If you're using it in a way that you're bringing down and not to
be all peace and love and Jay Coley about it, but if you're
using it a way to bring down your fellow artist.
And Jay Coley. Jay Coley about it if.
You're using it in channel Inner Spirit of of of Jay Cole.
The. What is going on?
What's up? What's what's what's up?
Everybody? Welcome to the 30% podcast.
The 30% podcast. This week someone asked me what
the 30% podcast was and I almost forgot.
Of course I didn't know that's that's false.
What did you say it? No, I told them, yeah, it's
about the, you know, we, we, we worked on it.
I mean, it came up when we're looking at the Kenyan music
scene and we figured out that, you know, just 30% of music of
Kenyan music is played on Kenyan radio.
And we're playing all these other songs and we're really
vibing to all those sounds. But we really need to grow.
We need to grow our, our music industry.
So we need to play more Kenyan music.
And so that's why we called it the 30% podcast.
And I did not get a wow, that's really, I was waiting for like,
wow, that's really insightful. I didn't get none of that.
They're just like, oh, OK, how do you search for it on
Instagram? I was like, all right, you guys
are anyway, welcome to 30% podcast.
This is this is I am Sam, Sam, I am I do not like green eggs and
ham. I like ham.
I don't know about green eggs. And I'm here with the greatest
of all time, the legendary the the slightly sick Alpha Mefuna
Afam. What's going on man?
Sorry I lit you up. As Sam has just said, I I am
feeling a bit under the. Yeah, but energy though, I'm
here. Why do people, why you, why you
don't be sulking when you're sick.
I. Don't have any and I I'm, I'm
very energy less right now, but yes, I'm here man I'm here.
Hosted by Sam and the Energy less AFAM.
Shout out to everyone who's listening.
Thank you so much for joining us.
We really do appreciate each and everyone of you.
We love bringing this thing to you.
We love doing it and just generally just love, love the
talking about the industry. And that's what we do here.
We talk about the Kenyan industry with the hopes to bring
awareness to the industry and and just have conversations that
need to be had. A lot of these conversations are
not really had. There's we talk about artists
and their motion emotion and stuff, but it's really
interesting. I mean, not interesting, sorry.
It's really important to talk about the things that make up
the industry, the things that break up the industry and
everything in between. So that's what we're here to do
is just from the perspective of two producers, industry
professionals in the game. And yeah, we just hope we're
doing some good here. You can listen to this on
Spotify. It's on YouTube, YouTube,
YouTube videos. It's a YouTube video on YouTube
and YouTube Music. You can listen to us there.
Please like subscribe, all that business.
It's on Apple, the Apple platform and it is also on.
Is that what I miss? Spotify, YouTube and Apple.
That's it, right? Yes, essentially.
And we're also on social media. OK, yeah.
And to find us, of course, you can search for the the 30%
podcast. We're on social media as well,
the 30% pod on Instagram, on Threads, on X slash Twitter and
on LinkedIn for some linking and building.
And yes, please engage with us. Share this to people who you
think would benefit from the conversations.
We've been having some really good feedback recently.
We really enjoy that. So share this with people who
you think would benefit from the conversation.
Artists, industry professionals, yo Mama, anyone who would
benefit from the from this. Sorry, I probably tell me weird
and I feel so scared now. Let's no forget I said that
please. Artists, industry professionals
and anyone else who anyone else who who you think would benefit
from it. So yes, let's get into what we
are getting into. Alpha Musa.
Sorry about the sickness man. Man, yeah, I caught a caught a
cold, but I don't know. I don't know what it is, man.
It's like, yeah, been just, it's like a flu slash cold.
But then also like it's been weird because I'm feeling like
like a like a stomach bug as well.
So it's just, it's just, I feel very icky right now.
But other than that, it's just been about recovery during the.
I mean, that's what I've been doing the week during the.
I can't even speak like English is lost on me right now.
That's how my week. Oh, yeah.
Yeah. That's how my week has been,
really just me being under the weather.
Aside from that, just been working on a bunch of music.
Yeah. I actually made a ton of beats
this week. Also been working on editing
videos. Yeah.
I've been saying that's been really interesting.
Yeah, yeah, just kind of tinkering, seeing what the
algorithm likes. Sometimes it's like, well, you
know, am I going to sit around and wait to like find like dope
video editors to like kind of do do stuff for me or like I'm just
going to learn it myself. So yeah, just kind of decided to
learn how to. Yeah, because it's easier.
It's just way easier. So that's currently what the
industry has done to me, man. It has also made me.
VJ Editor. Figure out how to how to edit
videos because unfortunately not unfortunately, you also just
have to find innovative ways to market the music.
And that's what I've really been, that's what's been in my
mind a lot this week, just thinking about how can I market
music and merge that with visuals with a limited budget.
And I was like, OK, yes, now because since I have a limited
budget, let me learn how to do the videos.
So that's really what my week has been.
Are there any similarities between editing and like editing
videos and editing beats? Because we do edit beats,
Essentially that's what we're doing is we edit.
Beats yeah, yeah, actually, there are a lot of similarities,
man. I really respect the craft of
like, editing videos. It's really fun.
Although it's really, it's really nice because it's like
you spend a long time editing a 32nd clip and you put a lot of
effort into the transitions and the cuts and like the timing of
things and everything. Yeah, just for 30 seconds.
But like, it's really fulfilling once you do something like
there's sometimes you, you have like some really random moments
of like, this is actually insane.
Like there's one editor I made and I was just experimenting
things. So I just like cut, I cut the
the the I cut the clip and then I, I chopped it into like
multiple pieces. Yeah, I don't know how to
explain this. Yeah, this is into audio, Audio
podcast. This is not to describe and I'm
doing hard. To describe editing in an audio
podcast, Yeah, let's see how you do this.
Yeah, but like I chopped it into multiple pieces.
I left spaces in between and then I like, I like, like, like
gradually increased like the volume of the music bed and
like, I don't know how to, And then I timed the drop perfectly.
It was such an amazing like thing.
Like I did like just on the spur of the moment and I was like,
yeah, this is actually really fun.
I'm kind of so I, I've been just like editing on Cop Cut because
like it's free, but over late. They've what they've done.
They've introduced the they've yeah, they've introduced a pro
version and I'm so upset with Cop Cut, man Y'all, you guys
were supposed to be for the people, man.
