“Leso Ya Mekatilili” Album Cover Art (Image: Courtesy)PART I: TASWIRA YA JANA, HATMA YA KESHO
“I miss the Old Kanye…” – Kanye West
There comes a time in an elite MC’s life when they find themselves at a crossroads of sorts. Do I keep giving the people the same type of material that they have come to love me for – and which has built up my legend – or do I do like a true artist & ‘grow’? Examples of the various ways this attempt at growth can pan out are scattered throughout music history: Kanye receiving praise for elevating beyond his nascent backpack, chipmunk sound to more adventurous fare (see the grandiosity of MBDTF, the minimalism of Yeezus) – while also receiving some flak for straying too far from his ‘roots’; Eminem getting some side-eye for remaining true to the ‘shock value’ content of his younger years as a 40-something year old family man, while simultaneously being credited for still being about the bars, metaphors & entendres – even when he takes the pop route with Rihanna & Ed Sheeran; Nas never hearing the end of what many thought about ‘Oochie Wally’ & ‘You Owe Me’ while still garnering respect for mixing it up with the new cats on ‘Spicy’.
Dipping in & out of various music genres once in a while as an artistic challenge to self, however, is one thing. When a ‘traditional’ MC decides to ‘really branch out’, there are two main ways they can do this. One would be the Kendrick Lamar route of constantly stretching the experimental realms of possibility with diverse music genres & flows while retaining the core of who you are as an artist (in his case, technical lyricism).
The other would be to totally vacate the space you once occupied, move & build a whole new existence. Lil Wayne is the perfect example of this; the ‘quiet storm’ that was Tha Carter II-era Wayne is almost unrecognizable today (save for the voice, tatoos & dreads), yet he now has a whole industry of Lil’s feeding off the dread-head, face-tattooed, syrup-sipping Auto-Tuned multiverse he created.
However, when I examine “Leso Ya Mekatilili”, the latest offering from coastal rap legend rap legend who hails from the Coast, Kaa La Moto Kiumbe (or KLM in short) – & the career trajectory it insinuates for me – the artiste who comes to mind the most is Nyashinski. Long revered as a top-tier lyricist since the Ogopa Deejays era (albeit with early indications that he was quite adept at crafting hooks & catchy melodies), the ‘new’ Nyash seemed to have long since dived headfirst into R&B, Reggae & Afro-pop stylings – only coming up for air once in a blue to remind us that he can still spit with the best of them. The results of this artistic shift are clear: straddling the worlds of rapping & singing – with equally impressive results – has turned him into a generational talent whose career has reached heights he arguably wouldn’t have seen had he stuck solely to spitting hard rhymes over menacing production. What triggered this awakening may have to do with his experiences & lessons learnt during his sojourn abroad, but who knows.
Could KLM be thinking along similar lines?
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PART II: CHANGAMOTO YA MC
“Truthfully Speaking, it’s lonely up here all by myself…” – Dr. Dre
KLM is your favourite Kenyan MC’s favourite East African MC – & one of the most important voices of the 3rd Generation of KE Hip Hop. With a career comprising countless quotable bars, show-stealing features & an ‘off-the-dome’ freestyle skill possessed by few, he is the definition of a upper-echelon MC. He also has in his catalogue what I consider to be a Top 3 KE Hip Hop album of all time in KESI, which dropped in 2019 (my other 2 are K-South’s ‘Nairobizm’ & ‘Nairobbery’, but that’s a story for another blog post). KESI, in my opinion, was his magnum opus because of its phenomenal writing, great beat selection, lucid sequencing, stylistic variety of the songs, value-adding features & a diversity of topics discussed – all the hallmarks of a classic album. For many, this was the start of KLM’s next chapter as it was the project that brought him into the larger consciousness. Remember, it reportedly remains the most sold Hip Hop album ever in East Africa!
As far as the topics, KESI was all at once autobiographical, a celebration of life, culturally significant (see ‘Kenda’) & rooted in the Hip Hop that raised him. It had practically everything you would want to hear from KLM – it’s no wonder he titled it after his given name.
So where does an MC who has seemingly said all he wants to say – & reached the pinnacle of his ‘MC-ness’ while receiving universal acclaim – go from here?
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PART III: UPEPO TOFAUTI WA PWANI
“Niggas want my old sh*t/Buy my old albums…” – JAY-Z
When KLM first announced the title & cover art for his new album a few weeks back, my mind went wild with expectations (a syndrome quite common with the average Hip Hop fan). How would he possibly top KESI? Did the allusion to freedom fighter Mekatilili wa Menza indicate a cultural concept album? What themes would he explore this time? Would he be more experimental with beat selection & flows? I even got excited about a potential back-&-forth record between legends when I saw on his social media that Fid Q had come to visit!
Enter “Leso Ya Mekatilili”. The album is primarily produced by Grandmasta Teknixx, a production maven I’ve had the pleasure of working with at Kubwa Studios, Mombasa. The first indication that this was an iconic project was hearing the legendary news anchor Ali Manzu articulately setting the tone for the project on the ‘Intro’. In hindsight, had I paid more attention on that initial listen, I would have picked up on the warnings that would tell me all I needed to know about the project:
- “…Kaa La Moto ameamua kutoka kivingine/sio KUFOKA, ila KUTOKA…” – Dude, lower your expectations as far as hoping for an exhibition of lyrical wizardry.
- “…KLM…ameamua kuufungua mlango wa MAPENZI kwa KUIMBA kwa madaha flani vile, katika hali ya KUJIPA CHANGAMOTO…” – This is a project dedicated to Love in which KLM will be doing some singing as a way to challenge himself artistically.
- “Hali HUENDA IKAZUA MJADALA mwingine tofauti, KUTOKA KWA WANAHARAKATI WENZA.” – KLM is well aware that this new artistic direction is likely to raise eyebrows & court controversy especially among his core fan base.
- “Tafakari: kutoka MZIKI MGUMU WA MASKANI, Kaa La Moto AAMUA kutulainisha kiasi vibarazani.” – However, toning it down from the hard-hitting Hip Hop he’s known for was a fully conscious decision that he intends to stand by.
Truth be told, I didn’t pay much attention to the Intro because, hey, I was here for the bars. This piece was written on my 2nd listen & this time, I paid attention to everything.
- And so the project unfolded. The mellow start to ‘Nipe Mji’ was a ‘culture shock’ of sorts but H_art the Band delicately balancing Kanairo & Mombasa musings quickly won me over. KLM’s off-kilter, spoken word-ish delivery, while uncharacteristic, fit the song perfectly. At this point, I began to get it.
- What ‘Loyo’ said to me is that KLM understands that there is a whole untapped fan base out there which has probably been keeping off as a result of a lot of his earlier material flying over their heads. This was unapologetically ‘commercial’ (up to, & including, the video). I can see the ‘wanaharakati wenza’ shaking their heads in dismay. Bottom line: Music is a Business, the Artist is a Brand & sometimes, some liberties have to be taken to grow both.
- ‘Too Late’ felt like a Chikuzee track featuring KLM – but this is probably the hangover of pining for the old KLM. Some solid singing from him though. The silver lining on that is that it serves as some form of audio closure to any lingering bad blood alluded to in KESI’s ‘Mtoto wa Mama Saumu’ (“…Zile bifu nikajipata niko kati ya Susu[mila] na Chiku[zee]”).
- ‘Sitaki Tena’ is a standout for me because it is the first uninterrupted exhibition of KLM’s exponential growth as a songwriter in other genres.
- By the time we get to ‘Chamboo’ (with a feature from the criminally underappreciated Iddi Singer), I’m now fully comfortable with KLM the crooner.
- “Mapenzi” (feat. Masauti, Kigoto & Mercury) does a good job of exploring insecurities in a relationship. The Arabic melodies reinforce the coastal vibe.
- “Ushachelewa” has a playful & easy mood to it & will do well as a single. The chakacha, kwaito leanings make it a potential regional cross-over hit.
- “Disko Vumbi”, as the name suggests, is a relaxed ditty suitable for ‘turn ups’ in the hood – such as those that KLM shouts out towards the end.
- The tricky thing about using a singular topic as the concept of your album is that it can get limiting & lead to an artist rehashing material. Conceptually, I felt the purpose of “Siskii Sauti” (with Lavido) had been served by both “Ushachelewa” & “Disko Vumbi”. However, it is a further opportunity for KLM to exercise his song making ability & towards that end, it works.
