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Rasta business
Last Updated on August 11, 2006, 12:00 am
The Standart
Unlike other music genres, reggae transcends beyond the realm of simply providing entertainment, becoming almost a religion. Caroline Nyanga looks at its impact on our nation
During the early 1990’s, nightclub revellers hardly dared to venture to reggae shows, and it was considered unprofessional to give reggae music airplay. The few deejays that did were considered ‘thugs’.
Reggae is a music genre developed in Jamaica. The term is generally used to distinguish a particular style that originated in the late 1960s. The two sub-genres of reggae are roots reggae and dancehall reggae (the original reggae), which originates in the late 1970s. Reggae is often associated with the Rastafari movement, which influenced many prominent reggae musicians in the 1970s and 1980s.
However, as time went by, the skewed perception of the music that immortalised Bob Marley changed.
According to King Monday, (David Monday), who’s been a reggae deejay for 15 years, the change can be attributed to the way the music has been publicised.
"It is the way the music has been popularised by DJ’s, radio stations and, to some extent, musicians that has enabled the genre to grow," says the 29-year-old, who runs Livity International Sounds.
Daddy Freddy (Frederick Shikoli) of Shashamane International observes that majority of Kenyans prefer reggae music because it has longevity and it talks about daily experiences. "Unlike other music that contains vulgar lyrics, reggae music grows, maturing slowly," he says.
He feels that reggae music has changed in its mix and style.
Twenty-four-year-old Bernard Ouma, popularly known as DJ Lastborn, has been in the game since 1996 and observes that people have come to realise that reggae music is easy to listen to, because of its simplicity.
"Reggae music is simple, yet so deep and I believe that’s what makes it real," he says.
"Since more people listen to reggae music then it’s obvious that the circulation is higher today." DJ Lastborn explains that this has a lot to do with the positive vibes exuded by the beats in the music that have made people realise that reggae is not as boring as previously perceived, "All it takes is patience and an open mind."
Papa Charlie (Charles Estika), a veteran reggae DJ, recalls when radio stations would not touch reggae. He describes the current reggae craze as an inevitable revolution. Local deejay and presenter Chris Darlin compares reggae to soul music and says it is important that radio stations have come to appreciate it.
"I remember we used to be called to play reggae at KBC. We would be given 30 minutes of airtime and the station chose what songs were to be played," says King Monday. However, as the number of radio stations increased, so did the demand for a variety of music. Reggae consequently found a niche and Metro FM plays only reggae music.
"Reggae listeners are a very dedicated people," says another local radio presenter. "They will tune in anytime there is reggae playing, no matter what station it is."
When Kiss FM was launched, only one or two reggae songs were played in a day. Now the same station gives you over four hours of reggae daily. "We started by experimenting with reggae (the Kiss FM Reggae Month), says Kajairo, "but we were glad it turned out in our favour."
Easy FM plays three hours daily, Kameme an hour daily and four on Saturdays, while Classic 105 dedicates a whole weekend (dubbed ‘Reggae Weekend’) to reggae music, each month.
Before this, there were only reggae themed clubs. This meant that reggae fans were isolated from other revellers since they were perceived as layabouts whose mission in life was to sit around aimlessly and chew miraa (khat), and riot.
Now, most clubs in Kenya have reggae sessions at least once a night, especially over the weekends.
DJ Lionnel Johnson, aka Teacher Lion, is a Jamaican based in Sheffield, UK. He is currently on a visit to Kenya and he is awed by the changes he has seen.
"Here reggae is everywhere; in the clubs, in the public transport, in the shopping malls and in some offices, there is a secretary playing reggae somewhere," he says in amazement. "In the UK, reggae is there yes, but man, I have never seen so many clubs playing reggae and the crowd asking for more of it. Never have I seen a culture like this in every corner of the country… except in Jamaica."
In a nutshell, radio presenters feel that preachers of the Word might all preach the same message, but the difference lies in one’s style and what verses of the Word one prefers to use to drive a certain message home.
Presenters play music that is close to their hearts. "This is the difference between a presenter and a DJ," says Jeff Mwangemi, a seasoned KBC reggae presenter. It is imperative they have knowledge of the music and the songs that they are playing, so as to be able to introduce it and in essence expound on it, while a DJ plays music according to the crowd’s mood.
Radio stations and clubs have picked up on the reggae craze in the country and popularised the genre even further.
"Just a few years ago," says Jeff, "reggae was hardly the kind of music one could announce he was involved in. I think it had to do with the way it was presented." He adds that this is so because reggae was not considered a ‘profession’ as it now is. Mwangemi says it’s a good thing that all local radio stations play reggae music, a dream that has taken ages to be realised.
Another influential DJ, Ras Luigi, who introduced reggae to Capital FM two years ago, says it was not easy for radio listeners to appreciate reggae, because initially it involved a lot of politics.
"I had to play only the music that listeners were familiar with, like Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry. I started off with lovers’ rock and a little bit of Roots and Dancehall," he recalls.
"Musicians like Peter Tosh were excellent reggae artistes, but they were too political. But today, the message is changing and is becoming softer and simpler to understand."
When on air, Ras Luigi says he gets hundreds of text messages from reggae fans congratulating him for the shows and making requests.
"Most of the messages are from the young, high class generation, unlike the perception that only people from ghetto listen to reggae," says the DJ, who has been in the profession since 1999.
Presenter-cum-musician Talia Oyando says reggae music has grown immensely over the years. "It’s the only music that is listened to by the young and the old," she says.
Although she admits to having no idea as to why reggae is in the mainstream, she says she gets about 2,000 text messages, 1,500 emails and hundreds of calls during her shows.
Shoe Kiratu of Kameme FM also agrees that reggae music appeals to everyone.
Kiss FM’s Programme Controller, James Njoroge, says the market dictates a lot of what they do. "Our research shows that reggae is big, as opposed to the idea that it was the music for the lower end," he says. According to him, reggae music is timeless and universal.
Fred Afune, Programme Controller Citizen and YFM, says: "The consumer insight research shows that reggae has crossed all social classes and age groups."
Local reggae group Necessary Noize’s last album was a hit, as was Ousman’s single, Rising Sun.
Afune says research peak indicates that their show, dubbed ‘Citizen Radio Reggae’ is the most popular.
But not everyone agrees with the theory of the reggae bandwagon. Jah’key Marley has probably been on the Kenyan reggae music scene longer than most. He is a musician, a reggae DJ and owner of Jah’mbo Sounds, which has its home in Hollywood Club, River Road. "There are less than a handful of reggae musicians who have ‘made it’ to the light of day in Kenya," he says, naming Mighty KingKong, Ousman and Tequilla.
"It took me a frustrating five years to work on my first album, but the fruits were acceptable," he says. "I organise and promote most of my shows, but once in a while, another promoter does it for me."
Jah’key says that it is very unfair that many radio stations do not give local reggae artistes airplay, even now when reggae is becoming very popular among Kenyans. "People can’t buy our music if they do not hear it or get to know about it, and this therefore, directly affects our sales."