What's the why? Why did you have to make a pro
version? And then like, because now like
there's a bunch of dope transitions, there's a bunch of
dope transitions, effects and all that type of stuff that's
now in the pro tier. And I'm like, bro, like we had
this stuff for free literally two weeks ago.
Like why? This was so unnecessary, man.
Capitalism is annoying. We knew that.
AFAM was going to start editing and he's going to need this
thing, so we need to get Afam's money.
Yeah, they get you hooked. But you know what?
I will not pay for your service. There we go.
In fact, you might. You're not using.
You can't find that different. Are you boycotting?
And you're the unique. No.
How am I losing? And find a different platform to
edit on. Yeah.
There there you go. You lost.
You lost a dedicated user.
Ha ha, ha. Well, well, maybe one day Capcot
will want to like sponsor this podcast, At which point I'd like
to say Capcot. I was unwell.
I was unwell and. Like I was brain, brain heart
connection again, that brain heart connection.
Oh, that's cool. Sorry, sorry about the sickness
though. That's it's really crazy.
I'm sure you want to be outside and just linking and building
and and and doing a lot, but you're stuck in the house.
It's so hot over here. I don't.
I don't even want to be outside. God Dang, it's summer.
It's summer, right? Dang, how can you have a cold in
summer? It's yeah, it's like summer, but
it's like the end of spring. Sorry bro.
Yeah, man, I've. Been How about yourself?
How was your week? I've been chill, to be honest
with you. I'm not even going to lie,
there's not much that has happened between the last time
you asked me that question and it's just been working.
The days just blurring together. The days are moving quickly.
It's it's. It's a weird space where the
days are moving fast enough for me to notice they're moving
fast, but not fast enough for me to not notice what that's made
sense in my head. But anyway it's they're just
they are blurring in in some aspects.
And Saturdays, Friday and Fridays, Monday and last
yesterday and the day before yesterday was Sunday.
So I don't know what's happening.
But it's cool though, progress getting some work done.
Been doing some writing, writing, writing songs, which is
fun. Writing songs, writing melodies.
That's cool. I'm taking care of my stray cats
who have become much more clingy than I would like them to be.
But that's that. Not to bore people with that.
So yeah, man, we're here to talk about the industry.
Let's get into it. Let's get into it.
OK, there wasn't much happening this week as as per like news.
But I guess an interesting thing that happened earlier in the
week was we saw posts from Yashinsky and Savara as well as
the Madaraka Festival page kind of announcing that the highly
anticipated USA tour for 2024 hosted by Madaraka Festival
would be without its headliner, Yashinsky, as well as a few
other guests such as Savara. And so just reading from reading
the from the, from their Instagram, they say they they
released a statement saying throughout the past decade, the
Madaraka Festival has proudly stood as the most enduring
African music festival. Our commitment has seen us grow
from a single annual event in Seattle to a vibrant celebration
spanning 13 cities. This year, as we near our 10th
anniversary, we are excited to mark this significant milestone
with all of you. However, regrettably, due to
unforeseen visa processing issues impacting some of our
headline performers, we find it necessary to postpone the
festival to a later date within the year.
And then they say Ticketmaster will be sending emails to all
current ticket holders with instructions and information on
refunds, and refunds will be available at point of purchase.
Nyashinski also released a statement saying we regret to
announce that due to factors beyond our control, we will be
unable to perform at the USA Madaraka Festival 2024.
Despite the diligent efforts of the organizers, they were unable
to secure visas for our team's entry into the US.
We had very much looked forward to the tour and we sincerely
apologize for all the inconvenience this has caused.
I know a lot of people are very disappointed.
I mean, and I'm sure a lot of money has been lost because I'm
sure it was a huge investment already.
So it's unfortunate that they wouldn't be worrying.
How do you feel about this? Like what are your your initial
like thoughts? Well, I mean.
Like seeing the consolation and stuff.
It always it always sucks because it's an opportunity to
grow or to, to celebrate music, right.
So that's, that's, that's terrible.
That's, that's kind of that's, that's whack.
It's not good and all all the opportunities.
I'm not just thinking about. I'm not just thinking about
Yashinsky and Savara. I'm thinking about all the band,
the people that are going with them, the people in the bands
and. Oh my God, just the people.
Play in the background who have like a really good opportunity
to add to their artist resume and actually the experience of,
you know, playing shows in a different country and all that
business. Yeah.
So that's that. That must be very disappointing.
And also since the announcement, I'm pretty sure there's been a
lot of practice time that has been put into it and money spent
into preparing, which is, I won't say it's lost because they
could always use what they've prepared for later on.
But then just that anticipation linked with the loss, I guess
that's just kind of sad. It would have been good to see
again because we haven't really seen ya since we've seen Shin
city here and we've really wanted to see him perform
outside. So it would have been really
good to see that. I guess we now we have to wait
for that and hope that there's there's a new Ave. to yeah I
mean that it comes around again. Who was he taking on the tour
again? Savara and.
Oh, I would, Eddie Kenzo. I would have to con.
I would have to confirm because it was Nyashinsky.
Eddie Kenzo, Savara of Sautiso Dynamic and Naomi Achu.
Yeah, you see, there's, there's also also artists who are really
looking forward to, you know, breaking ground in that way.
So. And the and the and the tour was
actually, well, it was supposed to start today.
Oh, really? Oh my God.
It was actually, yeah, it was actually supposed to be in
Dallas. So that would just be like an
hour from where I am. Of course, you'd be going right
to support your Kenya. People going considering yeah
and then Houston, Boston and then New York and they're
supposed to end at Seattle on the 17th of June.
Well, they were going to go to Dallas, Houston, Boston, NY,
Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver,
San Francisco, Phoenix and LA Wow, that was actually a really
dope man. Even me.
I had to feel very disappointed if like but like why is it get
why brah? This is my frustration with
America. Like getting a visa as a Kenyan
to America is such a long. Process, Yeah, like the process
has become, it seems like it's become more difficult, at least
from from the feedback. They make it, they intentionally
make it so difficult. You can apply for like one of
those visa meetings. Like you could even take like
months. And you pay for that joint too,
right? And then you you pay for it.
Yeah. You pay for that just to get
rejected. Yeah.
Do you think it's actually annoying?
And then they ask you for like they ask you for hella
information. That just seems.
