I always ask myself if I was an artist, what would I do to reinvent myself, how would I reinvent myself and remain relevant in this ever changing times. Sometimes I think when you look at yourself as a brand you have to stop and start critically analyzing how your moves today will impact your music in like 5 years. Its an interesting paradigm but I think for most part everyone should look at themselves as a BRAND.

Kanja has been reinventing himself slowly if you haven’t noticed, for starters he dropped the “African King” I could be wrong but I think this was a good move. Kill the haughtiness and embrace the new – the music world is about collaboration and strategic partnerships. And this I think Kanja has embraced really well over the last few years. Lastly I think just the sheer fact that he seems to be standing on his own (meaning without Naomi) we are now getting to see who he really is. I think Naomi shadowed a lot of his capabilities and made it difficult for anyone to truly judge his music. It felt like a duo when essentially they were individuals who just collaborated on a few tracks. This new tests are transforming themselves in form of this Banger called Its My Time…

Overall I think the growth I see in him, I wouldn’t be so surprised if he scored a record deal sometime very soon. Right now he is on my number 3 list of the hardest working artists in the Diaspora. Bless my brother, do your thing!

listen and download the track here:

Kanja – Its My Time by getmziki

watch the video here:

I need to make some quick posts for some tracks ive been sleeping on. So let me start with this Tanzanian hit from Diamond… (evidently I juxtaposed that image above to show you that the man is living well). Either way bless this new Diamond track..

listen and download the track here:

Diamond – Mawazo by getmziki

A few years ago I used to openly talk shit about Wahu and her talents. It wasnt coz I was mean at the time, I think in being brutally honest you have to confront brutal facts about what you like and what you dont like. My thoughts have been well documented throughout this blog. As recent has her Running Low track that I posted a few years ago, I was still bitching and moaning about her going back to her roots and back to what I think makes her a special artists.

Gladly my opinion doesnt really influence much in Kenya because damn a lot of artists would have been out of the game by now. If you consider Running low, it went to be come a hit record in the country and a slew of other tracks she made. I dont know if I can recant all my sentiments about Wahu today but I can atleast acknowledge that she is not going anywhere, anytime soon with tracks like the one I am posting today. To my defense this is the type of music I often said she should continue to do. Anyway i digress, I love this track, its smooth, its edgy and its a remake of her classic…

listen and download the track here:

watch the video here:

I am sitting here with my boys watching this video and i realize if I don’t share this video with the world i wont sleep well tonight. In all aspects of hiphop I love this video, if this is the Kenyan version of Cypher then I am definitely interested in the next episode of 16 Bars. This is official, Number NANE crew just killed it… Octopizzo killed it but that cat who freestyled before Octopizzo is the truth!!

I wont talk much please take 3 minutes of your time to watch this talents.

UPDATE: Since we are talking about cyphers, here are two more cyphers :Camp Mulla Presents the 254Low Cypher Volume One and two:

VOLUME 1: Featuring YGB’s Octopizzo, Crew Teflon’s Timmy Tim and Camp Mulla’s Yung Kass

VOLUME 2: Featuring Camp Mulla’s Taio Tripper, B.L.C’s Smooth Poet and MuthaLand’s Babu & Uneek

The decision to go international is difficult for any artist, I believe more so for most African artists who have to struggle with the challenge the language barriers. The thing is Westerners are quick to detect accents and as such once they figure that you are not one of their own – they typically zone out and disregard the hits. But somehow I don’t think this is something some of these new diaspora artists have to worry about in the future. On the flip-side some guys will always sound Kenyan – coz listening to this song its every bit Kenyan than any of the Camp Mulla tracks ive been listening to…lol

I’ve been following Vinticqeezy for a while now, the first track we posted was Jiachilie which was back in 2008. I cant explain the amount of growth and maturity I hear on this track and that i have seen with these cats over the years. Jiachilie were hits in their own right blessed by Chava at the time. Fast forward to 2012, Sasabasi drops this hit produced by a Kenyan cat in Houston called Giggz. To me I think this is a sick joint – additional vocals by Abizzy a cat from Sierra Leone and what you have here is a recipe for a good track.

