This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
Three Kenyans Make Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List ¶
Published on July 10, 2019, three Kenyans have made it into this year's fifth milestone annual Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list.
The list features 120 personalities across four sectors – business, technology, creatives, and sport.
The three Kenyans in the list are a filmmaker, a musician, and a fashion stylist.
Kevin Njue: Filmmaker and CEO of Rocque Pictures ¶
Kevin Njue, 27, is a producer, director, writer, and CEO of Rocque Pictures.
At university, Njue and his partner used his student loan to direct and produce a short film, Sticking Ribbons, which was released in 2013 and won the award for Best East African Talent at the 2014 Zanzibar International Film Festival.
Njue used the monetary reward of Sh100,000 to invest in his next short film, Intellectual Scum, which screened in 15 film festivals globally.
He then founded Rocque Pictures in 2016 and went on to make a full-length feature film, 18 Hours, which was launched in November 2017 and sold out at a cinema premiere in Nairobi.
The film won the Best Overall Movie in Africa at the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, making history as the first Kenyan film to be nominated and win in the history of the awards.
As the CEO of Rocque Pictures, Njue aims to set up a state-of-the-art film studio with a sound stage, backlot, a film park, and an underwater film stage in Nairobi by 2030.
Karun: Musician ¶
Karun, 24, is a musician and former member of the pop trio Camp Mulla, nominated for a BET Award in the US in 2012.
She started her music career at 14 and attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in the US.
Since then, she has performed at live festivals and shows across the globe, including the SXSW 2015 in Austin, TX, as part of the collective Cosmic Homies.
She has also performed at the Madaraka Festival in Seattle, Blankets & Wine in Kenya, and the Africa Nouveau Festival in Nairobi.
Karun is currently working on a full-length project and planning a pan-African and northern hemisphere tour.
Her goal is to become the biggest female R&B act out of Africa.
Yaa Bonsu: Fashion Stylist and Creative ¶
Yaa Bonsu, 28, is a fashion stylist and creative who met international model Naomi Campbell in 2017.
Naomi Campbell advised her to believe in herself and signed a copy of her Vogue magazine, which inspired Bonsu to pursue a career in fashion.
She relocated to Dubai in 2016 and her career in the fashion industry took off.
She has styled an advertorial for the luxury brand Fendi, SS19, and produced a fashion editorial for Revolution magazine featuring high-end jewelry.
Her goal is to become an internationally-renowned fashion powerhouse, joining the leagues of icons Victoria Beckham, Edward Enninful, and Vanessa Kingori.