Irrelevant. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Who was your primary school teacher like?
You don't know him. You don't know him.
You. Don't have to do with anything.
Don't worry, you don't know him. Have to do with anything, man.
Like, I don't know why it's so weird.
Like sometimes I look at this world and I'm like, man, like
we've complicated so many things in life.
Like we're all human beings. Like, why does it have to be
like, OK, It's like getting into our country is such a special.
I mean, you play the devil. But like we can get into your
country without any like difficulty.
Like why is things so one directional?
You know what I mean? Just because you're.
Yeah, I. Don't know.
Yeah, I get, I get that because security, right?
Security is really paramount. Security is one of the
security's biggest. So they, they should be, as they
should be as stringent with with security as they possibly can.
Do you think, do you think the government should try and figure
out a way, and this is just me shooting out a thought that I'm
currently processing as, as I'm saying, do you think the
government should try and figure out a way to work with the
different embassies to create like maybe a special yeah thing
for artists and for art? Yes, definitely.
Because I feel like it's such a dope opportunity to one, spread
the agenda of what's happening in Kenya, Kenyan music, like you
never know what's going to come out from Kenyans touring the
world. You know, that's so much dope
opportunity that can be reinvested into the country.
So I think the government should take a vested interest in some
of these things because like, you know, they should intervene
how they can like if if we can get you guys visas.
True. Let's because I feel like the
country stands to benefit. It does, whether it's even
through advertising, the fact that Kenya has artists who are
eligible to like, tour in Europe or America, like it brings a lot
of attention. And then you never know who's
like, Americans might listen to Savara and be like, farm, this
is fire. Yeah, it definitely it grows the
creative. He makes more money as a result
of all those eyeballs. I don't.
Know it grows the creative economy and I think that's
that's one of the things that it does the current president said
that he wants to do is is grow. The Oh yeah, the current
president. What a guy.
He's currently over there, actually.
No, he, he just, no, he just landed.
He landed I believe today. Yeah, he's he's in Kenya now.
Yeah, he's back. But anyway, yeah, he was there
doing what he was doing. Maybe that's maybe those are
some of the talks he was having, who knows?
Getting snubbed, getting snubbed by the likes of Tyler Perry,
That's. Why I don't?
I don't want to. Say our whole president.
Imagine our whole president being snubbed by that's an
uneasy by Madea Madea. Imagine, imagine.
My dear, serving a whole head of state, he has, he has an army
under his control. He's loved by my dear man.
OK, now, now that we're here, man, now that we're this is just
like a sidebar I suppose, man. Like that whole trip, it just,
it doesn't sit right with me, man.
They spent so much money just like hiring the private jet and
then like. Carrying like the whole
entourage he had, like, you know, a lot of people kept on
saying he even traveled with a comedian.
But like, it's just, it's just weird, especially considering
how tough times are economically in the country, man.
And then you just see the lavish lifestyle these guys are living.
It's kind of this guy, bro, like just to finish this thought, but
you're going to like Tyler Perry Studios, you're meeting Shaq,
you're meeting Steve Harvey. Like you're looking like he's,
he's like using, he's using our money, our taxpayer money to go
out. Then like fulfill, he's like,
he's like, oh, like, you know. He's always wanted to meet my
dear. He liked My dear films.
Bro bro sounded so key. And yeah, I saw a video of him
like shaking hands with Steve. This is the president just like
this. Is you in real?
Life, the president sounded a bit it's.
OK, we wouldn't get banned, but like, it's it's OK, now you're
making me. But like you're going to Steve
Harvey to be like, oh, this is how you look in real life.
I'm like, bro, you're the president.
Could you have a swag to you, bro?
He did. He's like, oh, this is how you
look in real life. Ha ha, ha, ha.
I'm like, bro, you're making us look so backward like like
Kenyans don't like maybe watching.
Yes. Maybe we might be, might be
going to school on Lions. Actually, maybe.
We really might be, I don't know, swinging with the monkey?
Well, they claim they claim to have gotten like a lot of
benefits from America, but like, yeah, I.
I mean, hopefully the hope is that he's, he's done like
something that would benefit because spending all that tax
money for, for, for, you know, the trip.
And of course, Kenyans are never going to see back here at home.
You're never going to see anything like that as a positive
thing because it's our money that you're using.
And it seems very very. It seems a bit.
They seem to have secured a lot of like funds and stuff for anti
corruption which is ironic because I have a feeling that
money will. Go into now I'm getting tight.
Can we leave the let's leave politics when I'm getting tight?
You're going to get actually, we could, we could actually just
segue into content creation and sort of there's a little thing
that's bubbling. Oh yeah, and the fact that he
taxes everything that moves. Everything that moves, at some
point they're going to figure out a round, a roundabout way to
tax taxing itself. Like I'm pretty sure there's.
No, I'm telling you, they might come for podcasting.
They might come for podcasting pretty soon.
We might be actually. Let me not put that energy in
the world. Let let me.
Not Oh no, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait. Alpha.
Brilliant segue, because they're actually already coming for for
podcasting. It's so.
Tell me how some this? Is what you did.
So this is a very new developing story, but it's really, I think
it's really important. So I think it was yes.
Is it yes, No, it was today morning from the Internet.
The main story happened yesterday.
I think I'm not sure the timeline is kind of weird, but
today morning I'm online just going through seeing what's
going on, you know, catching up on my industry, industry news
and everything like that. And I saw the the a really
popular podcast, the Econini podcast have gotten well, the
host of the Econini, one of the hosts of the Econini podcast,
MAF Maflica. He was, I think it's actually in
the States. He was, he was, he went on a
little bit of a little rant. I think they had gotten a, a, a
legal document, as we would put it, a legal document from a
legal document from the Kenya Film and Classification Board.
And he was just on, it's on YouTube if you, if you need to
go see it, It's hardly really important for content creators
to to just catch up on what's happening because it's going to
affect everyone. He, he was ranting about what
they had sent. So basically he had gotten a
legal document saying, talking, requesting.
I think that or rather putting forth the idea that that content
creators specifically, First off, specifically on YouTube, I
think that was the major thing on YouTube.
Of course they have a podcast, but they post a video on
YouTube. So content creators on YouTube
are going to need licenses, licences to post their their
their content on YouTube, which of we'll get into that, but that
off the bat doesn't make much sense.