The only thing left here is heavy rotation – and air play. So lets start the blessing from this post.

listen and download the track here:

Vinticqeezy ft Abizzy – Find You by getmziki

Bonus Material:

Download audio file (Vinticqeezy_ft_Abizzy-Find_You-Instrumental.mp3)

Instrumental: Get it

Download audio file (Vinticqeezy_ft_Abizzy-Find_You-acapella.mp3)

Accapella: Get it

There is something dramatic happening in the music industry across the board, some artists are catching a hissy fit because other artists who claim to be rappers are now singing. This phenomenon has been sweeping the world in one form or another and with this track I think Collo is no exception to the rule.

Here is the thing, I think personally most people who dont like rappers who sing, are probably more upset at the fact that they actually sound good. Its not that rappers never sang in the past, its just that it took one damn good rapper to make the singing stand out on his own tracks. DRAKE is a perfect example of this phenomenon.

When I listen to this track, Collo is singing throughout the whole track, essentially this is territory that folks like Nameless, Mr. Lenny used to occupy – its new territory for him but to be honest its FRESH. The track is solid. Production wise Alex Mugenda aka BIG SOUL did enough justice to the track. Additional vocals were blessed by a soulful sexy chile called Ammelina Mwenesi if y’all recall she was one of the TPF (Tusker Project Fame) contestants a while back.

Anyway am happy with artists who want to challenge the NORM.. But Collo lets put this album together its long over due…

listen and download the track here:

Collo – Hodi Hodi by getmziki

“I PAY MY DUES WITHOUT M-PESA”

Shit the chile has flows for days, if Wesh is not involved with her writing all I can say is she will be official in a few years. I know some of y’all thought or think I was giving her undue props. But you have to be able to see the future when you listen to some artists. Some people have it, some just dont have it. This artists just has it. Music runs in the family here its inevitable.

The production is solid, the instrumentation in the track I like – this is the second release from the YOme camp and am loving it. African Hiphop really is blurring the lines between Africa and US. Personally I am glad its happening, its about time we started giving the US a run for their money. Now we only need one artists whose not an AKON or a KNAN. We need one artist who comes from the ground up from Africa and becomes a super star in the US and UK .. Like DRAKE did from Canada into the US. I don’t think folks like DBANJ and 2FACE will deliver on that promise. I think they are good artists but they don’t get hiphop – they get Africa. But when you have artist like YOme, KFORCE, CAMP Mulla and the likes then the border lines a slightly distorted and it creates opportunities for these cats to become really big.

YOme – AFRICA is watching you… big ups and GOOD LUCK.

listen and download the track here:

YOme – Late Hours by YOme

I have this compelling feeling that SEVEN (a good friend and a dynamic media personality in Tanzania) is currently behind AliKibas image. I was watching this interview - and I noticed Ali has a glove on one hand, and the shades through the interview… It just felt like SEVEN has a hand in deciding this mans upcoming look and feel. For what its worth Its working. Looking at the image I updated above you can notice Alikiba is currently putting in work at the gym and the ladies will eat this new image up for breakfast, supper and lunch.

So why talk about the song – when we can talk about Alikibas new image and look? Damn the 2012 US tour will be crazy if this is how he plans to enter the country again.

Okay so lets just talk about the song a little, single boy is a good track. Its not a classic Kiba song as i feel it sounds too much like KAPUKA. If you listen to the beat arrangement and kick and snare – you can hear the bumkapuka! bumkapuka! So to me this is just okay – its a winning formula – play it safe, keep the fans safe and sing about something young ladies want to here.

Watch this interview if you have time, Kiba addresses questions about the music, the lifestyle and his own relationship status…

listen and download the track here:

Alikiba Feat. Lady Jay Dee – Single Boy by getmziki

watch the video here: (ps. this video is just an edit – its not the original video)

Got some hot new bongo flava from Tanzania (Alvin you killing em playa you killing em)… this is a cross between taraab and some Bongo flava shit. I am unable to classify this new sound because its got that new age sound and a mix of that old classic taarab music that Tanzanian old school women love.

For what its worth I enjoy all these singing artists. And is that Bobby Junior I see making a Cameo on this video? he he he that cat makes me smile, he is too metro sexual. I see the rings, the hair, the dressing ha ha ha I love this new age music and the artists that are coming out. These are all bold statements for a market that pretty much didnt know what to do with metrosexual men. Big ups – lets change the world.

listen and download the track here:

Cassim Mganga Feat. Mr Blue – Ndoa Ndoana by getmziki

watch the video here:

I could have sworn I posted this song a few weeks back but looking at my getmziki feeds I cant see it anywhere. Whats more shocking is the track has already been played almost 300 times on our soundcloud account so I am confused. Either way this is a big SONG. Its not the first time we are posting a track from Marlaw and it definitely wont be the last time. So I will make this short and let y’all here this banger.

listen and download the track here:

Marlaw – Mbayuwayu Ngo Ngo Ngo by getmziki

If anyone here knew what a BIRINGANYA is I would give you TEN POINTS. Songs like these make me miss Tanzania soo much. The lyrical delivery is on another level. Essentially the dude says if he was a herds man he would have bought his shorty a cow, but he is a poor guy so he is growing Cilantro (YES YES Dania is is Cilantro lol). Maze I never thought I would one day be happy that I can actually translate all fruits in swahili.

