Entertainment

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's philanthropic nature has won him lots of accolades locally and internationally as he continues to set himself apart from his peers. 

All his voluntary acts can't be ranked, but one of the most touching ones was when he adopted two little boys who lost their parents following a terror attack at a church in Likoni, Mombasa County in 2014.

Gift Osinya and his younger brother were adopted by the governor who emphasised that he would love them like his own children. 

A photo collage of Gift Osinya with his younger brother in 2014 (left) and a grown-up Osinya in 2019

Instagram

Sonko was not shy of sharing wealth with the two, as, in 2016, he awarded Osinya, then 13-year-old, Ksh 399,000 for attaining 399 marks in the 2016 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE). Osinya was enrolled at Lenana School. 

Four years down the line, while celebrating his birthday on May 14, 2020, Osinya shared a number of his photos, which detailed how he had grown up and was living his life to the fullest.

Through his Instagram page Osinya, displayed photos which showed that he had a love for fashion, a trend he seemingly picks from the flamboyant Sonko. 

He also posted a photo of him enjoying a light moment alongside high-end rides, captioned "Big boy now!"

Other images show him dressed in expensive pairs of rugged jeans and chains, and hanging out at the gym or at the beach in the Coast. He also wears Gucci spectacles, similar to ones the governor is usually spotted with in public.

Osinya also at times supports Sonko who has been going through a tough patch in life, posting one of his pics in December 2019 captioned, "Pray. Every situation in life is temporary."

Speaking with Kenyans.co.ke,  Nairobi County Director of Communication shared a status update of the two boys, while also lauding the governor for his heart-warming gestures.

"The boys are okay and are fairing on well. They are still in school and will always study as there is never an end to education.

"Every day they pray for the governor and wish him well," Elkanah stated. 

Gift Osinya (right) poses for a photo with a friend in 2019

Instagram

A photo collage of Gift Osinya enjoying light moments in 2019

File

A photo collage of Gift Osinya during his birthday celebration on May 14, 2020 (left) and a 2019 photo

Instagram

Appearing on the Churchill Show on Sunday, May 11, popular comedian Dr Ofweneke narrated a heart-wrenching story of how he was abandoned by his mother days after he was born.

Revealing that he was born in 1991 at Pumwani Hospital in Nairobi, Ofweneke disclosed that he was raised entirely by his father after his mother dumped him on the stairs at their home and left.

The emotion was visible as he told the story, wiping away tears as he looked back on his journey from the informal settlements of Mathare to the pinnacle of comedy in Kenya.

File image of comedian Dr Ofweneke

Twitter

"If I go 29 years back, I was a small boy born to David Sunday and the late Jennifer Atieno in a small house separated by a bed-sheet, with a bed on one side and a kitchen on the other.

"That's where I was born, in Mathare where my parents used to live. In Pumwani Hospital. I was told that we didn't have money at the time and my mum shared a hospital bed with another woman. My mum broke a thermos and the hospital actually held me until they brought a new thermos," Ofweneke disclosed.

He revealed that his father stopped drinking soon after he was born, explaining how the decision changed the course of their lives.

"I think my dad was too high to remember that his child had been born. I know he's watching. One thing I'll always respect is that he made the decision to stop drinking the day I was born, he decided to be a better man. 

"So when I was taken home he was high as usual, but I don't think his relationship with my mum was in a good place. So a week after my birth, there's a place my dad used to pass by in Mathare and drink a bottle of Pilsner before coming home.

"So on that day, he had just opened his first Pilsner to drink when the house help came and told him that Atty (Ofweneke's mother) had gone and left the baby on the stairs. So by the time my dad leaves that place and comes home, he finds neighbours taking care of me after they found me on the stairs," he stated.

Ofweneke revealed the deep respect and admiration he had for his father because he raised him alone, noting that they referred to each other as 'bro' due to the close nature of their relationship.

"A week after my birth, mum leaves and I was left with dad. One reason I respect him so much is that he shouldered two burdens, not one.

"My father has fought battles. This guy, you hear me calling him 'my boy' because we call each other bro. This guy has fought battles. God might not have given him everything, but he gave him patience, resilience and a tough heart.

"I've watched him raise my uncles and aunties, and also me. Dad wherever you are, I just want to say in this interview that you're an amazing gentleman and I'm proud to say that you're my dad," the comedian stated while wiping away tears.

Ofweneke is one of the most sought after comedians in the country. He has hosted television talk shows and emceed countless corporate events in addition to performing at various live shows.

Recent editions of Churchill have seen a spotlight cast on the careers of many popular comedians whose skills were honed at the show, with Jemutai and Eric Omondi among those featured so far.

Watch him narrate part of his story below:

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Beyoncé is arguably the biggest superstar in the world, selling millions of records and headlining iconic events over the course of her career which started as a part of the girl group Destiny's Child in 1990.

As a solo artist, she became one of the highest paid entertainers in the world, requiring little media promotion for her music thanks partly to an unusually committed fandom known as the Beyhive.

She released the music videos for 'Yoncé' and 'Partition' on December 24, 2013, with both singles part of her eponymous fifth solo album 'Beyoncé'. 

Unknown to many, however, 'Yoncé', which is still making waves in 2020 as a dance challenge on TikTok, features a sample from a Kikuyu conversation.

Award-winning US artiste Beyoncé Knowles

Twitter

It might be hard to recognize the chopped-up Kikuyu sample which is first heard right at the beginning of the song, mixed in with a heavy bass-line.

The sound is actually a recording of a Kikuyu conversation, and is sold and distributed in online sound packs for music producers, with the title 'African market with kids'.

Listening keenly to the sample itself, a woman can be heard asking, in Kikuyu, "Why would anyone get angry? Why would anyone get angry?".

It was seemingly recorded in a market set-up, with the woman questioning why someone would get mad or annoyed over something.

The viral TikTok challenge it inspired is also known as 'Gimme Some', and features individuals dancing to a bit of the song, with the sample kicking in after Beyoncé shouts 'Gimme some'.

Yoncé isn't the only popular song to use the sample, with Grammy-award winning rapper Kendrick Lamar also using it on Mortal Man, released in 2015.

Mortal Man was on Kendrick's critically acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly which won the Grammy award for Best Rap Album in 2016.

Listen keenly to the song, and you will hear the distinct sample around 2 minutes and 10 seconds into the song.

Samples are sounds taken by music producers and re-purposed for new releases. They can be taken from anything, including old songs, past speeches, movies, recordings or even voice messages.

Over the years, sampling has come to be considered an art, with world famous producers such as Kanye West praised for their unique ability to use samples to create exciting new sounds.

Watch the 'Yonce' video below, with the sample first heard at 00:14 :

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Churchill show comedian and online artist David Oyando (Mulamwah) has revealed reasons why he took a break from nursing, his professional career.

While speaking with Kenyans.co.ke on Thursday, May 7, the Moi University alumnus detailed that he was focusing on comedy for a while, before deciding on what he would specialise in nursing, in the coming years.

Mulamwah studied Bachelor of Nursing at the College of Health Sciences, based in Eldoret Town and graduated in 2018.

Comedian David Oyando popularly known as Mulamwah.

Twitter

"Nursing is a passion and a calling which I will live up to at a later time. When I became a comedian, I paused nursing for a while to focus on comedy and that's what I love doing at the moment.

"I have not yet specialised as that requires one to do study masters, which I haven't done at the moment," Mulamwah disclosed.

The endeared comedian, while speaking with Felix Odiwour (Jalang'o) on his YouTube channel, Bonga na Jalas on Wednesday, May 6, further added that he discovered his comical skills while in the university, as he made people laugh during Christian Union (CU) services.

"I repeated classes a few years but at last, I made it. While in school, I used to crack jokes before the preaching commences. I am an emcee and a stand-up comedian who had just lacked a platform to share my art. However, one day someone loved my art and asked me to join a few comedians in Eldoret Town and from there, I started doing auditions, even in Nairobi," he added.

His rise to fame was not so rosy as he had to sacrifice a lot of time and money before his breakthrough. 

"I auditioned for one full year at Churchill Show. By that time, I was still interning at Kenyatta National Hospital. I used to ask my friends to cover me as I ran to Carnivore Grounds to audition. Before that, when I was still in Eldoret, I used to travel to Nairobi every Tuesday to audition after I received my Helb stipend. That's a total of four years spent in auditioning.

"If I lacked fare, I resorted to even selling my phone at Ksh 3,000 to travel to Nairobi. Sometimes I could find auditions aren't being conducted, yet I have spent money on travelling. Later on, one day while I was in the backstage, I was lucky to perform and everyone was proud of my work," Mulamwah recalled. 

Video: YouTube/Jalang'o

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Owago Onyiro is one of the endeared comedians to have ever graced Churchill Show. The artist's creativity saw him travel for international tours as he also worked as a show host at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) before quitting in 2019.  

However, not many are familiar with Owago's past career, one which he reiterates he will one day turn back to saying he views it is a calling.

Speaking with Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday, May 5, Owago disclosed that before rising to fame, he was a lecturer at a private university in Nairobi.

File image of former KBC show host Comedian Owago Onyiro

Instagram

"I used to teach Bachelor of Arts at the campus. I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Kenya Polytechnic and this enabled me to teach Mathematics too," Owago stated.

Owago disclosed that he landed the job through an old friend from college and luck was on his side as he landed the job.

"I lectured for one and a half years. It is not a tough job, you engage the students and have fun," Owago added. 

However, as he later met Daniel Ndambuki (Churchill), his life took a turn and he decided to quit teaching for comedy.

"I found it hard to balance teaching with comedy, and I decided to focus on comedy. 

"I would love to go back to teaching one day, as that is a part of my life. Possession of education credentials is one important thing in this world. They come in handy at every juncture despite someone focusing entirely on something different," Owago advised.

The comedian also boasts of cooking skills, an art he shares on his Instagram pages, and showcases it too on various platforms. 

"I decided to turn to cooking after Coronavirus pandemic broke out. When you look at my pages, I celebrate my fans (customers) who purchase fish. I deliver to them the fish immediately after they order. Prices vary from Ksh350 to Ksh1,000.

"On a bad day, I can deliver 8 fish. On a good day, I can deliver over 25," Owago revealed, on Monday, May 4, as his colleague Felix Odiwour (Jalang'o) marvelled at how the comedian makes sales, approximately in the hundreds of thousands in a month as the two cooked a sumptuous fish meal on Jalango's YouTube show, Bonga na Jalas. 

From left: Comedians Felix Odiwour (Jalang'o) and Owago Onyiro pose for a photo before cooking a meal on Jalaang'os YouTube Show Bonga na Jalas on Monday, May 4, 2020

File

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe is at the forefront of the country's fight against Covid-19, and so far enjoys a lot of goodwill from Kenyans as he steers the country away from the pandemic.

On Saturday, March 28, while addressing the media at Afya House, Kagwe asked Kenyans to adhere to quarantine directives. He also informed the nation that his son was placed under quarantine as a way of making Kenyans understand the need to protect each other.

"I can tell you at a personal level, I have a son and a niece under quarantine," Kagwe stated.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe addresses a press conference on Covid-19 in Nairobi in March 2020

File

One of Kagwe's four children, Kahu Mburu Mutahi (Kahush) is a Hip Hop rapper, with a song that topped the airwaves since its release on Sunday, November 3, 2019.

Mi Siwezi (I Can't) has been played severally by top DJs in the country including DJ John Rabar of Homeboyz Radio, husband to NTV presenter Amina Abdi.

"His sound definitely fits our style and music as Homeboyz's primarily focus on pushing Hip Hop. One thing he did well is the production and vocal arrangement. His work is clear and easy to follow. It may be because he is producing from abroad. But he also needs to work harder and maintain the flow," DJ John lauded while speaking with Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, April 29.

"We encourage people to follow their art. You cannot focus on doing blue-collar jobs only. You can enjoy what you do and focus on your art. By doing so, even your parents can love what you do," he added with reference to Kahush's decision to steer away from politics.

According to Gearbox, an IT website, Kahush who is also an IT student in Leicester, UK, developed a system that is able to sense motion and manage lighting in rooms depending on the motion detected thus saving energy as many people forget to turn off lights. 

File image of Kahu Mburu Mutahi (Kahush), CS Mutahi Kagwe's son and a business student displaying his automated Lighting and Motion Sensor System at a workshop

File

His automated Lighting and Motion Sensor System works by managing how much energy is used in the lighting of spaces around the house by regulating the lighting systems whether there are people in the house or not. 

The system turns on the light in a room when someone gets into the room and switches it off immediately they leave,

“This would be helpful when someone is in a room engaged in an activity, could move a limb and the system would respond appropriately instantly. This system would be helpful to people who are physically challenged, the aged and children who are still young and would be needed to use certain rooms. The system eliminates the need to switch on or off the lights," he stated while explaining his innovation.

On his music, he states he is influenced by Khaligraph Jones and Magix Enga in Kenya as he hopes to make more hit songs.

"Recognizing I can make art that could live, be remembered and affect someone is what inspired me.  I’d say I’m influenced by Jason Kalinga, J Cole, Thugger, Uzi, Santi, SZA and TNT. I look up to Sauti Sol, Khaligraph Jones, Magix Enga and Lupita Nyong'o," Kahush stated in an interview with a local media outlet. 

Video: YouTube/Kahush

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Grammy-nominated rapper, singer, composer, and record producer Tory Lanez needs little introduction, however, his Kenyan family is not known to most.

Born in Canada as Daystar Peterson back in 1992, Tory's dad, Sonstar Peterson, began working as an ordained minister and missionary, causing them both to move frequently throughout the United States, following his wife's death from a rare disease.

It was during this period that he met a Kenyan lady online, not knowing that she would end up changing his life and influence his decision to permanently relocate to Kenya.

Tory Lanez with his dad Sonstar Peterson

File

"At first, I didn’t think I’d settle here until I met my wife. We were introduced in January 2011 by a friend and we got into a long-distance relationship. I was in Toronto and she was in Nairobi. 

"The first conversation we had we talked for about eight hours and in March the same year I came to visit her family and in June of the same year we got married. Six years later, we have two kids," he revealed during an interview with Eve magazine back in 2017.

Quizzed on his son's global success in the music industry, he explained that the Petersons have always been an artistic family.

"I rose to the top of my nation as a dancer in Canada. I was on every TV variety special and even did tours. I know what it’s like being young. We even did JUNO Awards  (a highly coveted award presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands)," he narrated.

Further pressed on whether his faith posed challenges when it came to relating with his son, he maintained that he had brought up Tory and his sister Destiny Peterson alias DSTNY, to make the right choices.

"When it comes to my son and my daughter who’s also in music, I teach them the principles and let them decide for themselves. Many young people feel the pressure of being preachers' kids and they run from the church. I believe my kids have enough sense and wisdom," he explained.

A fan of Khaligraph Jones and Mercy Masika, Tory's dad has managed to keep his life in Kenya under wraps, despite the fact that he is a celebrated author.

His book Destiny of the Black Race was published in 1991, and he has since revealed that it was inspired by a vision from God.

“There aren’t many preachers who are ready to pay the price. Meeting my wife served a bigger purpose in my life because I said, 'God, send me.' This is how I was inspired to write the book and how I was born as a servant of God," he elaborated during his interview.

Lanez released his debut studio album, I Told You, on August 19, 2016, which included the singles, Say It and Luv, which peaked at number 23, and 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 respectively. 

 

Destiny Peterson. She is Tory Lanez's sister and is also a musician.

File

The month of April has been littered with many things, with people being in isolation, but one that might be the most memorable would be the coffin carriers challenge that Kenyans have been sharing online.

The internet is awash with a variety of videos and photos of funny situations about to turn tragic, after which the video of sometimes six men or four men dancing with a coffin on their shoulders begins to play.

The video is most often accompanied by an addictive EDM tune titled Astronomia by artistes DJ Vicetone and Iggy, a song that has been propelled to one of the most listened to in 2020, courtesy of the challenge.

For many, this is a moment to have fun and smile at the creativity and humour courtesy of men with a penchant for turning funeral services into something somewhat fun and memorable.

What many Kenyans might not know is that the group of six is one of the most popular pall-bearers in Ghana, having been among the first to offer a dancing send off as per the request of a family at a negotiated fee.

The 'dancing pallbearer service is widespread in Ghana as BBC reported on Thursday, May 16, with the publication estimating that there are more than 100 members who offer the service.

A number of people have come to publicly confess to hiring the troupe to turn funerals colourful, a matter that Benjamin Aidoo, the founder of the Pallbearers is proud of.

Further reports indicate that the dancers first gained notoriety in 2015 when a YouTuber known as Travelin Sister posted footage of the group carrying caskets to a choreographed dance at a funeral.

The action, however, reached epic proportions when the track Astronomia was added to it, giving it an appeal that defeated local songs that went with the videos initially.

The meme has been parodied by several Kenyan artists including parody guru Padi Woubonn and even made it to the country's political scene where it satirized the Jubilee Party woes as a dying party.

The meme has had a global appeal and has been and has been satirized in popular movies including Titanic, Avengers: Infinity war, and even Terminator.

The group has also been on the receiving end of several Instagram filters in effect creating different race versions of the same tradesmen, showing just the kind of appeal that the group has created.

Below is a compilation of some of those memes...

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Legendary Kenyan Rhumba musician Abdi Aziz Kilambo is dead. The veteran artiste reportedly passed away at a hospital in Voi, Taita Taveta County on Saturday night, April 11.

Abdi Aziz was a singer, guitarist and bandleader of Benga Africa and, later, Ngoma Afrika famed for several popular singles including Nyumbani ni Nyumbani and Sina Kazi.

With his band, Aziz had been a regular performer at popular joints in Nairobi including Ranalo Foods on Kimathi Street and Miami Tavern in Umoja.

Aziz, 67, however, retired from live performances as he battled diabetes and hypertension.

A vinyl record for Aziz Abdi's 'Sina ya Kazi' record released with his band, Benga Africa

Facebook

In line with Muslim rites, Aziz is to be buried on the afternoon of Sunday, April 12, at his farm in Mleghwa located near Voi town.

According to a cousin of the singer who spoke to Daily Nation, Aziz died of a heart condition which was made worse by his underlying health issues.

The singer had reportedly been ill for the past month before his condition worsened on Saturday, April 12.

"A doctor at the hospital in Voi has confirmed the cause of death as a heart condition, which was compounded by extended hypertension and diabetes," stated the cousin identified as Kombo Kala.

Away from music which he started pursued part-time later in his storied career, Aziz also worked in paint manufacturing.

He started his own band, Benga Africa Group in 1991 and released hits including Amri Kumi, Sina Kazi and Matata Sipendelei.

Aziz later changed the name of the band to Ngoma Afrika as he started bringing in artists from other African countries.

Among artistes Aziz worked with in his career are legendary musicians John Monga, Mohamed Tika Abdallah, Patrick Omolo, Jose Beniko Bulimo, Teddy Suka and Rama Kocha.

Aziz is among many great Kenyan artistes who hailed from Taita Taveta county, with others including Malaika composer Fadhili Williams, Habel Kifoto of Maroon Commandos, Sammy Mwambi Mkali, and Mathaia Mlkamaba. 

Listen to Aziz Abdi Kilambo's 'Sina Kazi' below:

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Legendary Kenyan artiste Nyamari Ongegu, better-known as Nyashinski, made history on Wednesday, March 8, with a live-streamed performance from his home that saw tens of thousands of Kenyans tune in.

Backed by a talented band, Nyashinski's performance was streamed on platforms including Youtube and Instagram where viewer numbers peaked at more than 15,000 and over 8,000 respectively, as Kenyans savored a welcome dose of high-quality entertainment during the Covid-19 pandemic that has confined many to their homes.

The record-breaking performance which began at around 9.30 p.m. was followed up by the release of the music video for Glory, the first single off Nyashinski's upcoming 12-track album Lucky You.

Desmond Bosire, a Sound Engineer who fully produced Glory and engineered several tracks on the highly-anticipated album, spoke to Kenyans.co.ke revealing the incredible behind-the-scenes work that went into the much-talked-about live performance.

Nyashinski pictured preparing for his live performance which was streamed on April 8, 2020

Twitter

Bosire revealed that they had agreed to do the live performance after they finished recording the album at Junkie Records Studios around a month ago.

Around the same time, Kenya's first Covid-19 cases were confirmed causing the government through the Ministry of Health to introduce various measures meant to limit movement and curb the spread of the virus.

The determined artistes, however, did not let this stop them from accomplishing the project as they practiced for the performance for weeks in Nyashinski's home, with many of them forced to spend time away from their families and loved ones.

"It started with the album. Work had been ongoing on the album for a period of time, since last year in fact. After we finished recording the album about a month ago, we started preparing for the live-performance.

"We stayed in quarantine for weeks as we practiced because it's around the same time that all these restrictions were introduced.  We literally practiced for weeks, it was difficult because it meant some of us were away from our families," he disclosed.

Bosire revealed that many Kenyans who watched the show missed the notable fact that it took place on Nyashinski's birthday.

Sharing the team's reaction to the incredible support the show received from Kenyans, Bosire stated that it was quite fulfilling for them as artists.

"It was magic, especially for us because we really wanted to put up a show. The feedback was crazy.

"It was good to give Kenyans something to smile about and excite them during this Covid-19 period. It is very fulfilling for us as artistes because this is what we do, this is our job," he noted.

He maintained that they were happy to have set the bar high and encouraged other artists to do their own live-streams. 

Veteran rapper Juliani, for instance, took to his Twitter page to commend Nyashinski for the stunning show even as he promised fans that a similar live performance of his own was in the pipeline.

Nyashinski's album Lucky You is set to be released on Friday, April 17, on all major platforms.

Questioned on whether the team had another live-stream planned for the release, Bosire told Kenyans.co.ke that they were exploring several different ideas noting that their plans were complicated by the Covid-19 crisis.

"There's a couple of things we've planned around the album but you know we also have to consider our safety and the measures put in place by the government.

"We have a lot in the pipeline. Even this live performance took a lot to accomplish," he stated.

Sound engineer and producer Desmond Bosire

File