img courtesy of Howee
Its amazing how our little brothers and sisters grow up so fast. Howee was the little kid on the block just the other day, my my my look how big and grown he has become. Its also funny how the fruit doesn’t fall so far from the tree. About 15 years ago Howee’s big brother revolutionized Kenyan hiphop as we virtually know it today. A few people were there to attest to the new rap and style – This group came in form of ZIG ZAG (mainly Patrick Osiri and Patrick Mureithi). It’s funny how these cats got me to wear like 3 pairs of jeans back then thinking it was a very cool thing. Zig Zag was one of the first few rao duos in Kenya, they paved the way for most of the new cats singing and rapping today.
A couple of years later and you have a more refined, more settled and more mature brand – HOWEE. Ive grown up knowing Howard not only as the youngest Mureithi – but the Black sheep of the family. Howee was the epitome of cool, epitome of hustler and epitome of I got to get it. His attitude has defined a lot of what he has done in life and a lot of what he continues to do through his music. To me his music is not necessarily about creativity and or lyrical competence, its more about the message. The stuff that we dare not say in public or say to the people we care about, or worse to our enemies. Howee just bares it all. I think Kenya is need of such a soldier at this critical time as we struggle to break freedom of press, freedom of expression amongst other freedoms.
This track is not only real but honest of the realities in his life – I think on average many Kenyan artists need to talk about real stuff. The lyrical flow to me is still wanting, Howee has always been laid back so I feel as though he cant afford to be the same way in his music and delivery. People want more emotion out of an artist… I draw too many similarities between Howee and Prezzo but thats just me – either way this is a good start to something great – although my feeling is this track is not Kenyan material (in terms of the average Kenyan feeling it and relating to it).
Thats my two cents…
listen to Sorry Mama here:
[audio:http://m4c06a.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p4rM-ZZzFk90ww5yZQ5HP5FvfMQyu5GYchatYM2H6_uHqwvd63ruILANItHOF0M_Oq9epAKj8eAzWpf24UbXDTA/Howee_feat_kwame-sorry_mama.mp3]download the track here:
watch the video here:
