Kevins Carter, otherwise known as Gooner the Creator (GTC), is the young producer who runs 8Hood Music, a popular studio located deep in the heart of Nairobi's Kibra Constituency.
After Mambo Mseto presenter Willy M Tuva shared a video depicting a recording studio in the middle of the slum, neighbouring clogged trenches and iron-roof shacks, there was an outpouring of support for 8Hood Music, including from popular artists including Akothee and Navy Kenzo who promised to support the producer.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday, May 5, GTC revealed that Tuva actually stumbled upon the studio by chance, having been in the area for a community food drive on Monday, May 4 alongside Grandpa Records boss Refigah.
"He wasn't here to come to the studio. He was here with Refigah. I think they were giving out donations because of the Covid-19 situation.
"Someone told him look, we have a studio here and it's like he didn't expect it. He came in, we showed him the place and he heard what we were recording and he was impressed. That is when he recorded the video and since then, people like Navy Kenzo have been reaching out," he revealed
Tuva was so impressed by 8hood Music that he returned to the studio a day after he discovered it, hosting an Instagram live session which also featured Navy Kenzo, who gave the studio an undisclosed 'small donation'.
While he may have suddenly been thrust into the limelight, it wasn't always an easy journey for GTC, whose determination led him to open a recording studio in the place he grew up.
"I've grown just around this place. After finishing high school in 2011 is when I started dreaming of music production. At first I wanted to be a video editor but I was struggling because I needed clips to edit.
"I started making beats on Fruity Loops in around 2013. By 2015 I was a freelance producer, working in other people's studios. So, you book a session with me, I book time at other studios in places like Highrise Estate.
"But of course when it's not your own studio there are always challenges. You can't set the rules so I always had a goal of setting up my own studio," he disclosed.
GTC went on to secure work in audio-production with an NGO, Wale Wale Kenya, and things were going well until he lost his job.
The organization had decided to go in a different direction, and the audio producer's role was rendered redundant. To help him bounce back, the NGO allowed GTC to keep a microphone and a keyboard.
"Decisions were made and we had to leave, you know how it is. But they allowed us to take a microphone and a keyboard, so that's what I started 8Hood Music with.
"Everything else except the mic and keyboard, I saved money and gradually bought more equipment," he revealed.
While he works with artists from as far as Ruaka, GTC told Kenyans.co.ke that a majority of artists he works from are local acts based in Kibera.
"I mostly work with artists from around here because they are accessible. I'm like a DJ Khaled, I release music featuring various artists.
"On February 14, Valentine's Day, I put out an Afro-pop EP called Wake Up. It's on Bandcamp, I also released a 10-track project last year," he revealed.
GTC explained that his vision was to grow 8Hood and to have artists from his label feature among the biggest names in Kenyan music.
Watch a video of the studio below:
