Welcome dear readers to the first weekly music round up of June 2025.We feature a punchy raw rap single from An21 KE and Karis from the Recipe EP that debuted earlier this week on radio 254 exclusively. Two Alternative or (Odi Pop if you love genre names so much) have released songs with almost similar titles, Tiki Tako by Matata and Tikitaka by TheLuchi, what are the odds of that? […]
When Bien, the charismatic, bald-headed superstar from East Africa, announced his worldwide tour at the end of April, anticipation shot through the roof. Fans across continents waited eagerly to see how the Kenyan artist, fresh off the success of his album Alusa Why Are You Topless?, would take his infectious charisma and genre-bending music global. The first leg — a whirlwind across eight American cities in May 2025 — delivered […]
Kenya’s music scene is buzzing with diversity. We’ve got everything from the laid-back vibes of Afrosoul to the high-energy beats of Gengeton. But there’s one thing that often makes people sit up and take notice, the lyrics. Two artists Benzema and Bensoul have become popular for talking about love, sensuality, and relationships, yet the way their music is received couldn’t be more different. Benzema known for his bold, in-your-face style, […]
On May 30, 2025, Kenyan rap heavyweight Octopizzo released June 25th, a searing protest anthem that turns raw memory into art, recounting the youth-led anti-finance bill protests of 2024 and the brutal government crackdown that followed. Known for his evolution from braggadocious street rapper to a master of layered, socially conscious production, Octopizzo uses this latest release to craft a sonic historical record. This article offers an in-depth exploration of […]
You would be forgiven for thinking we are in February after going through the songs we have highlighted today. The meme has been about recession indicators recently, but quickly ask your preferred chat bot if the release of love songs is any way related to recession. The brash no nonsense Femi One of all people is surprisingly in her lover girl era and recruits the reigning queen of love […]
Dear reader, welcome to this week’s edition of New Music on the Radar, MAY 16. This week, we highlight the turn to vernacular lyricism: a complete one by dancehall star Dufla Diligon in Adok Ebei and a partial one by Nviiri the storyteller in Mwana wa Mubi. The Jinja born artist has spent much of his adult life in Kenya and shaped its urban culture so much that few fans […]
Dear reader, welcome to this week’s edition of New Music on the Radar dated MAY 9. Explore the joys of coming out of a dark season in life with Jason Sibi-Okumu’s introspective This is My Life and Modest Chabari’s rather lighthearted No Balance. Sabi Wu and 4MR Frank White keep it gritty in their hustle anthem Dim My Shine, a theme V-BE also explore in their new number, For […]
Recently, Matata re-released their single Mpishi featuring Bien, a track that had initially been flagged down due to copyright claims. Since its re-upload, Mpishi has soared past 1.3 million views on YouTube in just eight days—an impressive feat that underscores both the group's magnetic appeal and the public’s anticipation of their audiovisual artistry. With this renewed momentum, Matata is once again affirming their place as one of Kenya’s most visually […]
In Nairobi’s buzzing hip-hop and arbantone ecosystem, a storm is quietly escalating beneath the surface of viral TikToks and high-streaming singles. A recent online spat has brought the usually blurred line between inspiration and imitation into sharp focus, as Kilimani-based rapper and producer Sabi Wu accuses the more prominent Lilmaina of biting his style. The saga began with Instagram close-friend stories — videos initially visible to a select audience — […]