And then also the the second thing that the that they put in
in the digital document is that content creators are go are
probably going to have to start sending in their content before
it's posted for examination. And basically screening actually
have fancy we have seen screening.
Actually have a, I actually have a copy of the document.
Yeah. But this one was sent to Mamito
Eunice, who is a famous comedian.
She also got like hit with the same thing.
And it says it's a compliance with Kenya, with the Kenya Film
Classification Board regulations.
And they're saying refer to the above matter and write to you as
follows. That our attention has been
drawn to your YouTube channel Mamito Unis, where you have
continuously uploaded audio visual content for purposes of
exhibiting and distributing it to the public without acquiring
the requisite filming licenses from the KFCB.
That Section 15 of the Films and Stage Plays Act mandates that
the Kenyan Film Classification Board to regulate the creation,
broadcasting, possession, distribution and exhibition of
film and broadcast content in the the country.
That further section four of the ACT requires all film makers
producing film within Kenya, film okay anyway within Kenya
for public exhibition or sale locally or internationally to
obtain a filming license. Additionally, Section 12
requires that all classes of film being distributed,
exhibited or broadcasted within Kenya must be examined by KFCB
and a certificate of approval issued.
Before I'm I'm about to finish. This is the last part.
They say that. Consequently, we demand that you
strictly comply with the requirements of the Film and
Stage Plays Act by obtaining filming licenses for your films
and submit them for examination and classification before the
same is exhibited and distributed to the public
through your YouTube channel. Wow.
And lastly, they say take notice that unless you comply with the
above in the next 14 days in brackets 14, we shall institute
legal proceedings in accordance with the provisions of the Films
and Stage Plays Act and other relevant laws, without further
reference to you and at your own risks as to costs and other
attendant consequences. There to your sincerely CPA
Pascal appeal, Sam. That's horrible.
This is that's so horrible for creatives, man.
So I mean, it's a developing story.
So we it's very fresh, very new, of course.
So it's we're definitely going to keep covering it in a but
then just let's just get into it a little bit.
First off, AFAM, afam, afam, afam.
Tell me how? It's just another.
How? No.
And we're getting exactly we're getting there.
How on earth are they going to vet every single video?
What, what's the plan? How do you, how many creators do
you want to do that for? And this effects musicians
because your music videos, at some point they are going to
have to get, you're going to have to turn them in to get
vetted. Like what first?
OK, that's, that's, like I said, that's, that's problem.
But problem #1 why do we need a license to put things on
YouTube? YouTube is not owned by.
Like it's like YouTube is a free to upload platform.
If I want to post cat videos on on YouTube, why do I have to
send them? Why am I sending to the?
Government to approve, yeah, like 1-2.
This is honestly like, if we're being honest, this is just part
of like the regime we're under right now, which is let's just
tax every single thing looks like it we can find.
How do we that's. Yeah, you know, that's what it
is. It's like licenses, of course,
like that's what they want. They just want to make an extra
buck. They don't really they.
Don't have the capacity to do what they're saying they want
to. Do they don't even have the
capacity to do it anyway? They just want to be paid bro.
Like do you know how many people post YouTube videos every day?
Or how many content creators in the and then what if now they
see, oh wait, guys on on Instagram are making money, then
they move to to to to Instagram and then Tiktok.
That's ridiculous. How many people?
Yeah, this. Sets it sets a horrible
precedent. They might even start like being
like Nah, you all can't even post like Instagram stories or
Snapchat stories. Why is it like why is why is
China? Why is it?
That when people say that they want to grow something and on
this side of the world, like we all want to make this thing that
we want to work for it, we end up angering the people doing the
thing. Like, OK, now here's the thing.
This is this is the thing creators actually need to.
This sounds ridiculous. And unless we are completely
misinterpreting what's going on and maybe there's a better
explanation, this sounds absolutely ridiculous and
creators need to like band together and such.
This is the point where and I I was thinking about this while I
was watching and I was. No, we, we will band together
and we cannot let this is be a thing.
They can't. They cannot.
We are, we are at a point in different industries in the film
industry in the and let me just sidetrack a little bit, why are
they focusing on content creators rather than actual
films like this? I've talked to a lot of people
in the film industry and they're saying there's no funding,
there's no support from the government, There's no, we don't
have the proper structures, we don't have the proper
distribution. Why can't the government focus
on that and the Kenya Film and Classification Board for Kenya
Film Classification Board, whatever they called focus on
that and try and make that system robust?
Why they're going for small time content creators?
Like I feel like there's bigger fish to fry.
There's bigger things. Like like pay attention to first
of all, even like the structures in place are not even that great
as everybody knows, man, the the CPMS, that's super low in our
side of the world. Compared to other countries.
Super low. So it's not like it's not like
even you have like if, if people are now to start paying licenses
to upload videos, they're going to have to be going out of
pocket. They won't even be going out of
like the. And you know that money, you
know that amount is going to be a high amount instead.
Right. And so it's just annoying, bro.
It's just like, bro, come on, can we just live here and like
figure out also how to make livings for ourselves?
Yeah. And this stifles creativity.
You know, I it's not going to happen.
I've refused. I'm there's no reality.
I'm living like you have to pay license craziness, upload.
It's craziness. And it's going to go, bro, it's
even going to like you said, it's the cup.
Like even us like, bro, like they're going to be like, yeah,
you all need to like what? Yeah.
What are you talking creatives? Do need to like I was saying,
creatives definitely need like we, I feel like we're getting to
a point in the film industry like things are just bubbling.
If you hear the different conversations going about, like,
I think people are getting fed up.
We're getting, we're getting tired of the same things being
told to us and the system's not working.
So I do feel like people like creatives now, like we, bro,
listen, if you're creative out there, like it's time to if we
don't start the fight to ensure that we have a working, creating
a creative economy, if we keep covering behind a lot of these
things and don't like speak up about someone.
And when I say speak up, it's not just like talk about it.
It's like fight it till the end. It's it's whether the mentality
of we are going to work to get this thing sorted out, whether
the end result works in our favor or not.
We're going to work as hard as we can to make it work enough.
And we all have to hold hands and do this together because
individuals doing this is just not strong enough to get it
done, you know, And I hate to sound activisty.
In fact, maybe I, I love to sound activisty in this
situation because it's ridiculous.
