Valentines Day…

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Hey people,

I figured I’d slowly creep back to blogging…my valentines day is pretty much about going to work, working late, trying to recoup the money I spent in Kenya over Christmas.

People say that February 14th is a mediocre day because you ideally should express love everyday. I think Valentines day is a beautiful day because our lives are very mundane….and love can sometimes be mundane and ordinary. Valentines day gives us that extra boost and a gentle reminder of our past relationships, partners that we wish we still had…and if one is single on valentines day, they do alot of soul searching…it’s just an emotional day and for us men who try very much to shield our real feelings, I personally like the emotion associated with valentines day.

I wish you all a happy valentines day…and I hope the songs below put you in the mood..

Men of Vizion – Break Me Off Personal favourite***

Brownstone – 5 Miles to Empty

Gerald Levert – Made to love you

Ruff Endz – Someone to love

Joe – All that I am

Blackstreet – Deep ..raunchy track

Kenny Lattimore – Never too busy

Milestone – I care about you

Keith Sweat -Nobody

Ashanti – Don’t let them (I know this song deviates from the valentines day theme but I’m crazy about this song)

…and to break the mood….click here

Guess Whose back…

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Yeah,

After a long hiatus from the blogging world… I’ve decided to come back to KBW. My three month hiatus involved a lot of travel, UK, Germany and Kenya. There was a lot of drama too, I broke up with my girlfriend, had a really good time in Kenya, Mombasa was too dope. In Germany, I asked a cabbie to take me to a night club and he took me to a bordello instead.

At home everyone including my mum told me to cut down…on my eating, I think I was going out of shape..on of my resolutions anyway is to reduce on carbs, hit the Gym 3 times a weeks so I can get back to where I was a few years ago..

Anyway, now that I’m back…I hope to add value to KBW, and to meet interesting folk..

On that note, I was listening to 98.4 and I heard the debut of a song I always thought would come out..his name is JJ650 …and “to the right” is his single. It’s a bit low, but as much as Irreplaceble demeaned men, I think it’s a well deserved answer…what ever happened to Sportie Thieves?? See you guys soon

My top 10 Ol’skool slow jamz…

slowz.jpgHonestly I’m being very sceptical here. I know guys tend to have a thick and inpenetratable skin when it comes to issues to do with love, emotions…expressing their feelings. These days I think relationships to a greater extent are geared towards convenience and there isn’t much emphasis on the old fashioned way of courtship. These days it’s all about “what can he/she do for me?”
Well, I’m not a wuss and I’m no Romeo either. These are my top ten slow jamz (that I used to listen to on KBC – Late Date) and watch on Rythmix on Fridays.

Click to watch videos…

R Kelly – Bump N Grind

Toni Toni Tone – Anniversary

Dru Hill – These are the times

Boyz II Men – I’ll Make Love To You

Tevin campbell – Could you learn to love

Total – Kissing You

Xscape – Who Can I run to

Toni Braxton – Unbreak my heart

Black Street – Before I let you go

SWV – Weak

Bonus: (Not original video) – For Real – Love Will be waiting at home

Others that could have easily made the list:

Aaron Hall – I Miss You

Toni Toni Tone – Lay your head on my pillow

Aaliyah – At Your best

Case, Foxy Brown & Lil Kim – Touch me Tease me

Montell Jordan – Falling

I know I missed out many artists, Shai, Mint Condition, En Vogue but the above tracks are my personal best. I don’t know what top 10 I’ll put out next ….but keep checking…Enjoy!

Weirdo alert…I’ve been tagged

I was tagged by Mocha! a few months ago…I’m supposed to list 6 weird things about me. I’m unique just like anyone else and I have my weird traits. Let’s see..

I have a double bed…that’s not weird. The weird fact is that I like to sleep diagonally..(that is when I sleep alone). I don’t know if it’s a declaration of space or territory but I just don’t feel right if I don’t use the whole bed.

I don’t drink coffee, and I drink tea maybe once or twice a month. I can’t really call it a phobia for beverages but maybe after seeing the effect it has on grown folk (addiction), I don’t want to go anywhere near tea or coffee. I just hate to be dependent on anyone or anything.

People say that I have a weird taste in music. They tend to wonder how I’d like Immortal Technique (who is very intelligent yet vulgar), Armand Van Helden, Esther Wahome (Gospel), Saian Supa Crew and Basment Jaxx and dig all these artists at the same time. I’m very open minded on music and I guess that is why wherever I go, I always enjoy myself because I’m not tied to a genre of music that will limit the restaurants or pubs/bars and clubs that I go to or the people I’ll interact with therein. I can’t stand trance and anything close to it..such as techno.

