Andrew Kabiru Karuku (born 8 January 1978), popularly known as Abbas Kubaff, is a Kenyan
hip hop artist who was raised in the
Kariobangi South,
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...
. As a member of the rap group
K-South
K-South was a Kenyan hip-hop duo made up of "Bamboo" (Tim Kimani) and "Doobeez'" (Jerry Manzekele), now known as "Abbas Kubaff". Founded in 1995, K-South is among the most notable pioneers of the genre in Kenya. The name is an abbreviation of K ...
, and later as a solo artist, Abbas has shaped and pioneered rap music in East Africa from the in 1995. K-South was a trio formed by Abbas, his brother KC and neighborhood friend
Bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...
. The group split in 2005 after KC went missing and Bamboo move to the United States.
As a solo artist Abbas is famous for hit songs such as "Chapaa" and "Tokelezea". He won a Chaguo La Teeniez Awards award in 2008 and a Golden Mic award in 2011. In 2006, Kubaff released his debut album ''Angabanga''. He has toured extensively in Europe and has performed in Nairobi as the opening act for
Coolio
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022), known professionally as Coolio, was an American rapper. First rising to fame as a member of the gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle, Coolio achieved mainstream success as a solo ...
,
Lost Boyz,
Maxi Priest and
Akon. In 2014 he released his fourth studio album known as ''Ghettoholic''.
Discography
*''Nairobbery'' (As K-South) (2001)
*''Nairobizm'' (As K-South) (2003)
*''Angabanga'' (2006)
*''Welcome To The Madhouse'' (As part of collaborative project BLNRB) (2009)
*''Mister Abbas'' (2010)
*''Ghettoholic'' (2014)
Personal life
Abbas is married to Anna, a British citizen, and has one daughter named Sofia.
See also
*
List of Kenyan rappers
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kubaff, Abbas
Kenyan rappers
1978 births
Living people
20th-century Kenyan male singers
People from Nairobi
21st-century Kenyan male singers