The stage is set, the lights are being polished, the line up picked, and the rhymes books are being dusted off.
“Mko tayari?” Kalamashaka asked, tapping Johnny Vigeti’s line from arguably Kenya’s first contemporary continental hit, ‘Fanya Mambo’.
In just a single post, Kalamashaka set the stage for what could potentially be one of the events of the year, Kulture.
Organised by Kulture Experience, and specifically Fakii Liwali, the October festival is dubbed as ‘A 2000s KE Music Throwback Experience’, and will aptly take place at Carnivore, one of Kenya’s showbiz hallowed grounds.
“Back to where it started,” Kalamashaka stated.
The great poet Nas said, “Play it cool. That’s the old school rule, man,” but going by the buzz the event has created, it’s safe to say the fans are bubbling with the nostalgia of yore and the pull to party with peers.
Keep calm? It can’t be fans given a single night to party to the cream of Kenya’s finest; from Nameless, Klepto, Necessary Noize, and P-unit, to powerhouses like Big Pin, Jua Cali, Sanaipei, Prezzo, Wahu and Mr Lenny.
And the theme goes on, with the decks occupied by deejays Pinye, Nijo and John Rabar, veterans of the music circuit, thousands of spins accumulated and millions of dance moves powered over the years.
According to Jemedari, rapper, event host and culture commentator, there is a nostalgic wave that is taking over, but it’s curated to only a few acts.
“Yes. There’s a 90s and 2000s wave but it is very specific to some artists,” he says of Kulture. “I feel like some will carry the crowd and some will be carried by the rest.”
To Brian, a rugby fan and old school music connoisseur, Nairobi has always moved to waves.
“Event organising in Kenya, more so Nairobi is very predictable. The current trend is ‘day-time’, Old Skool/RnB themed events targeting mostly millennials,” he said.
But what’s the allure for the music fan?
Is it the memories the music evokes, the dancefloors of a time past, a generation synched to kuku dance and mosquito, or the beauty of lacking – when music was a nationwide shared experience shared and experienced through radio stations?
To Rogers Ochieng’, a mid-thirties consultant based in Nairobi, old school gig means he doesn’t feel left out.
“It’s refreshing to see event organisers tailoring concerts for us millennials (and slightly older folk) by bringing together artists we used to celebrate and dance to their music endlessly in years past, and some of whom we haven’t seen perform live in a long while,” he said.
“It shows they put serious thought into it, and are keen to curate an experience which deeply resonates with us,” he adds
Erick Omtere, Mr ‘Everything showbiz in Mombasa’, says the old school space is a wave that comes and goes, just like all other genres and trends.
“Just like fashion keeps coming back, music does the same. It’s a wave,” he opined. “I also think that at times people just miss the vibe that the 90’s music brings back memories. And millennials and Generation X get this chance to meet these old friends and catch up.”
All through to December, the older folks have enough in their dancing plates.
This Friday, at the Alliance Française, Nairobi, another old school event is taking place, a live concert that is also a fundraiser for veteran music crooner, Ricky Nanjero.
Ricky, who performed for years with his band Ricky na Marafiki, was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), and required upwards of Sh4 million.
The concert will feature Eric Wainaina, Gravitti, Sarabi, Chris Adwar and Gogo Simo, with the attendees expected music lovers who find more peace among agemates than those who are moved by what’s hot.
And on Saturday, all roads lead to Uhuru Gardens for an evening ‘of soul-stirring praise, worship, and celebration’ with Cece Winans, the multiple awards winner gospel singer.
And the tickets for the ‘More Than This’ concert are not cheap, going for S2000 for early birds, Sh3500 for general admission, Sh6500 for VIP and Sh10,000 for meet and greet.
On the same day, at Lava Latte restaurant, on State House Road, Nairobi, hip hop fans are celebrating the legacy of Cannibal and Sharama, one of the most successful offshoots of the UKOO FLANI MAU MAU outfit.
The organiser of the event, rapper Nafsi Huru, said, “Kickz and Barz is an opportunity to celebrate our legends in a way that no other platform does.”
“And yes, old school music will always have a place in our hearts, because there is no Nafsi Huru without Cannibal, Sharama, POP, Johnny Vigeti, Abass and the rest…”
He mirrors what the great Tupac said on his song ‘Old School’, ‘If the old school didn’t pave the way, What more could I say? I wouldn’t be here today.’
And before the year ends, on December 5th, American RnB artiste Joe will be in town for a concert dubbed ‘We outside Rhythm & Brunch,” early bird tickets going for Sh6,000 and Sh30,000 for VVIP.
“Wrap up the year in style like the true kings & queens you are. Experience Joe Thomas live in Nairobi this December with our exclusive VVIP perks — from premium seating to front row proximity to the stage and so much more,” the post read.
Chance is, Jamaicans dancehall crooners Konshens and Vibez Kartel will make a visit to close the year.
To Omtere, organisers will always respond to what’s in.
“I think it’s just a concept that’s trending and organisers know there are a certain people you attract with such events – they know they are coming to listen to songs they grew up listening to.”
And in Kenya, there has always been a market for nostalgia.
Since 2021, Deejay Fully Focus has been running different editions and mutations of the PXP, or the Passport Experience, a live event and deejay sets dedicated to old school music.
Arbantone’s distinct style is based on tapping into old school jams that had a signature tune, sampling if you may. What’s incredible about it is the fact that most of the young arbantone artistes and producers were still in diapers when the jams they are sampling were rocking dancefloors.
“We have taken our Kenyan traditional percussion instruments and drum beats and added some favourite melodies, then modern bounce to create original juice that will uplift the fans and transform the lives of these artistes” popular producer Motif Di Don told Pulse.