And did this dude just say “ningekuwa na uwezo wa Rupia” ha ha ha ha if I heard him right it means he is saying if he had money like one of the wealthy families in Tanzania he would be straight. Anyway this track is classic…

“Ningekuwa Mfugaji wa wanyama, Ngombe ningewapatia ila mimi mkulima wa nyanya na bamia” Again 10 points for anyone who can tell me what BAMIA or BIRINGANYA is.. ha ha ha.. Please no calling your Tanzanian friends.

listen to Ng’ombe here:

Download audio file (Bob_Junior_Feat.Lady_Jay_Dee-Ngombe.mp3)

download it here:

[Right click and hit save TARGET AS]

There is a lot of good music out this week, some of the songs I will post have been out for a while. So what I Will do is evenly spread the hits that I would like to talk about here and some of the quick hits will be on our homepage. Look out for those updates coz a lot of them will be Bongo Flava.

This is some new heat from AY and Sauti Sol, I love the video more than I like the song. I mean the song is cool – its on point. But the video concept and shooting was classic. Loved every moment of it.

CREDITS:
Artists- AY Featuring Sauti Sol
Song- I DON’T WANNA BE ALONE (SHUKURU)
Produced By- Freddie (Homeboyz Production) & Hermy B ( B HITZ STUDIO)

listen and download the track here:

AY feat Sauti Sol – I dont want to be alone by getmziki

watch the video here:

I am loving the relationship we have inked with Waithaka Ent and Festus. I think the future of our work is going to overwhelm the world and preferably not underwhelm. Ideally we have selected a few artists in our bucket of talent and decided to make these crazy remixes that will be available for your guys real soon.

This particular track is not part of that compilation album but I am so tempted to plug it into that album coz I am overwhelmed. I mean if you compare this with the Original track which we posted here: You will realize that Waithaka has not underwhelmed by any means.

So instead of trying to big up your work as I already know how good you can be. Let me just share this with the music enthusiasts and the DJs to go hard on it.

listen and download the mix here:

Habida feat Cannibal – My Reason (Waithaka Ent Remix) by getmziki

This is a selfish post – obviously I listen to a lot of African/Kenyan Soul music. I think I can actually say I pioneered the word AFROSOUL LOL… am just kidding but truthfully I have supported a lot of young singing artists who wanted to cross over to R&B with an African twist. So its not unusual that I listen to Stan or Didge over and over again.

Today I woke up listening to Stans Debut album – it dropped a while back, Wawesh was behind the entire project and shit was real good back then. I dont know where STAN is today or if he has any new music. But for today, and just for today lets appreciate this cat for what he brought to us back in 2008. Some of these tracks we have posted them here before.

- Rollacoast – Track
- Gachugwa – Track

Otherwise I added a bonus track called She is…

listen to Rolla Costa here:

Download audio file (Stan-Rollercoaster.mp3)

listen to She is here:

Download audio file (Stan-Rollercoaster.mp3)

Proff Jay is working on some new material and so far I can tell you the response is phenomenal. When you get producers and DJs making mad remixes to your track then you know you have a hit on your hands. But for this particular track i don’t think the fact that I have my hands on the original and one phenomenal remix are what excite me the most. I think its the fact that Prof and Marco Chali have built an entire website to push this single.

When was the last time you saw an East African artist go to this great lenght to push his single? Check out the website and the free download (something I encourage all artists to do before they drop their albums).

http://www.kamiligado.com/

I have to say I am totally impressed. Now back to the music, Kamili gado which is sort of a slang word in Tanzania (Kamili means complete) so I figure folks in the streets use it a lot to refer to how settled a dude might be. I could be wrong with my out dated swahili but ideally thats what I hear it means. The original track recorded at MJ records and produced by Marco Chali is official – but Alvin dropped this wicked Dance/Pop/Trance mix that for me completes my weekend.

listen and download the original track here:

Professor Jay Ft Marco Chali – Kamili Gado Prod by Marco Chali by getmziki

listen and download the Dance house mix here:

Prof.J ft. Marco Chali – Kamiligado (J-Ryder Remix) by getmziki

I am going to make this post really quick and short because today I dont have much time but I need to post a few new songs before end of the week. This is some new MADTRAXX. My honest opinion is that his is a pure MADTRAXX beat and formula. I have said this before, that I think he has found a theme and beat that works and he is running with it.

