New Music on the Radar June 21 (Buruklyn Boyz, Jovial & Otile Brown, Toxic Lyrilali and Gwaash)

New Music on the Radar June 21 (Buruklyn Boyz, Jovial & Otile Brown, Toxic Lyrilali and Gwaash)

Welcome to the June 20 edition of New Music on the Radar, where we track the pulse of Kenya’s evolving soundscape. This week’s roundup offers a diverse sonic buffet — from the sharpened symbolism of Buruklyn Boyz’s Machete, to the heartfelt vows exchanged in Jovial and Otile Brown’s wedding anthem I Got You. Toxic Lyrikali rides a Jamaican riddim into Nairobi’s lived reality on Backbencher, while Gwaash teams up with […]

June 20, 2025 16

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New Music on the Radar – JUN 13(Njerae,Asum Garvey, Fadhilee Itulya,Malosh)

This week’s picks are for the real lovers—four songs that stretch genre lines while staying rooted in local narratives. From soul-stirring Afro-Indie reflections and raw Swahili rap confessions to playful coastal ballads and high-energy dancefloor anthems, the JUN 13 edition of New Music on the Radar celebrates both musical experimentation and emotional honesty. Whether it’s Njerae reaching across continents, Asum Garvey switching cadence, Fadhilee Itulya revisiting ancestral grooves, or Malosh […]

June 13, 2025 12

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New Music on the Radar JUN 6 ( Matata, TheLuchi, Willy Paul, An21 KE)

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? […]

June 6, 2025 43

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June 25th: Octopizzo Recalls History Through Sound

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 […]

June 2, 2025 31 2

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New Music on the Radar MAY 30 (Chimano, Zawadi, Llumi, King Kaka & More)

New Music on the Radar MAY 30 Zawadi Mukami is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Fresh off the Musings EP — released just earlier this month and already becoming a fan and critic favorite — the singer dives headfirst into the world of rap, delivering a strong, unexpected verse over a KiliHippie beat alongside BoiBlacc. What’s striking is how this release fits into a larger trend in Kenyan […]

May 30, 2025 30

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New Music on the Radar MAY 23(Breeder LW, Femi One, Dezel Kong, Vic West)

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 […]

May 28, 2025 14 2

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New Music on the Radar MAY 16 (We are Nubia, Nviiri, Clark Keeng, Dufla & Femi One)

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 […]

May 16, 2025 73

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New Afropop Star TheMumbua is the Face of Ogopa Deejays Comeback

The giant stirs again. After years of near silence, Ogopa Deejays—the once-unstoppable force that defined Kenya’s urban sound in the early 2000s—has officially announced its return. The news has lit up Kenyan timelines, with nostalgic fans and younger music lovers alike buzzing with anticipation. On X, voices like @TNXAfrica have hailed their comeback as the rightful return of “the unrivalled kings of East Africa’s pop and urban music.” And leading […]

May 14, 2025 20

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New Music on the Radar May 12th 2025

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 […]

May 12, 2025 20 1 2