I think I’ve watched more movies at the cinema alone than I’ve watched accompanied by pals, or anyone…

I never argue about religion, I have my belief, you have yours. Don’t try and force yours down my throat.

I find Scottish women sexy purely because of their accent.

That is my weird side…don’t hold anything against me if you know me..kwaherini!

My top ten Ol’ Skool Rap Joints

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I have always listened to Hip Hop since I was about 10. I sort of crept into music when I first heard of Snoop, Warren G and Rakim. I had no access to Yo MTV Raps back in the day coz there was no MTV in Kenya in 93′, or was there? I wasn’t that privileged anyway. Basically the list down here is a list of songs that have deep baselines…songs that I’d like to listen to in a car that is fresh from Pimp My Ride…It’s a personal list and I’m not trying to declare it as an official ol’ skool top 10.

Click on song to listen & watch video…

Mr Amaru himself – Keep your head up

Big L – Holdin’ it down

Cappadona – Black Boy

Common – 6th Sense

Wu Tang – Triumph

Beatnuts – No Escapin this

Jay Z Feat. Mary J – Can’t Knock the Hustle

Mos Def – Miss Fat Booty

BTNH – First of the Month

Nas – It ain’t hard to tell

Bonus track: Atliens

I know I’ve left out alot of artistes, Snoop & Dre, Mobb Deep, Eric B & Rakim, MOP, Big Pun and Ice Cube just to name a few…I welcome more suggestions. I’ll be putting out a top 10 RnB soon.

Black Sunday

I have not been blogging for a while, 2 months to be precise. I have an extremely busy schedule, work on-call and I also work outside normal hours. I have also been studying for Solaris exams (a requirement for my line of work) and I’m not prepared in anyway despite the fact that my exam is in 2 weeks.

I then decided to take a deserved break, and took a trip with some pals to the west coast of Ireland…went to a town called Sligo. It’s a pretty, modern and buzzing town with loads of tourists (especially in Summer). We took a tour of the town, went to the beach and watched the sunset…now that is not meant to sound romantic because this was a group of people who are just friends with no attachments. We also managed to go to a waterfall…can’t remember it’s name but it was a pretty site. After our day of touring, we went back to the hotel, changed into the right gear…men took half an hour max to shower and dress up for the evening. The ladies took 3 hours, which is something I always complain about but I know will never change. We proceeded to a restaurant called the Fiddlers and had a lovely dinner. We then proceeded to the biggest joint in town…”The Velvet Room”. Groove surely got his groove on and I really had a nice time. That was the first club I’ve been to outside Dublin that plays some decent Hip Hop, RnB, ragga…or as Common (Sense) said it on his song “6th Sense” in his High Acclaimed album “Like Water for Chocolate”, rap for the black people.

The night went on and I grew tired and my vison got blurred and I knew it was time to go to bed. I gathered the troops and we headed back to the hotel. I slept as soon as my head hit the pillow and this is where the real story behind this post starts. My bro had called me earlier during the day and he told me that he was heading to some Huge EA party in Westlands and all his pals/my pals were gonna be there. I told him to enjoy himself and say a big wassup to the gang. Whenever my bro calls me I get very homesick and wish I was back in Kenya enjoying the sun and people.

When I woke up Sunday (yesterday) morning, instinct told me to check my phone. I saw a missed call and a txt message. I quickly read the txt message and it said, “I dunno if your bro has told you, Andrew died in a car accident this morning, his wife is in hospital”…I was in shock and I couldn’t stop the tears. Andrew is a very good friend of mine. He was there for me in every way when I was in Kenya, we were in the same high school, went to the rave together, even when I was
going to study in UK he was there at the airport to see me off. Andrew’s brother Nick is my best friend. Basically the txt left me in shock, not knowing that to tell Nick if I called him, how would I console him, how would I console the family and I’m so far. Andrew was yet to hit the big 30. He had a wife, bubbly kids and was doing his thing….why did he have to leave the world in such a cruel way? I though about his kids, his wife…I just can’t stop thinking.

I tend to ignore when people say that life is short…it really is.

God gives, and takes…I know Andrew is in a better place, where there is no Velvet Room, no war, no conflict, no sorrow….

Rest in Peace, Andrew Kanyi

Rugby, Genge and a new pub…all in one weekend

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I wasn't going to miss the Emirates London Sevens for anything. I had purchased my flight and rugby ticket in advance because I knew Rubgy + Jua Cali & Pili Pili was not a usual occurence.