- “Nyara Nyara” (with a well-done Don Maleen hook) is a dope blend of Mijikenda vocals, instruments & grooves married with a new-age up-tempo groove that will work well both as a single & on a club playlist. It is probably the song that best embodies the ‘Mekatilili’ spirit of the album.
- “Karibu Mwanangu” is a poignant love song to an unborn child who’s about to come into the world. KLM’s execution is flawless in conveying the emotion of joy at the gift that is on the way, as well as a parent’s prayer for protection of their offspring in their journey through life. A suitable way to close out the album, KLM’s evolution so far as an artist is on majestic display.
Rewind-worthy: ‘Nipe Mji’, ‘Sitaki Tena’, ‘Ushachelewa’, ‘Karibu Mwanangu’.
Verdict: If you came here expecting straight lyrical fire (& won’t accept anything less), this is not the project for you. However, if you can appreciate the concept of not holding onto your favorite so tight that they can’t breathe & grow, you will agree that this is a significant mile-marker in the artistic journey of KLM: Malenga Msafiri (pun definitely intended). 7.5/10
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PART IV: UZAWA WA MEKATILILI
“An MC can Sing, but a Singer can’t MC.” – Kaa La Moto Kiumbe
No one can speak for an artist better than they themselves can. Post-listen, I therefore decided to get some insights from the man himself via my Four Question Session. This is how it unfolded (*the conversation has been transcribed, translated & edited for clarity):
- KK: Was KESI your first album?
KLM: KESI isn’t actually my first album. However, it is the first album to introduce me to the mainstream & give me a greater degree of success.
- KK: Why did you name this album “Leso Ya Mekatilili”?
KLM: The ‘leso’ is a garment of great meaning in the Mijikenda community that signifies our heritage (uzawa wetu). Contrary to popular opinion, it is worn by both men & women. Women use it as a garment as well as for carrying their babies. The man wears it during the healing process after circumcision as well as after the first act of sexual intercourse with his new bride as part of the traditional wedding ceremony.
Mekatilili, on the other hand, is an icon to the people of the Coast who emerged in the early 14th Century. She is revered for being in the frontline in fighting for the freedom & rights of her people of the Coast, Kenya & Africa as a whole.
Therefore, when I speak of “Leso Ya Mekatilili”, I’m referring to the revolutionary heritage we inherited from this great woman. Many songs on the album are also about women – their beauty & what they mean to us in our communities – as well as topics & musical themes that are indigenous to the Coast. A big part of the cultural revolution & reawakening will be the reclaiming of our lost coastal music – sounds such as Chakacha & Mwanzele among others.
- KK: How has the album been received so far?
KLM: The response to the album has been quite positive & I am grateful for the support. This was also my first time dealing with streaming but the experience has also been good. The album is also getting rotation on radio. All in all, I am satisfied with the moves the album has made in the short time since I dropped it.
- KK: Will your future projects see a return to ‘traditional’ Hip Hop or is your focus right now on continuing your artistic growth?
KLM: Kaa La Moto is Hip Hop. Nothing has changed. On this particular project, I simply wanted to challenge myself & ‘flex’ with new musical styles – and also gauge how my fans would respond. This is also because I am fan of many different genres of music, not just Hip Hop.
As far as ‘traditional’ Hip Hop, as I mentioned, I am the embodiment of Hip Hop. Therefore, the question of ‘coming back’ or ‘leaving’ doesn’t arise. I remain firm in my Hip Hop roots & whichever direction I take the music serves a purpose. I remain grateful for every good thing I have received courtesy of Hip Hop & I still have many, many other projects still in store.
And just like the Kendricks & J.Coles have shown, Hip Hop is not only about ‘rapping’. ‘Rap’ means ‘Rhymes And Poetry’; there’s a lot more to Hip Hop – including rap-singing. Look at acts like Naughty By Nature: they were as Hip Hop as it gets yet they employed rap-singing even back then.
In reality, I love everything about Hip Hop. For this particular project, I felt inspired to explore love as a concept & being real & true to myself, I decided to explore that inspiration.
Couldn’t have put it better myself.
You can stream “Leso Ya Mekatilili” on BoomPlay HERE: