Gengetone is a new misic genre that rose to fame in 2019. It gained affection from Kenyans of all ages and walks of life, and it had them jamming to it. Gengetone was so popular that when walking down the street, you could hear it being played on radio, television and most notably in public transport vehicles.
The public transportation sector was taken aback by this new genre of music, and if you entered any public transportation vehicle, you would most definitely hear gengetone music playing in the backgryound.
The public transportation sector fell in love with this music, and you could hear music blasting from the speakers as public transportation vehicles drove past in traffic, busy streets, or on the highway.
In 2019, every entertainment joint switched from the conventional type of music and began playing gengetone music, which was loved and appreciated by their clients, who were looking forward to letting loose and having a good time after a hectic and stressful week.
However, Gengetone has gained a lot of criticism from the general public because of the vulgar language that is used in most of the songs, and most believe that it encourages immorality.
The gospel industry has also taken some notes from this genre, and they have incorporated the fast beats into their music.
When and how did Gengetone start?
It began with the #PlayKeMusic movement, whereby singers, producers, and deejays accused media houses of ignoring music that was created by local artists and producers but instead preferring to play Nigeria's Afro-beat and Tanzania's Bongo Flava.
This was when Gengetone was born, and in 2019, more and more media houses began to play Kenyan music, and it quickly gained popularity in other countries, whereby they began blending in beats from Kenyan songs into their own style of music. It was around this time that unconventional music styles and genres such as amapiano were created, which took Africa and the world by storm as they brought a new feel and vibe to the music industry.
Some of the most notable Gengetone artists and groups that propelled the Gengetone movement include:
1. Ethic
2. Sailors
3. Rico geng
4. Zzero Sufuri
5. Ochungulo Family
6. Boondocks Gang
1. Ethic
Ethic was the first Gengetone group to hit the limelight with their hit song Lamba Lolo, which introduced Kenyans to the Gengetone genre. The song was received with a lot of enthusiasm, and people wanted to hear more. Since then, the group has continued to produce one popular hit after another.The group consists of four members, namely Rekles, Swat, Zilla, and Seska.
Some of their popular songs include Instagram, Figa, Pandana, Position, and Chapa Chapa, among others.
2. Sailors
Sailor's fans popularly refer to them as the darlings of Gengetone, and the group consists of five members, namely Lexxy Young, Qoqosjuma, Miracle Baby, Shalkido, and Masilver.These five energetic artists have captivated Kenyans, dropping one massive tune after another. Some of their popular songs include Queen B, Wainame, Pekejeng, and Wakiritho.
In December, Sailors dropped a song titled Jesu ni Mwathani, which was loved and well received by their fans and the general public.
3. Rico Geng
Rico Genge is the only popular music group that has a female member and is also known for producing popular hit songs back-to-back. The group members include:1. Grayce
2. Harry Craze
3. Triand Rands
Ricoz Geng is known for its popular song, Kimonyoski.
4. Zzero Sufuri
Zzero Sufuri is a sensational musician, and he hit the top of the Gengetone music charts with his hit song Zimenishika, which at first was a freestyle he posted on social media that went viral.Some of his popular tracks include Matiati and Dondosa.
5. Ochungulo Family
They are a group of Gengetone artists who have their own unique style of music that is very entertaining and captivating to their audience and hardcore fans. The group is made up of three members, namely Nelly the Goon, Benzema, and Dmore.Their hit songs include Na Iwake, Kaa na Mama Yako, and Mbigijii Imekulwa na Ndogi.
6. Boondocks Gang
The Boondocks gang is made up of Edu Maddox, Ex Ray, and Odi Wa Moranga.
One of their popular songs is Mboko Haram, a club banger that has more than one million views on YouTube.
They have made collaborations with other gengetone groups and have produced popular songs, which incude; Thao featuring Ethic, and Mathogothanio.
Conclusion
Gengetone is a very popular genre in Kenya, however, due to the fact that proper systems were not put in place to sustain, nurture, and mentor the artists who were performing Gengetone music.Currently, Gengetone is at a steep decline, with most artists not being able to grow and develop themselves and their misic careers due to issues such as mismanagement and very little returns on investment.
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