I mean, these are the things that we, we, we are going to
keep seeing. And if we don't stand up against
it, even in the music industry with the whole MCSK thing that
we've seen year after year after year after year after year.
And it's just complaining and binding together in our small
groups and saying, oh, this guy's and maybe even starting
something small but not really doing much about it.
Like this might be the time to actually start binding together
as creatives and taking our economy to where we want it to
be. Rather than dictating, let it be
dictated to us, you know, kind of deal.
I don't know whether I'm being a little bit too, too much with
it, but it's just, it's really annoying.
Like it means. Yeah, if you're being adequately
you're in fact, I would, I would you you should even be more
outraged. Man, we.
Should all be outraged. This is crazy, is outraged this.
Is crazy. Imagine imagine having to to
submit a license to do your get ready with me videos.
Imagine that. Imagine that.
Tell me who is here? What?
That's ridiculous. God, like, like, like, like I'm.
I'm showing you guys how I made the beat to like.
Yeah, but you have to submit allies.
You have to give that to someone to vet to see whether you're
another thing that Moff brought up, brought up when he was
talking about it, right. See, he said that this might be
another way for the government to just censor information
because and he's reasoning for that.
And you can, you can, you can check, go go to the Ikonini page
on YouTube, right? So he said that there's a lot of
people online who are giving, like, very, very raw, unfiltered
opinions on political matters, right?
It's a political thing. And so the government saying,
OK, send me your videos so that we can know whether that's
that's that obviously just seems like there's like, all right,
because then now it. Just takes it takes away your
freedom of speech because somebody's determining whether
or not you are allowed to say what you're saying, you know?
Yeah. And and we've sort of seen this
happen with also Ezekiel Muto and some of the messes that he's
gotten himself into in terms of freedom of speech.
So that could be another angle that that we are looking at in
terms of like, are they trying to censor the information that
we're putting out? What about the laws?
That we need to, we need to band together, man.
It's kind of crazy, man. So hey, yo, from this way, we
just be tired, man. This is why people just leave
the country and go elsewhere because it just, it feels like
just feels like the government is against the people anyway.
Like I don't want to get too much into it because I'm
starting to feel like I feel like they're watching.
It's annoying. It's annoying.
I got you. OK, in more in more music
industry news, I guess this is the last thing I kind of have
news, man. It was a bit of a slow Newsweek,
I'm not going to lie. There was there's some bubbling
beef we talked about, stupid boy.
That name? Before when he had, I know it
sounds like I'm insulting him, but like, yeah, we talked about
stupid boy like when with his beef with Doctor Fenneke and not
being paid for the interview. Well, I'm going to assume he got
paid for this interview he had with Mongai Eve where I guess
the most salacious thing that comes out of this not salacious,
sorry, the most. What's the word not click
Beatty, But like this is what the the blogs were going with.
Yeah, the blogs were going with him going Yeah, they were going
off with on him. They were going off with his con
comments on Willie Paul, essentially saying that Willie
Paul has a huge ego and he hates him with all his heart and the
soul. And you could really feel the
hate in which he was saying. So I think what happened was,
yeah, yeah. I think what happened was he was
with Willie Paul. He's been in and around those
circles. And I think he had asked for
like, a collab or something of the sort.
And it's curved. Yeah, it looks like.
Yeah, it looks like Willie Paul was dubbing him.
He says Willie Paul even threatened him at some point.
Like, well, now I'm just going to say it's alleged.
I'm just going to say. It's alleged.
Alleged. Yeah, let.
Me not put, yeah, let me not put myself in this beef now.
But like, yeah, essentially he's just very, very outspoken
against Willie Paul. And then he just it descends
into him kind of just like just kind of insulting Willie Paul a
little bit with some very, very funny one liners here, which I'm
not going to. That's that's.
Not this part, but let's leave that for the other.
Part like yeah, I so I don't know how I feel about it.
Maybe I feel like stupid boy is very like outspoken and he wears
his heart on his sleeve. I think one thing I've one thing
I felt about Will stupid boy is maybe well, I actually I
appreciate that the fact that he wears his hat on his sleeve.
He's raw, he's unfiltered, and sometimes the industry needs
that a lot. So hey, listen, this is a
developing story which I have beg attention to because you
know, Willie Paul obviously see he's established in the
industry. He knows a lot of people.
He's I know. I just know how people lie.
It's probably going to try and make it tough for stupid boy to
exist, but. Like, Oh no, man, I I feel like
I feel like on stupid boy's part, it if it comes to me, it
comes off like a a little bit cloudy.
See, it comes off a bit capitalizing, capitalizing on
the previous attention he got. Well, it's basically for the
same thing, more or less, right? But I don't know, it feels and I
hey, I don't have. AI don't, I mean, I don't feel
an element of cloud chasing us. Imagine.
I feel like that's just him. You think that's, that's his,
his personality. I'm not mad at it because I know
artists, artists these days have to do a lot like just because of
our attention spans and, and just the way we pay attention to
content is different from how we did back then.
So artists these days have to do a lot to gain the spotlight on
them. So I'm not necessarily mad at
him using this opportunity. It's just if you're using it in
a way that you're bringing down and not to be all peace and love
and Jay Coley about it, but if you're using it as a way to
bring down your fellow artists. Jay Coley Jay Coley about it if.
You're using it in the channel in a spirit of, of, of J.
Cole. If you're using it to bring down
like artists for no reason at all, like if you have a reason,
cool. And which he seems to do.
But a lot of people seem seem to have no reason to bring down
other people. They're just doing it because
they know people are a lot smarter than they make them all
to be. They're doing for clicks.
And that's why I'm like, all right, like.
No, no, no, I I'm not saying he's not smart.
I'm just saying for me, it feels like you could be absolutely
right. Like he might know that this is
something that's going to get him talked about for a while on
the blogs. But I'm just saying, like I feel
like he's just very outspoken and wears his heart on his
sleeve, but. Hey, listen, I would like to see
it in the music. I want to see more music.
I want to see you like put that energy into like making another.
Channel all of that into making whatever you know.
Yeah, making making more music rather than like, living on the
block. Make more.
Give us more hits, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Anyway, Speaking of music, man, one, I want to start with, this
isn't really music, but I want to start by shouting out.
Well, it is music, but like, it's not new music.
