Snaps

Kamwangi Njue traces the story of political (i.e. conscious) music in Kenya, drawing on his own biography. He asks: Can conscious music achieve the impact it seeks when it has to play in the same sphere as popular music made purely for entertainment?

All music is social commentary, argues Joyce Nyairo, as she deviates away from «conscious music» to consider the intended and unintended messages in current Nairobi pop.

A remixed profile of young Nairobi-based DJ/producer Victor Munyasya, an exciting newcomer to the city’s electronic scene. Baring his soul in this abridged interview, he challenges the need for false identities and the social pressures behind it.

Don’t believe the hype. Despite its reputation as a global city, Nairobi is a mostly chaotic, starkly unequal place, with the majority struggling to get by. Emma Nzioka’s photography captures this inequality, accentuated by musical selections by Kamwangi Njue.

Oscar Mizani is a rapper using Nairobi public transport as his stage. We take a ride with him as he spreads his message through the streets.

Different artists from Nairobi share their experiences of life in the city during the tumultuous election season of early 2022, and their thoughts on political and social messages in music.

Kenyan hip hop has gone through several phases. This mixtape tries as much as possible to identify them through their unifying act of Sheng poetics. These tracks observe, report, criticize, accuse, and protest. Together, they paint a conscious picture of Nairobi.

A selection of ten music videos from Nairobi from 2020 onwards, plus two older ones by DJ Raph’s algorithm. Some are examples of popular current music addressing heavy political themes, while others are a sort of antithesis.