
like it has a lot. The Fellowship will take the
form of lectures, so it's definitely more serious if
there's lectures involved. Introduction to performance art,
public art and concept in sculpture, exploring theories
and advancements in curatorial practice in person and online
presentations by guest artists, cultural practitioners and
various thought leaders from Kenya and abroad.
Which is pretty cool. I'd like to know who those are
actually. Group discussions, group
discussions, taking me back to my college days where I'm having
flashbacks, writing workshops, one-on-one mentorship sessions
and consultation and more. Man in a possible road trip to
Kampala, Uganda. So if you have been looking, if
you're if you're a mid career artist who has been looking for
an opportunity to go to Uganda, this is, this is definitely,
yeah, it is. So there's a structure, yeah.
I mean it's not, it's not, it's not too it's not, it's not, it's
not too stringent like much you have to be available for two
weeks April, one week, June, one week, August 2 weeks.
So like it's it's it's flexible. But like it's definitely looks
like it's it's whatever it's. You have to dedicate that at
least like a portion of. Your time, yeah, for sure.
It's definitely time. It's requests, some of that.
So how you'd apply for this? And of course you can, you can,
you can go and check the requirements and everything at
the Goat Goate Institute. I'm sure they have, they have it
there. And also the article is on the
musicinafrica.net, so you can find that there, but we're just
highlighting it so how you could apply for that you you apply in
various documents. So I think there's three
documents that you need. The first document this you need
to describe your current body of work and how it fixed fits into
your larger artistic practice And then your vision and and the
goals that you have document to your bio and your statement and
it's really important. Over the over the holidays I was
looking to write a bio and you think that it's a very simple
for there's people on on on on Spotify who don't really take
that serious and they just like put a :) or something but then
writing a goodbye is super important because that's like
that's like the the it's like one of the introductions to how
you think as an artist and and and what you want to know.
So that's really cool. And then the documents three is
your portfolio. So I'm guessing what you've done
it could so I mean it could links websites social media and
and your artist buyers and motivators.
So yeah, that's it's, I mean this is a really cool
opportunity. It's an opportunity to to to
sorry before I mention that. So again you can check the
details on on on the website Got, got, got Institute.
I keep saying that. Wrong.
And then Sam, what's the the monetary like benefit?
The monetary benefit. Did they mention?
Oh yeah, I think they did.
Each artist will receive a stipend of 10,000 Kenya
shillings per month for a period of 10 months and a total
material research budget of 25,000.
Which, yeah, I mean, it's decent.
And this will also include a library membership card to allow
access to the Go To Institute Art books collection.
Yeah, that's cool. That's cool.
I mean, I mean any amount of money as an artist could be used
well, so. Yeah, and and the time, time,
time, time you're supposed to submit this.
Oh yeah, shortlisted applicants will be contacted, be before
12th February and you can send in your application anytime
before the 28th of January. So you have about two weeks for
both applications essentially. So yeah, yo, me, I'm just trying
to see all of the, you know, artists like win and if you you
guys think any of these open calls and grants like apply,
then you should definitely look into them for sure and see if
they're thing that you for sure. Participate and shout out to the
to the Institute, man, this is. Not to stay, stay supportive.
They stay. Some might say they're the
goats. Anyway, that was horrible.
So anyway, and you're the one who said Sam, you're the same
person who said that. I'm the one who always leaves a
silence after like. Oh, I'm sorry.
No, no, no, honestly, I didn't mean to do the same I'm trying
to do. They just did the same thing to
me. Why'd you say that?
You know, The thing is, you've been knowing that you're saying,
is this, this wild, wild, out of pocket statements that have
humor attached to them. But.
That wasn't wild and that wasn't out of pocket.
Just cringe. Blowing things out of
proportion? Come on, it's 2024.
Anyway, OK so Sam, there was an article I saw that was actually
very interesting that I wanted to get your opinion on.
So, so there was an article about global music streams
hitting about 4 trillion streams in in 2022.
Three. And by global they essentially
mean like what they call Latin music.
Well, no, what they call world music.
And then also Latin music and world music includes J.
Pop. K Pop, Afrobeats, we're all
thrown in the same genre because, like, yeah, I.
Don't understand you guys. Afrobeat.
I kind of understand, but K pop and J Pop feels like it
shouldn't be in that. World music.
The rest of the world, outside of the Western cultures,
essentially, is what's what's. Shout out to.