Brooklyn boys, please release the video to Catalyst, which I
just want to shout them out for the, the, the, the, the visual
direction and the creative direction with the whole
Breaking Bad thing. It's really sick.
I just wanted to shout that out because that's insane.
So shout out to to B boys and Philo Ironman new music.
What were you listening? To Let's get into some new
music. Do do do do do do do do do do.
Hey, you want this? You want you want copyright.
No, I'll just hit up Quincy. Quincy's my guy.
I'll just hit him up and say yo bro, can we use this because.
Wait, it's Quincy Jones who made that?
Yeah, produce it, Quincy. Listen people, don't give
Quincy. Something new every he created
the pink what? Quincy Quincy's a genius man.
That's used to me. That's used to me.
That's actually very insane. OK, new music.
So we started top A Zinnia announced on Instagram and on
her socials rather love slash hate Part 2, which of course
would be a follow up to love slash hate part one logically,
right. So she announced that and then
she dropped a single for us to rock with.
And the single is called phases in.
If you listen to Zenia, if you like Zenia, you're going to like
this song. It's it's it's what she does.
She's very she does what she does, man, and we love it.
Zenia is one of the most one of the most revered and I've just
seen a lot of people talk about her just one of the most revered
vocalists to come out of Kenya and who's still working.
I mean, who's still currently releasing music.
So shout out to her phases. Go check that out.
Hildawatiri released her project.
She's been releasing a bunch of of of songs.
So she released an EP finally called Lovestruck.
It has five joints on there and it features in Jirai.
It features Quinoti production from the likes of Melvin Jenga
is on their copy Worldwide is on their bunch of people.
So that's that's the fire. Check that out.
If you're really into her music, even if you aren't, it's really
good to pay attention to that. Elsie Wam, can you pronounce
this right? Elsie Wamer, who I haven't heard
of this is the first time I heard of her, dropped a banga
called Umva which is produced by Polycarp and Woodomolo and I
don't. Know shout out to LC.
Yeah, man, she murdered that one man.
I didn't. I didn't know I originally heard
it. I was I was tuned into I was
tuned into 254 Radio. They were interviewing an artist
and and they were playing that song before and I was like, I
thought this guy's only played Kenyan music.
Why are they playing this song? And then I was like, oh snap,
she must be. And then I came and I was
listening to Newman new music on dropped.
I was like, oh snap, this is the song they are playing.
It's really cool. So shout out to her that that
that's a dope, dope joint. I'm going to we're going to be
hearing that everywhere. Scam Cardinali, Supuya Pueza.
It's interesting. It's what Cardinali, but then
it's scam Cardinali on the song, so I don't know how they're
figuring that out, but shout out to him.
I really like scam Cardinali. I've said that a lot of times.
I feel like I've said it too many Times Now, but I like his
rap. Let's see, Shad Mizuki released
a song called Rihanna. I feel like at some point every
every male artist has to have a song.
Bro, do you do you remember the the Nigerian movie Beyoncé's
versus Rihanna? No.
That's a lie. That's a lie that can't be real.
This is, yeah. I think it was a whole
franchise, really, Yeah. What yo Nollywood though?
Oh man, that's now I'm now I'm super curious.
I'm good. Go look for that.
That's that must be hilarious and horrible.
Too. Yeah, they made multiple posters
for this. Yeah, it came out in in 2008.
So what's the premise of the of the show?
Of the of the film? What?
I don't know, I haven't watched it.
I doubt there's one. I just remember seeing a bunch
of. Yeah, no, I have to do.
This anyway, so a bunch of like, yeah, sorry.
No, no, no, Nolywood is crazy child Nollywood.
So yeah, here's the song with Rihanna.
I really enjoy it. I think the songwriting was
really good and also his vocal performance was super dope on
that. I definitely enjoyed that.
Did you do? Let's see, what else did I
listen to? What else did I listen to?
Preeta also dropped the song called Baddest Ever.
Some rapping on there if you need.
If you want to listen to that Femi one.
And how do you pronounce that Dufla?
Dufla dropped the joint as fire. Always like to see Femi one and
on on releasing always fired sister.
What am I talking about? It's always dope for me one
release music. She's she's just good balance by
just man and critical. This is an interesting song.
I think this song was burst out of I remember the last I think.
Critical with a queue, yeah. Critical, remember last year
when I, we did the whole Colombia, Kenya thing?
I think I talked about it on the podcast Colombia.
Yeah. So Jasmine is just Jasmine is
from Colombia. And so I think critical has been
working with him and they finally released some, some
music. It's called balance.
It's really cool, man. It's cool to see that the, the,
the link up between Colombia and and Africa.
We we and sorry, in Kenya, we we always say that we want to see
more collaborations with other regions of music and other
styles of music. And so this is This is why I
feel like in this one critical more brought just man.
Actually, no, because just man is is he's he's primarily Afro
inclined. So anyway, it's a good song.
It's a good check that out. Shout out to critical that's
we've worked with him before. So he's he's super dope.
Let me see. What else, man.
Afram. No, wait.
Let me before you, before you go.
Before you go. Nina Ogot released an album.
I haven't. Got a breaking news Breaking
news Breaking news Nicki Minaj Nicki Minaj just got arrested
bro what? For what's?
Happening, I don't know, they are not saying, but she got
arrested. Like I think she's in, she's in
Europe right now for her too. I saw something about that.
I think it has to do with marijuana, actually.
I've just realized the concept of me doing breaking news on a
podcast that comes out multiple days later is not because people
are going to hear this and be like.
Very brilliant that happened. Yeah, yeah, yeah, again.
Maybe I didn't think, I didn't. I didn't think about this, I
think so I didn't think about this clearly.
Anyway, sorry, Go ahead. Sorry to interrupt.
You with my breaking news you're already reading about.
Time people listen to this, yeah.
Man, so I was, I was, I was saying Nina got released.
Nina got is really cool vocalist.
Man, I I like her music. She released an album.
Let me get the name right. This the album is the project is
called Okumbu dot Kei haven't gone through it.
I haven't like listened to the whole of it, but I'm super I'm
going to get into that. She also released there's
there's also a single. Well, I think it was released a
long time ago though, but with Putumayo, which is I don't know
what they sounds like a collective or I don't know what
it is, but they released a song called Ningojia, which I really
enjoyed. I really enjoyed it.
I'll be playing that one again. And then lastly, and then you'll
go off because I feel like I've been talking forever.
