After years away from the music scene, hiphop artiste Sharama, one of the founding forces behind Ukoo Flani, is back in the studio.
The hiphop group that was once a trailblazer of conscious Kenyan hiphop is recording a new album titled Ndiyo Hii, slated for release in April 2026.
Sharama speaks to us while recording the album at Wanene Entertainment in Dar es Salaam and shares that long-time rappers within the group, like Cannibal and Labalaa, are expected to record their parts sometime this month.
Going back to the studio to work on the album has been a fulfilling experience for these artistes who grew up together and created this group.
The album is also meaningful to them as a tool to express their individual life experiences and to educate the youth. For Sharama, the album is a continuation of what they started in 1996 by Nguchi P.
“We never left music. It has been part of our life, and each one of us was doing individual projects. The album is not about staying in the game or returning to the game. We are the game.”
Still, Sharama admits that he hadn’t imagined another album at this point in their careers.
“I never expected that we would do another album at our age. When the conversation started, it was about us wanting to do an album to educate the youth,” he says.
Music producer Chzn Brain, also a founding member of Ukoo Flani, echoes Sharama’s sentiments. For him, the group never left hiphop, as he has produced many songs over the years.
“As it is communicated in the album title, this project stands for everything that we believe in. This is Ukoo Flani—this is what we are doing,” Chzn says.
The launch will span three cities: Nairobi, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam, where Ukoo Flani has thrived since its existence.
While their music delves into social consciousness and resistance, the new album has incorporated a new sound to draw in new audiences.
“Our message is the same. We preach love and peace and speak against injustice affecting the youth. Our biggest weapon is art,” Chzn explains.
The 15-song album will feature both familiar names and fresh collaborators from Mombasa’s and Dar es Salaam’s hip-hop scenes whom they can’t reveal just yet.
“We’ve also collaborated with young artists and fused in the Gen Z sounds so they can understand us better. We’re bridging between our fans and the new ones, with a touch of nostalgia and modern trends,” he expresses.
That evolution doesn’t mean compromise. For Chzn Brain, the role of Ukoo Flani’s music in society is timeless, stating that they hope to continue to inspire people to live positively.
This, their sixth album, promises a fusion of genres with hip hop intertwined with reggae, Afrobeat, and experimental rhythms.
“People should expect the same Ukoo Flani, but with different music recipes,” Chzn reveals.
Ukoo Flani was founded in Mombasa and spans Nairobi and Dar es Salaam as the Ukoo Flani Mau Mau movement.
Their first single, titled Ndani ya Pwani at Jikoni Studio, captured the masses, and they went on to release major hits throughout the decades, including Hip-hop Halisi featuring Nazizi, Wenyeji, and Burn Dem.