There is nothing wrong with it, a lot of folks played that formula for a few years before it ran out. These simple catchy tunes seem to keep Kenyans raveled up. It would be interesting to see where he goes with this in a few years time but for now Kenyans seem to love it and are eating it up for super. Personally I would like to challenge Maddie to drop a beat that’s exceptionally awkward and different from the norm.

But then again why change something thats working I mean really!!! LOL KILL EM solftly Maddie. Ita Waiter is guaranteed to be a sure shot with the Watus..

listen and download the track here:

Madtraxx – Ita Waiter by getmziki

Check out the FESTUS remix:

Ita Waiter by Maddtraxx (Festus Productions Remix) by Waithaka Ent

Updated video below:

Speaking of Videos I actually like this video ha ha ha ha .. especially when the guy almost knocks the bottle off the table.. nice move.. ha ha ha good job on the video. When I was watching this video I couldn’t help but think of this music being similar to some Kwaito house TUNES!! ha ha ha .. Anyway let me watch the video again…

I have had this song for a while but to be honest I never got past the first 30 seconds coz it started kinda slow for me. Eventually I got around to listening to the entire beat and surprisingly its not bad at all. Now what tripped me out is that I thought this was a female on the track, turns out this is none other than Anthony Mwangi a.k.a Anto Neousoul whose been humbly making his ground for a few years now.

Anto has been in the studio working with the legendary Chris Adwar, on his debut album. From what I understand his upcoming work will be mainly a fusion of Afro, Reggae and Neo Soul fantasized over some poetry, mission driven music. Frankly I think this version of the Chips Funga remixes or refixes sounds the most appealing now that i think about it.

listen and download the song here:

AntoNeoSoul – Chips Funga by getmziki

watch the promo video here:

I really want to say a lot of what I feel from the production to ultimately the lyrical delivery.. but I am at a loss of words. YOme is onto something she murdered this beat and I bet she will murder many more – at 14 I have to say she is probably the illest youngest female MC in Africa..

Listen!!!

listen and download the track here:

Oh My – YOme by YOme

Some quick hits, Kanja has a new track with Kunzo from Nigeria. I have no real opininon on the track right now – since I am barely getting to listen to it, but maybe in a few days I will add on to the post what I think. Initial thoughts are that there is no real verse, too many hooks, too many piga makofis and bounce bounce bounce – not sure how to jam to this. And its okay I guess lol. I mean we cant be serious all the time, maybe sometimes we just need happy music.

I think I am also getting tired of Auto Tune in a sense… Sure T-Pain can do it and get away with it and so can Akon but for most part a lot of these cats have other songs without voice correction. After while folks will just need to hear your voice. I think maybe that’s why I liked that “Shorty say ahh”… Or Maybe I liked that Song coz of Naomi (Man naomi is CAKE waaaa lol).

Anyway listen to the track let us know what you think..

listen and download the track here:

Kanja & Kunzo – Bounce, Bounce, Bounce by getmziki

watch the video here:

Nonini has been pushing this song for quite a bit, probably more than any of his other songs in a while. Its a message driven song which is featured on his 3rd Album release titled “godfather of Genge” Colour Kwa Face features Christine Apondi on the hooks and is produced by world renowned Musyoka of Decimal Records.

Nonini has been an active advocate trying to create more awareness to whats happening in Tanzania and other parts of East Africa with regards to albinism. On May 4th 2011, the day was marked the National Albinism Day where and when Nonini joined ASK among other people living with Albinism to walk in the Streets of Nairobi to give support and encouragement as well as provide the much needed awareness to stop discriminating people living with Albinism. The song really urges all East Africans to celebrate their differences. In Tanzania especially Albinos have been a great source of discomfort and discrimination as many were being killed for their body organs and so forth… Google the term + Tanzania and you can read more on the situation.

listen and download the track here:

Nonini ft Christine Apondi- Colour Kwa Face by getmziki

watch the video here: