This archive report was first published on 4 January 2020.
Six Gengetone Acts to Watch Out for in 2020 ¶
As the music industry in Kenya continues to evolve, several Gengetone acts have emerged in 2019 and are expected to make a mark in 2020. Here are six acts to watch out for.
One of the acts that made a significant impact in 2019 is Ethic Entertainment, a group of four members - Rekles, Swat, Zilla, and Seska. They made their debut in 2008 with the hit song 'Lamba Lolo' but gained popularity last year with the PlayKeMusic campaign. They released several hit songs in 2019, including 'Pandana', 'Chapa chapa', 'Figa', and 'Instagram bae'.
Another act to watch out for is Sailors, a group of five members - Miracle Baby, Shalkido, Masilver, Lexxy Young, and Qoqosjuma. They were born in April 2019 after debuting their hit song 'Wamlambez' that went viral. They headlined several events across the country, including Koroga Festivals and Oktobafest, and released several hits, including 'Pekejeng', 'Queen B', 'Wainame', 'Wakiritho', and 'Jesu Ni Mwathani'.
Other acts to watch out for include Ochungulo Family, a group of three members - Benzama, Nelly The Goon, and Dmore. They came into existence in October 2018 with the release of their 'Kirimino' jam but gained popularity last year with the PlayKemusic campaign. They released several hits, including 'Na Iwake', 'Aluta', 'Mbinginji imekulwa na ndogi', 'Kaa na mamayako', and 'Dudu'.
Boondocks Gang, a group of three members - Ex Ray, Odi Wa Murang'a, and Edu Maddox, also made a significant impact in 2019. They dropped their first song 'Reing' in December 2018 but released several hits in 2019, including 'Mathogothanio', 'Thao', 'Kimangoto', 'Mboko Haram', and 'aah taniua'.
Rico Gang, a group of three members - Grayce, Harry Craze, and Triand Rands, is the only Gengetone group with a female member. They made their breakthrough last year but had little success compared to the rest of the Gengetone acts. Their major hit was 'Kimonyoski'.
Finally, Zzero Sufuri, a solo Gengetone artiste, broke into the limelight in 2019 with his hit song 'Zimenishika'. He released several hit songs in 2019, including 'Matiati', 'Matisha', and 'Zimenice'. His sound is a mixture of dancehall and Genge beats.
