Wawesh is a
hip-hop artist and producer from
Kenya. The
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
-based MC has been creating a buzz in
Swahili
Swahili may refer to:
* Swahili language, a Bantu language official in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and widely spoken in the African Great Lakes
* Swahili people, an ethnic group in East Africa
* Swahili culture
Swahili culture is the culture of ...
-speaking communities in
Eastern Africa and the
Diaspora
A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of origin. Historically, the word was used first in reference to the dispersion of Greeks in the Hellenic world, and later Jews after ...
via his three consecutive hit singles (''Mjanja'', ''Wawero'' and ''Wasanii'') plus highly acclaimed debut album, “It’s Meant To Be”.
Music career
He started as a producer in 1993.
[The Standard, February 5, 2009]
Wawesh, the producer
/ref> Under his alias, Kiboy, he also co-owns BlaO Entertainment, a production company involved in many projects including work for international names like Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
, Talib Kweli, Floetry and Capone-N-Noreaga.
Having gained experience in developing artists and creating hits for others, Kiboy wanted to deliver something for the Swahili speaking hip hop community and so he started the Wawesh project combining western-influenced beats with Swahili lyrical flow.
His late-2005 debut single, "Mjanja" was spread worldwide, was a huge hit in Africa and remains a major anthem in Kenya. The follow-up single, "Wawero" with its highly produced video cemented his status in pan-Africa as an artist with serious intent. The release of his highly acclaimed album "It's Meant To Be" augmented this success.
Musically, the album derives inspiration from a variety of sources including African folk, Afro-American Soul, Ethnic European Sounds and other esoteric sources.
In between recordings, Wawesh has rapidly cemented his popularity in Africa, Europe and the diaspora gaining appearances across various media. He was commissioned to contribute to a major BBC initiative (Africa Lives on the BBC/Africa 2005), appeared on BBC 1Xtra's DestiNation Africa (DNA) show, received regular rotation in clubs and major radio networks in Kenya, had a number 1 video on MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
Base Africa for the single "Wawero", was playlisted on MTV Base Europe, and performed in a variety of major shows in Kenya and Europe such as Chaguo La Teenies
Afrolution
K’Naan's Tour, and Jamhuri Day UK.
He also co-founded Watu Wangu - a collective of Kenyan artists in Europe and attracted a sponsorship-deal from Jamhuri wear (as endorsed by Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, 50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
, Akon), directed his most recent video for "Wasanii", and produced an award winning album that was nominated for a Grammy Award.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Wawesh - Official Site
Kenyan rappers