insert_link Featured New Music on the Radar JUL 11 This week’s new releases arrive like a refreshing breeze on a scorching afternoon — vibrant, layered, and bursting with stories that feel both intimate and universal. From witty bro codes to soul-stirring freedom chants, dance floor anthems to dreamy coastal escapes, Kenyan artists continue to redefine what it means to blend tradition with modern sound. Our roundup for July 11 dives into songs that refuse to sit quietly in the […] todayJuly 12, 2025 7
insert_link Article Where Are Kenyan Rappers When We Need Them ? Our Favorite Rappers Have Their Mics on Mute Hip-hop, at its core, has always been more than just beats and rhymes; it is a potent, unfiltered voice of the streets, a chronicle of societal triumphs and tribulations, and a powerful catalyst for change.1 Globally, from Public Enemy's searing critiques of systemic injustice in the US with anthems like "Fight the Power," to Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer-winning reflections on race and identity, the genre has consistently provided a platform for […] todayJuly 7, 2025 8
insert_link Featured New Music on the Radar JUL 4(Ochiko & Mbithi, Mnaya, MASTAR VK and Wakadinali) Welcome to the July 4 edition of our music deep-dive, where we explore the beats, bars, and brilliance defining Kenya’s ever-evolving soundscape. From fearless street anthems to introspective protest psalms, this week’s selections remind us why Kenyan music remains both a mirror and a megaphone for society. Whether it’s Wakadinali’s sharp urban commentary, Mnaya’s spiritual defiance, or the playful yet defiant wordplay of MASTAR VK and Toxic Lyrikali, these songs […] todayJuly 5, 2025 12
insert_link Album Review Victims of Madnes 2.0 Early Impressions by Otieno Arudo After nearly two months of cryptic tweets, late-night Instagram Lives, and snippets shared in dingy studio corners, Wakadinali’s Victims of Madness 2.0 has finally dropped — and it lands like a concrete slap on Nairobi’s underground rap scene. The Rong Rende collective, known for transforming street slang into anthems and drill cadences into cultural phenomena, teased this project as a return to their roots while simultaneously promising sonic reinvention. Fans […] todayJuly 3, 2025 6
insert_link Article State Sanctioned Anarchy In Greek mythology, Pandora, driven by curiosity, opened a forbidden box, unleashing plagues, sorrow, and chaos upon humanity, leaving only hope trapped inside. Once opened, the box’s evils could not be contained, a cat irrevocably let out of the bag. On June 17, 2025, the Kenyan state, through its response to protests in Nairobi and Mombasa, appeared to open its own Pandora’s box, unleashing anarchy that spiraled beyond control. The […] todayJuly 1, 2025 4
insert_link Article 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 […] todayJune 20, 2025 27
insert_link Article Maandamano Season 2: Kenya’s Protests Against Police Brutality Intensify Kenya is witnessing a resurgence of widespread protests, dubbed Maandamano Season 2, a powerful echo of the June 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations. Sparked by the brutal death of 31-year-old teacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang in police custody, these protests shifted focus from economic grievances to a searing demand for justice against police brutality. The organic movement returning to the streets was aptly captured by an X user going by […] todayJune 16, 2025 36
insert_link Article 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 […] todayJune 13, 2025 14
insert_link Article Keeping Up With The Discourse : Is the Kenya Police Service Devoid of Humanity? The tragic death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and social media influencer from Voi, has ignited a firestorm of grief, outrage, and questions across Kenya. On June 7, 2025, Ojwang was arrested at his family home in Kakot, Homa Bay, for allegedly posting “defamatory” content about Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Eliud Lagat on X. Less than 24 hours later, he was dead in a cell at Nairobi’s […] todayJune 9, 2025 21