Managed to get to UK without any delays, went to some Kenyan pub in Central London (Russel Square), pretty decent joint though I could see many stares coming my way, and I assumed this was the case because I wasn't part of the furniture or to be a little subtle, I hadn't been seen there before. I'm used to frequenting Kenyan pubs and clubs in East London and this to me was a notch higher. Nevertheless I had a great time, and I knew this for a fact because I couldn't remember the name of the pub when I left. The Kenyans I met were friendly, the music was good and the women were even better. Could someone tell me what the name of that pub is??

Sato, woke up late, drove down to Twickenham with pals to see Kenya beat any opposition that came it's way. Hanged out with Mocha!, met so many of my pals, sang all the slogans I could remember and after a few drinks in the hot weather, I had to slow down because they were getting to me.

Proceeded to Twilight nitespot to see Jua Cali & Pili Pili perform. Due to the fact that I came a long way for the festivities, I had to get value for money and I made sure I was next to the stage during the perfomances…I was the only guy standing there with all the ladies next to me. I even helped Mocha! take some pics of the artists.

All in all, it was a good weekend. I've now returned to my humble abode, back to my usual. Get more nitty gritty details about the weekend on Mocha!'s blog

In my lifetime volume 1…as a Kenyan

nai.jpgBeing Kenyan is a God-given gift. Identity is something we all have. A wise man once said that you need to know your identity to know the direction that you are going. If I was born in any other country, I'd most likely have interacted with different people and developed different goals. I love my life as a Kenyan, with it's joys and it's sorrows. Even people from the first world cry.
Being a Kenyan for me means:
- Having a religious belief – believe me, I've met people who don't know what going to church and or wearing Sunday best is. 
- Being asked if you are a good runner.
- Finishing KCPE, breaking pens and pencils and thinking that life has just begun.
- Asking the girl you adore most in your class to keep your eraser and sharpener.
- Doing CPA or ICDL before joining University.
- Watching Spanish/South American soaps with the folks.
- Going to Shade Hotel or Hillock Inn or Cabanas on special occasions.
- Having dreams to go to the west when you've just finished high school.
- Accepting that monolisation is a stage, and suffering through your first year in secondary school.
- Listening to late date (back-in-the-day) or Late night Capital and hoping your sore heart will get some soothing.
- Spending X-mas with your family and having nyama-choma.
- Experiencing peer-pressure in high school where sex and alcohol and drugs came into play.

I can go on and on and maybe my sentiments do not apply to Kenya as a whole but if I never went through none of these things, I wouldn't be who I am today.

Natulenge juu!!

Fundmental03*…I like this group

fundemental_web.JPGI'm keen on music, but not as keen as I was when I was in high school when I was an avid listener of the Rick Dees Weekly top 40 which aired on Capital FM from 10am on Saturday mornings. I believe that show had a huge impact on making Alternative Rock a mainstream genre in Kenya.

Anyway, I've been following a new UK group called Fundamental03. The trio consists of Jermaine, Kyle and Baby-V. I think the group is going places. They have the moves, their first two singles, Jump & Playground made it to #1 on MTV Base Top 10. I also happened to hear Playground while listening to Capital FM online.

Watch a short documentary on their UK tour here. 

Learn more about the group on their official homepage and their myspace site.

Concerts to watch out for…

juacali.jpgProbably most Kenyans in the UK are looking forward to "chafuaring" on the first weekend of June. There will be rugby at Twickenham on the 3rd and 4th, Kenya 7s team will be playing so there will definately be a large turnout to support our home team. I'm trying to think outside the box here. Two Calif greats will be performing at different venues in London. The Twilight gig looks to offer more because it has 2 artists and one whose not performed in the UK before.

For those of who cannot make it to the  East London venues, I suggest you try West London. On 3rd of June at Hammersmith Apollo, Jaheim will be gracing the stage + guests.

Other concerts that look tempting are:

Mary J Blige at the Wembley Arena on 17th June which happens to be a Saturday…these are selling really fast.

Gnarls Barkley at Hammersmith Apollo on 5th of July. I guess these will sellout before Mary J given the release dates of both their albums.

On a different note, if you listen to reggae, mellow-voiced Beres Hammond will be at Hammersmith Apollo on the 2st of this month. Wish I was there to "Rockaway" or listen to "They Gonna talk". I wish I knew earlier. 

On the night, I hope to be at Twilight. 

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