Kill the hippy and the Swami. We keep putting them on the
Today they release. Not today.
Well, Friday there was a song called Jiggy Baby and my
goodness, Swami was doing some rapping on there and the beat
was hard. It's not their usual boom bop
sound. This one is more trappy 8 to 8.
I had to go in, fam. It was I Dang, shout out to you
guys, man. You guys are killing it.
You're killing it over there. Yeah, AFAM, please.
I've been talking too long. It's our.
Podcast So yeah, so there was the say something we we kind of
talked about in the podcast, but it it finally came out Valerie
Muthoni and Bien, I was lucky enough to be the sound recording
engineer that session, which is pretty cool.
What was? The energy that's.
Some vocals, I don't know if you caught this pretty cool I don't
know if you caught this, but the backing vocals were But am I
allowed to say this? I.
Don't know if I'm allowed to say NDA's.
NDA's everywhere. Bro is breaking his NDA's, but
breaking NDA's is what's fun. Actually, I don't know.
It's fun for the culture to break.
NDA's actually. You don't have to say you don't
get yourself into trouble. Actually I I haven't seen
Valerie talking about it, so I don't know if I'm going.
To keep that one in the talk. So anyway, so the session was
kind of split into two because the first time we recorded, she
had already recorded it and then she had recorded her verse and
she wanted Bien on the track. So she invites me to her place.
I had to Bien's place. I was very nervous.
I went to Bien's place, really nice house.
Then we just recorded. It was a bit on the fly type of
thing, you know. So it wasn't like, yeah, because
it was in the house, it wasn't in a studio.
And then a few weeks later, Valerie hit me up.
She's like, yeah, I want to re record like my portion of the
song, at which point we re recorded, but now just her and I
So yeah. So that's cool.
So shout out to them. Mixed by Hook.
I want to say Hook did justice
to those vocals. He really makes it.
Well. So then there was Find a Way by
Cheru and Shom or SHLM. What?
How you pronounce? That an entrepreneur I didn't
know. I didn't know what to do.
No, I'm just going to say SHLM. I'm just going to be decent and
say as SHLM So or maybe it's Shalom probably.
So find a way. Shout out to Cheru.
I think she's just like bubbling up.
She's really like this is her time to like really like come
out of like, you know, her shell.
So I feel like she's now like really beginning to like, I
think this is the first song I've heard of hers, you know,
like properly. So shout out to her.
I think she's going to be a name for the future 100%.
Then there was oh, shout out to the steppers.
Can I'll be easy released a song called different.
It is so short, though, like not no sooner had I begun it's
ending in then the song ended. But you know what I understand
because like this. Is a funny thing to.
Say I understand because even may I be may and Foster be
making songs that are like one minute 24.
Yeah, that's crazy. You actually we need to, we need
to tuck that trend in, like at least give us two, no two
voices. There's there's a dude called,
there's a, there's a dude called Osama Son.
Yes, I know his name is interesting, but his biggest
song is 59 seconds. Is it 58 seconds?
It's called X&X and that's. A voice note at the but that's a
That's an interlude. But it's hard, though.
I like it. I don't know.
I'm gonna Me and Foster. Trust me, Trust me.
Trust me. I'm telling you right now we're
gonna do a song that's under one minute.
I'm doing it anyway. Then there was the there was the
Billy Black. Oh, no, no, Actually, before I
get into the Billy Black project, there was Goodbye by
Papa. You didn't talk about that yet?
Oh, no, no. Yeah, I'm produced by.
Anatu. Yeah, produced by Anatu.
I wanna say Papa man PPPPPP what more can I say but Papa bro
honestly like he blew me away. No, Yeah, yeah.
He blew me away, like the melodies he was hitting, bro,
bro. He's actually making some
really, really amazing music. So I just want to give him a big
shout out, man. Like I really, really see what
he's doing and I respect it. So the so in in line with the
people making music in the diaspora diaspora.
So we have Papa, Then we had KC releasing Mia, and then we had
Pink Pantres, our very own releasing Don't Laugh, Don't
Laugh. She's our very own.
She released a song called I Just want to say Hates Me, Make
me sing in a shuttle to Pink Panthers.
Everybody knows I'm a huge Pink Panthers Stan.
And then Billy Black released a self-titled album.
Bro, you know whenever artists be releasing self-titled man you
know they mean. Yeah, if, if, if you're bold
enough to put your name on the project.
I feel like every artist has to release a no.
Not every artist has to do I don't want to.
I don't see a drink. If you're a.
Serious artist. I want to see the album that.
OK, it usually doesn't work for rappers, but like when when
you're like in the old like Paramore released on the album,
like if you're a band. Yeah, it's cool.
No, it does. It's kind of, it's kind of
swaggy. It's just there's some people
who I don't. Know like if you're a singer
like if if if like Beyoncé released what hasn't Beyoncé
released subtitles. Subtitles.
So yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like it works when you're like
rappers, it doesn't work, but like other.
I don't think it's not just rappers, it's also your name.
Like you can't have just a wild name.
Imagine a family phone at the album.
So you're saying, oh wow, I'm. Taking shots at you.
Listen, I get micro aggressions here all the time.
This is an example of one. This is an.
Example. It's a joke.
Aggression against me. Good.
Oh yeah, that's what they say. That's what all the toxic people
say. It's a joke.
And meanwhile, they've just stepped on your ego.
They have stepped and broken your heart into 3 million
pieces. Anyway, So Billy Black, I want
to give a big shout out to Billy Black.
Man, he really delivered. I really, really did enjoy
listening to this album. The things I loved about this
album, the songwriting, I think his songwriting is very, very
deep. It's one of his strengths,
Meaningful. It is like there were times he
was saying things and I was like, hmm, what does that?
What does he mean by that? And I was like, like, it made me
think about like, yeah, it made me think about certain things
that he was saying. And then his voice, his voice is
phenomenal. I, I like the raspiness in some
of these tracks. I, I can't remember.
I think it was Hold Me where his voice was super raspy.
And I was like, bro, I I dig it. I dig this so.
And then I love the simplicity with which he approached the
production for me. I liked it, You know I.
Love it for sure. Very simple, I love.
The guitar, yeah, I loved it. I loved it.
I think this is a solid, solid project.
I think my favorite song is not. I think I'm pretty sure my
favorite song is the collab he has with Costa.
I see the light that. Was and that was a good and then
the not the. Harmony, the melody, this is my
last day. The melodies they were doing at
the end, Oh my God, I was like, this is some really, really
good. Music Oh yeah that was a really
good it was a good collaboration with with I see the light.
It's definitely my my one of my favorite songs to come out this
week. I enjoyed the project.
I I just shortly before we we pick a song I enjoy.
I've been listening to Billy black since I think the
pandemic. I think it was strange 20.
A friend of mine put me on to his music and I fell in love
with like there's a song he did called a March on and I all the
streams that he's gotten from that song probably from me.
Like I really enjoy that. So I really enjoy his music and
a couple of songs on his first project.
Let me just I don't want to get it wrong because it's not not
just like I really do think it's dope music.
It's called my from my heart to yours.
It's A5 song project. It's really good.
But yeah, he also delivered and this is the same kind of feel.
He does more acoustic themed music and like we were talking,
I I feel like his music has a lot.
His music feels like it will be really good for like film and
like Netflix and all all that stuff, like yo.
I got that feeling as well. I got that feeling as well.
It's very, it's very cinematic in, in the way he presents it.
So man, shout out to him. Shout out to him.
My favorites, my favorites where I see the light.
I really enjoyed that. I liked Champion.
It's a song I think we've had a lot, but it's interesting to see
how he's done it. And also seen as Anthem, which
has like more of like a gospel theme.
Speaking of gospel themes, there's been gospel themes with
artists recently, but we'll we won't get into that.
Yeah, we will get into that. Yeah.
Seen as Anthem, seen as anthem was was really dope also.
But yeah, it's a cool project. I'll definitely listen to it
again. I know some songs are going to
grow and meet more than just because I listened to it.
Maybe just one twice. I think I went through it, but
yeah. OK, so I think for me
personally, and I think we agree on this, I think the song that I
would love to play at the end of the podcast for y'all is I See
the Light by. Billy Black.
Costa and Costa, Juan. I see the light a billion miles
away and I am stopping for nothing Ya Mama.
I see the light and an oka go Ki NI yo SE Jo Bo ya Mama.
And in the land Qatar WeChat, take my nadir, we'll be OK.
Go tell my mother and father I finally found a way to change
me. Go tell my brothers and sisters
I finally found a way to save me.
Go tell my mother and father I finally found a way to change
me. Go tell my brothers and sisters
I finally found a way to save me.
It's your day to move a mountain, it's OK.
To my mother and father, I finally found a way to change
me. Go tell my brothers and sisters.
I finally found a way to save me.
Go tell my mother and father I finally found a way to change
me. Go tell my brothers and sisters
I finally found a way to save me the
the. That was I see the light by
Billy Black shout out. Oh, and Costa Drang.
Sorry, so shout out to both of them.
That was a really, really phenomenal song and phenomenal
project. So go peep that right now.
It's in your streaming devices or wherever you listen to music.
Yo, Sam. That's that.
That's another episode in the can episode.
What, 78 bro? We're quickly approaching the
80s man. Like I told you man, Start
learning how to like disco, dance and stuff.
I don't do. Don't start taking drugs though
because I know they did a lot of.
Drugs. Oh no, yeah, LSD.
And anyway, no, we're not doing that.
Ayahuasca. Ayahuasca is a new thing.
I don't know what I'm talking about.
I'm out of my depth here, all right?
Are you talking about ayahuasca just because Kendrick told him
to take it and. Strip.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Strip your ayahuasca.
Strip your ego down. Oh man, I didn't know ayahuasca
is good for stripping ego. No, all all, all psychedelics do
that. That's why the Internet released
the ego death. It's called ego death.
Anyway, I don't know why am I talking about this like I know
what's happening. I.
Don't know if you want to hear this.
Anyway, so yo, shout out to you all for sticking with us for 78
episodes. I want to just leave you guys
with my 3C's, which I've been pushing.
If you're new here and you're wondering what I mean by the
three C's, I mean, I need you to be confident with your craft.
Oh wait, no, I've mixed those two.
But like, I want you to be confident with the music, be
confident in what you're producing, the art you're
making. You have to be confident back it
because if you don't back it, nobody else will.
I also need you to be concerned consistent with the music that
you're making or the art that you're making, because if you're
not consistent, you will Capital WI double L be forgotten because
there's so many people out here making art.
I feel like the only time you afforded the chance not to be
consistent is once you've made it.
And listen, we're all trying to make it still, so be consistent.
And lastly, I need you to work on your craft because every day,
like you have to strive to improve, even just do the small
things, you know, do the equivalent of what five sit ups
is, you know, five sit ups might not look like much, but like if
you, I don't know what that is, but like if you do 5 sit ups
every day, you'll get somewhere eventually.
So yeah, those are the three CS. Sal, tell us about
procrastination. Procrastination.
Have you watched the Lord of Rings?
I actually haven't done that yet.
You've never watched the. I've tried, I've tried 100%, I
think I've tried five times, but I always clock out in like the
10th minutes. So, Sam, can me and the audience
hold you to having watched Lord of the Rings before the next
episode? No, I will not promise that
because I know it will not be done.
Which? Brings no, no, no, no, you can't
go into no, you cannot go into a procrastination segment and say
that sound, but yes, for me, the audience are waiting to.
Expect I don't wants to watch Lord of the Rings.
I've tried and failed a number of times.
I just I've abandoned it. That means that that means
somewhere inside you, you want to watch it if you've tried
multiple times. Hmm.
Yeah, here we go. OK.
Fine now far. Argue with me.
All right, cool. I'm still not being held in fire
at. Least watch one.
Watch one. What's the first one?
But I'll come and talk about it
next, like, because people want to hear that, that idea.
Movie. Thank you.
They do. I promise you somebody out there
is invested in this, OK? Just one, the one person, just
the one. All the listeners we have is
just that one GRR Token. I think he's the writer of the
The Lord of the Rings and the Fellowship of the Ring said.
It's the job that's never started that takes the longest
to finish, so make with that what you will.
That is true, but that's a fact that is true.
And on that note. And on those, Oh yeah, on that
note, on with those words, on that statement, blockbuster of.
Blockbuster with statement. Oh man, if it's the 78 we're out
bro. We what a bid you adieu and yes,
we're out.