Them anyway, so the the all of these genres have in in have
experienced rapid increases in growth, especially streaming
eyes, which is good news especially for us because it
means our music is being consumed way more in the global
village that we live in. There's some statistics about
how Calm Down by Rehma and Selena.
Selena Gomez has just done like huge, huge numbers and
everything. The fifth most consumed song in
the US, which is ridiculous. Honestly, it's.
Crazy 4.8 million song sales and on demand streams And then the
This report also shows that Afrobeats slash Afro Pop was the
9th largest growing genre in the US, Just over 2 billion.
Yeah, growing genre. The top three genres in the US
are Rock, hip hop and R&B with rock surpassing 15 whatever.
But the most the the interesting thing I saw in this article was
so the the SO all the data was compiled by Luminate, and
Luminate usually does a year end report that that usually
highlights just the music industry.
And. All the exactly.
Regions. So it's a very detailed, very
detailed, informative report. It's pretty cool.
And OK, so one thing about these reports, so even if we're
looking at the IFPI report and Luminate, like one thing about
these reports that it's always frustrating is that there's a
very limited coverage of African music.
Usually they'll they'll do a thing where they'll they'll
bunch, they'll bunch the Middle East and North African countries
together and call them the MENA region.
Then they'll bunch the sub-saharan African countries
together. And then usually they'll they'll
target South Africa and Nigeria and.
A stand forms of standards. Yeah, and and usually it's a bit
frustrating because it's like, damn, I just.
I. Just want to know what's
happening in Congo, bro, What's? Yeah, like what?
What are people in Benin consuming like?
Would be dope to know, you know what I mean?
But so, So there's just a small snippet where Kenya gets some
like coverage and this on this Luminate report and I found it
interesting. It's very small, but I wanted to
get your opinion. So they say there is a 99%
overall streaming penetration among all music listeners in
Kenya. I've been trying to figure out
what. I mean by that what that
statement means, because that will dictate what they're trying
to say. It's got a good.
Yeah, Google. But anyway, they also while some
Googles. So they also said the top music
discovery methods in Kenya are via social media, television and
streaming services, which is interesting because I I thought
radio would be part of that because I think radio is still
very, very big in the music industry in Kenya.
That's actually that's pretty interesting.
Sorry, we will get back to that. Streaming, streaming penetration
basically means the amount of the population streaming.
So that's really, honestly what it is.
What? So 99% of our population is
streaming. That seems 99.
That doesn't seem right, does it?
That doesn't. What?
How? What population are they talking
about? Are they talking about the
entire country? I think they're talking about,
oh, OK, OK. I think they're talking about
because it's this is the overall streaming penetration among all
music listeners. OK, makes sense among music
because I was thinking that there's definitely.
So it's among the music, no? That's really good.
That's super high. That's almost 100%, of course.
It is. I mean, it is, man.
So yeah, so they're saying the top music discovery methods are
social media, TV and streaming. I don't know.
I found that interesting because I thought radio would be part of
that. But if you're a music creative
or create or, yeah, now you're looking at social media, that's
that's a big one. Streaming services, that's a big
one. Social media, I think in
streaming services they'll also even include like YouTube and
all that stuff. Then this was the interesting
statistic. So if you look at Nigeria, the
the, the, the top music discovery methods are social
media, TV and friends slash relatives, which is interesting.
OK, but then. That's interesting to put.
Inside. I know, that's so interesting.
Like, yeah. But then they said the top local
genre in Nigeria is Afrobeats, big surprise there.
And then top foreign genre is Blues.
But now you look at the Kenyan industry, our top local genre is
Kenyan gospel and our top foreign genre is Christian slash
gospel music. And I wanted to know what do you
think about that? In my mind it it makes sense.
I think gospel music has, it has an area of crossover.
So a lot of the people who who listen to not now not gospel,
but they listen to the the, how do you say it's the rest, What's
what's the other, the other genres, the other genres of
music, A lot of them, let me say a lot of them, but some of them
would listen to gospel. So there's that crossover.
Yeah, actually. No, there's crossover on both
sides, if you think about it. But it just goes to show how big
gospel music is and the gospel in the that's why you always see
all the artists like the life cycle of an artist is you come
up, you're popping, then you decide I'm going to go into.
Gospel. And then they decide they're
going to go back. That's.
Oh yeah. That's true, but that's that's
really interesting. It would be cool to see.
Now there's now this is just my thoughts.
OK, this is just from from my brain.
It'd be interesting to see parallels of So like with gospel
music, a lot of the times gospel music tends to imitate.
I won't say here in Kenya, I'm just looking at the gospel music
in general, but sometimes gospel music tends to imitate what's
happening. So it'd be interesting to see
like gospel like like Ganga tone and gospel, you know, like
what's happening on the other side.
I don't think we see that currently here.
I think gospel music has its own concentrated sound and and all
that stuff. So it'd be it'd be interesting
to see if because the the data is saying that that's that's the
largest, right. So it'd be interesting to see
more, let me just put it simply, more imitation, more, more, more
exploration of the gospel genre outside of what we already know
it to be. But that's.
I don't know, man. That's really interesting.
Essentially what Sam is saying is he's trying to get into the
gospel game and he wants to make more relatable stuff to him so
that he can, you know? He.
Can also participate. OK.
I would, I would highlight that that's not First off that's not
what I was trying to say. I'm just saying that it will be
interesting to see because gospel, all I'm saying is that
gospel seems to have like, you know when someone says the
gospel song, you seems to have like specific sounds so good to
see in Kenya. That's what I'm saying.
Some wants to make trap beats and still make it gospel.
That's not what I'm trying. All right, you know what?
You win. You win.
What else? Please.
Listen Charlotte to Lubidate for this interesting insight.
Best believe. No, no, not best belief.
I was going to say best belief. We've got to start making gospel
tracks. None of that.
But it's just interesting, it's it's interesting insight into
the Kenyan music industry and I'd like to see way more like
detailed data on the Kenyan music.
Industry like actual like numbers, not percentages.
It's. Always so limited and we only
have these small snippets to hang hang on to and just kind of
like you know so yeah yeah man was there anything else in the
news that caught your caught your.
Eye not much let me see there was there was something else.
So last last year we had talked about, we had talked about the,
I mean there was a big Hoo ha from Spotify talking about 1000,
a thousand year 1000 year 1000 plays or fewer, 1000 plays or
fewer won't be getting monetized, which is interesting.
I feel like they should have put it at 999 because 1000 seems
like. So sorry digressing.
So they have a few number statistics for us just to put it
in perspective. So last year they said
158,000,000 tracks, so 158,000,000 individual pieces of
Sonic art had. How many 100 and?
58 million, so that's 158 with six zeros at the end of it.
I think had fewer than had 1000 plays or fewer on music
streaming services last year and which is a huge number honestly.
And then 45,000,000 had no plays at all.
So this would be, this would be 45,000,000 being songs that are
already existing on the platform and I guess new songs that have
been uploaded, which is a hard fit to like.
I would think that even if as an artist, if you upload your song,
please listen to it once, just put it on play and go out and
you know, But yeah, so that just validates.
So the the whole thing was about them not paying out artists who
don't reach that $1000 a 1000 play threshold, right?
And I've just done some quick maths and look, Spotify pays out
on average about 0.003 to 0.005 dollars of per per stream per.
Stream. Which is crazy.
So that would mean with this 158,000,000 streams that get to,
they don't really get to around about 1000 plays.
It means that the money that's now going to be redirected from
those people who are making music that doesn't reach those
thresholds will be round about between $474,000 to $790,000 as
the upper limit if you do the maths.
So that's interesting, but that's significant.
It is significant. It's, it's well, it's
significant. I feel like it's not that much
in terms of Spotify's overall revenue, but it's significant in
terms of and and and now plus the the 45,000,000 that didn't
you know and I guess for them their thought would be so the
songs haven't to put the songs up on Spotify, like there are
costs involved, right. So those songs according to them
aren't making money and it costs.
It costs, which is, I don't know whether that's that's where the
ground is tricky. But then it costs money to
maintain them on the servers and whatever it is and I'm pretty
sure some of those, some of that 400 or to 700 K could cause
cover this cause. Anyways, I don't know what's
happening. This is merely just speculation,
but it's really interesting. I didn't.
I honestly didn't think that the numbers would be that many like
158,000,000 tracks is a lot of tracks not to get up to 1000.
So yeah, I don't know. I just thought I found that that
interesting. I'll definitely look more into
that. I do feel like this funny stuff
have been happening with the numbers though.
I don't know. Yeah, it's kind of.
Yeah, it's kind of interesting. Anyway, that's Spotify.
Spotify for. You Speaking of Spotify and new,
we we, you know, new music, bro. What was new that was tingling
your ear hairs, man? We don't like that statement.
Yeah, but you're the one who came up with that.
Was it me? I don't know if it is me.
Let's see, let's see, let's see, let's see, let's see, let's see,
let's see. Stella Wangi, formerly known for
my lean on. STLST.
L released a song called Chalk that Chalk.
STL sounds like a STL. Sounds like a fire finisher,
like a WWE finisher. She just hit the STL.
The STL. Oh man, What?
Yeah, I did. I don't remember.
By God, he just hit the STL.
That's how Jr. would be like. You ever know Bro's name?
I forgot his name. His name is Jr. actually.
Yeah, Jr. Oh, man.
Jr. the King. Wait, no, there was Jr. and
there was Jerry the King. Whatever.
Anyway, sorry. Go ahead.
I remember Jerry Anyway STL released a song called Chalk
That talk it's it was interesting listen.
It's down her lane. Like she has a style of it's
like her music is very energetic.
Very, very. Yeah.
So. So it's.
For me, it's very nostalgic of like the year 2012.
Why specifically? I don't know.
It just gives me like if like if this this song is dope, but I'm
just saying like it. It's very reminiscent of that
period 2010 to 2011 twelve. Like the The Beat selection,
just like the vibe in which she's like projecting.
It's it's it's such a time capsule type of sound.
I fuck with it. I like it.
It's it's it's interesting. She hit my ears.
Yeah, she's been, she's been releasing music for minutes.
So it's just that she's still putting our stuff.
She's a legend, yeah. Yeah.
I mean, there was, let's see, let's see, Boutros, Boutros
featured in the music releases twice.
So Charlotte to him is really, really putting in easy work as
we anticipate his new album, Teens.
Speaking of boutros. Does come out.
It wasn't wasn't. It was just to get this right.
It was conscience who hopped on on the Anjali remix.
Right? Was it conscience?
Did Conscience Hop? I think so.
Was it, I think, was it Angela? You need to confirm that why I.
Just want to check because conscience has been.
Yes, it was. It was all right.
Sorry. Sorry for that.
Yeah. So conscience again.
And one the Banton. Yeah, so Conscience again, he's
linked up with another Kenyan KRG, the Dawn for Time Bomb.
It's it's interesting how he's focusing on, I mean how he's
he's doing a bunch of collaborations with with Kenyan
artists. That's quite that's.
I wonder what they're thinking. What they're thinking is there.
Maybe he's just rocking with the Kenyan vibe.
But yeah, so KRG, The Dawn featuring Conscious Time Bomb,
That was an interesting one. Yeah, so then though like we
said, The Butcher's, he's released a song called Feeling
as a feature he the artist is called Ediv I believe.
And then he also featured on the song Makam which was by
Kalamoto, Saru and Boutros. Then we talked about this
earlier. There was the major laser remix
from Waki Bro, Shout out to Sofia Anzar.
She's now like 1.9 million multi listeners.
Which is, Which is insane. It is.
And then I read a statistic saying that her song is now the
most like streamed Kenyan song in history or something like
that on Spotify. That's good to hear, man, I.
Like that there was something, there was a there was a
statistic like that because Marquis is now like 19,000,000
please. Yeah, so bro, Sophie Anzhou is
having the time of her life, and I hope that she really seizes
this opportunity. I was telling Sam, I just hope
Martin Garrix is somewhere plotting and being like I just
need to fly her out here to the Netherlands to make me.
Yeah, yeah, that's that's me. For me, that's my dream to see
Sophie and Zao. Your dream Your dream is Sophie
and Zao and Martin Garrix make music.
Yeah, that's my dream. Or in most Spotify related wins,
TG Black was put as the face of the Fresh Finds hip hop.
She's super dope, man. Which is super dope.
She's super. Big man.
That's a playlist that has like over 200,000 like likes and
shit. So Charlotte to TG and her team,
man, they're doing bids, man. Like, that's actually very
insane. So shout out to TD.
But bro, for me, the song that stood out this week was by my
girl Magana. Let's get away.
Did you listen to that? That was it was a it was a cool
song. It was a cool song.
I was I I've not really listened to her music before as much.
I mean, I might have heard her name once, twice.
But yeah, this was really cool, man.
Some nice, very, very cool unbeat vibes.
I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed it.
Yeah, so, I know. So, so let me, OK, listen, I'm
doing this for the content guys. Listen, this is how much I fuck
with you guys, so I'm going to give you guys an insight into
the behind the scenes. So I actually knew about Magana.
Like a while ago she released a song, I believe it was called
Drifting like way back in 2018. And I believe I heard it in 2019
and I reached out to her. So, so this is like, like, when
you're a producer, what you do is you find some artists and
they're really exciting and then you just hit them up.
So I was like, because, you know, I saw the release and I
was like, Magana. That name is so familiar.
And I was like, wait, I know Magana?
And then I was like, yo, I actually hit her up way back in
the day. And I still have the DMS.
So this is how this is how it usually goes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. What did you guys like my DMS?
This is how young afam? Young.
Well, young, I say. Well.
Relatively, yeah. Four young compared.
To 4 1/2 year? Yeah, exactly.
So 4 1/2 year AFAM wait. 4 1/2 year ago.
AFAM in the past that makes. The That's a lovely way to see
what you're trying to say. Read the DMS man.
Let's see, Let's see what? Let's see what AFAM was cooking.
So or he was cooking in the. AFAM listens to drifting.
He's like, yo, this is fine, this crazy.
And then he's like, hey, what's up?
My name's AFA Mephena. I'm a producer from Nairobi and.
I'm like no that's came across yourself let me let me let me
let me let me grade your your I think the intro is the interest.
I'll give the intro a good it's a strong, it's a strong, it's a
strong, strong leading. Very simple, to the point.
No out of 10 this. Is who I am and this is who I am
and this is what I do. Out of 10.
I'm going to say your injuries are solid.
Let's go with a safe 7, because seven is always a safe number.
When you're doing out of 10 Safe 7, Safe 7.
Now establishing why I'm in the I came across your song Drifting
and I fuck with it every keep your e-mail.
I sent you something I'd love to work with you That was that.
That's it. That's, that's that's really,
that's what I said. OK, so and then do you want to
read that section or I'm thinking about, I'm thinking.
About about a reading. So So I would give that.
I would give that AA56. I'm not too fond of of peep.
I'm not too fond of peep. As you're introducing yourself,
I feel like maybe if you use more professional words you
could possibly garner more attention.
Check out your e-mail. Check out your e-mail is so
generic. Or check your e-mail so.
Peep. So Peep shouldn't be the
replaced. All right?
Cool, cool. You know what You You're back at
your Safe 7. That's what you are.
You're back at your Safe 7. So Magana replies.
And she's so nice. She's like, hey, nice to meet
you. And then she's like, thank you.
So thank you so much and OK, I'll definitely check my e-mail
a little bit later and I'll let you know.
Sparkle emoji fire by this. That's how you like to that's
that's that's how you reply to pesky little producers like
myself. Then I said, I'm pretty sure
that this is where I was. I was bothering into the cringe.
I was like, I'm pretty sure I'll end up sending a bunch of beats
before we find in brackets the one and then I put a bunch of
ellipses and then I was like, but I figure at least let's open
this conversation and work towards creating something dope.
That was the last thing that I said and that we said in general
in on in 2019 and. We that last that year that
progressed. Yeah, that last message might
have scared of. Why are we saying we before we
find like you're already working together, take me to your mind
your your thought process. Yes, take me to your thought
process. That's a solid 5.
That's a solid 4-5, by the way. No, I'm a high volume producer
like and by that I mean I produce a lot.
But like I everything I produce won't be great.
You do not. Yeah.
So when I'm working with.
Everyone's struggle. No, there's some people who like
all this shit they produce is really fire for me.
But that's the thing. Something is something is fire
to anyone. So you don't think it's fire.
But then there's probably someone who will listen to all
your beats and say bro, if I'm so one, so.
Anyway, that being said, I the bit I sent her probably wasn't
great. I'm pretty sure it wasn't great
so which is why I didn't get a response back.
And that's fine like this. Like bro, I mean I totally
understand, but there's so many times I send dads to people.
But I I what it is, it's just interesting.
It's just interesting that like the whole because, you know, I
saw the name and I was like wait, I know this name from
Summer. So I was like, bro, it's so
funny like I actually DM D her like way back.
But for me personally that was the Best Song that came out this
this week. Like I know she's she's so she's
grown up like in Nairobi, like she's she's grown up here in in
Kenya like all her childhood. I know in her bio it states that
she's you. Her parents are Uganda and
Tanzanian, but I feel like yo bro, we listen.
She's Kenyan like we like. She's like bro, like I've
experienced her, like in the Kenyan.
Scene like. You.
I wouldn't have known she was she wasn't Kenyan if I didn't
read the bio. Because like, even back then,
like her music, like it was just, yeah.
So Sam, if you would allow me, would you?
Yeah, sure you would. Let's play Magana.
I'm just thinking of the day
where I say, no, I'm not allowing you.
How is that going to go? I've gotta play exactly.
This is just polite, but yeah, yo, listen.
Shout out to Magana for getting back into the game and releasing
music after so long. But yo, here is her
reintroduction. So this is Let's Get Away by
Magana. The
I'm trying to stay. Trying to sleep, trying to
sleep. It's time to go swallow.
Hesitation. Does discretion off your
clothes. Trying to find my way back to a
place that I don't know for life so I can see it.
Every time we touch a water tends to calm these ways we do a
lamp as matches play. I remember when our uniform
these mum, looks over God. So won't you go travel down this
road on my own? Believe me.
Tell me here's your dad and done so well with us.
Say you're mine. No need to fantasize us and all
the way we can find a baby. It's jumping the pace at this,
holding bags inside the slave I now we're dashing past the
floodlights. All this tension and design, 2
broken bodies, breaking wind and breathing fire.
A feet beat on the pavement, a hot speed OverDrive, just as I
think will make it. That's when you turn to me
that's such a salty. I smell with salty beats and
that's when I feel someone, not you or me, just lurking and I
talk. You cry and I feel the strike
Shots of joy emerge from behind a holes in my side.
You stare going to palm your pale, your conscious wagging on.
So why don't you let me see your face?
Why don't you let me see your eyes.
Keeping my eyes, you stare your reflection there, you fool,
smile to my heart None.
That was Let's Get Away by Magana again.
Shout out to her the production and that was sick.
Very cool. Vibes Alex Isley, esque.
Like I really loved the production.
I wish there was a production credit on the Spotify because I
I really want to know who made that beat because let me see if.
You can do social media. Let me see.
Maybe this time don't you speak. Maybe this time keep away from
peep. Find something else to say.
It only, Oh yeah. Oh, so it was produced by Dream
Life Beats. So she gives credits on her
socials. So it's produced by Dream Life
beats, I don't know, Dream Life's Dream Life.
Oh, dream life. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
OK, Sir. And then it was mixed by a
person called Micah Wyatt. Shout out to the both of.
You. Oh, Micah Wyatt seems to be in
high demand because I can see here that Zinnia also follows
Micah, so I guess he's a good mixologist.
But yeah, shout out to Magana and.
Yeah, shout out to him. I'm saying.
I'm saying shout out to them. Shout out to them the.
Yeah, shout out to Yeah, but Sam, there goes another episode
59, the episode of Abundance and success and just prosperity.
Listen guys, if you listen to this podcast, if you spent time
with Sam and I for this hour just listening to us, just know
that your week will be full of abundance, to prosperity and to
success. Actually, not just your week.
Your whole. Entire.
Life, right? Your generations, your future
generations, or even up to the 10th up to the 10th generation.
Listen. Your generations wouldn't even
know. But just because you listened to
episode 59, the blessings that they have, they stem from this.
They stem like this is the inception of all those.
That's a fact. So.
That's a fact. Shout out to you and your future
generation. Shout out to all of you guys
like we really do. But.
Yeah, Sam, unless you have anything else that you wanted
to. To say.
In fact, do not. Oh, OK, go ahead.
Oh, you faked all of us for me? I was actually taking you.
Serious. Sorry, but but thank you for
listening, man. Thank you for listening.
Thank you for. You did the podcast equivalent
of doing a Step Over But. Hey, listen, it's been great.
It has. It has.
Shout out to you guys and yo, the next episode is the big
episode 60. We're really moving up there.
We're. Now 66, we can't.
Even say we're middle-aged anymore.
Some like we're reaching into the twilight years.
No, let me not say that. That's not good.
But like we're yo, if you know what, in 2024 we're doing
shorter outros. So guys.
Thank you for listening. We'll catch you on everything
60. Thank you for listening.
Exactly. Goodbye.