New age Kenyan music genre Gengetone has been trending all weekend and this is why.
On last Friday’s edition of The Trend guest hosted by Antoneosoul at the KCA University, Khaligraph Jones’ older brother Lamaz Span gave his unpopular opinion on Gengetone saying that Gengetone stars need to do better than make music about drugs and girls twerking all the time.
This was the start of a heavy conversation around the music genre by Kenyans on Twitter. Some are for the music as it has diminished the influence of Afrobeats and Dancehall in Kenya while others abhor Gengetone for its lack of content and vulgarity.
The real question is can #gengetone sell itself out there?? With the likes of Nigeria,South Africa, Tanzania
— Jean-Baptiste🇨🇩🇰🇪🇹🇿 (@Frank_Riziki) January 13, 2020
Various Kenyan celebrities have taken to Twitter to weigh in on the topic with many expressing that Gengetone is the way to go for Kenyan music.
Genge legend Juacali came out guns blazing to criticize a tweep who had called him out for working with Gengetone stars Ethic Entertainment’s SWAT and Odi wa Murang’ a from the Boondocks Gang on the track ‘Wale Mang’aa’. The ‘Kiasi’ hitmaker said that he supports Gengetone and he has even recorded a full album with Gengetone stars.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I started this genre what do you expect?
You have never bought tickets to any of my events so you have been dead to me my whole career 😂😂😂😂😂. Nimerecord a whole album with this kids.. https://t.co/odZ0sfA6Pq— JuaCali (@juacaliGenge) January 13, 2020
Radio personality and Sailors Gang manager Rachel Muthoni alias Mwalimu Rachel also went ahead to defend the music genre and Gengetone stars saying that this music is the youth’s way of dealing with their frustrations. Another radio personality Kamene Goro also offered her support for Gengetone.
I have said this before and will repeat…the youth are curving a way for themselves.Gava has let them down,there’s almost no one guiding/mentoring them. #Gengetone is that avenue for them to speak out and earn some money. If judgement is all they get,they shall rebel.
— Mwalimu Rachel (Abena Adiepena) (@MwalimuRachel) January 13, 2020
Many Kenyans on Twitter have argued that we cannot criticize our very own Gengetone while for years we have listened to the most vulgar songs by international stars and watched Jamaicans twerking like crazy in their videos without any qualms.
Vybz Kartel sings all this nasty shit na Jamaica supports him even boycotts ndio wamachilie #gengetone
Support gengetone
Genge la Boondocks 💯— Lawrence (@_Madolla_) January 13, 2020
https://twitter.com/youngnashon2/status/1216682291268923392
Ethic Entertainment’s May 2018 hit song ‘Lamba Lolo’ which has received over 4 million views was the birth of Gengetone and has been on the rise since then.
2019 kicked off with a bang with the #PlayKeMusic conversation. A movement that helped Kenyan music get a bit more airplay and recognition last year.
Now it is all about Gengetone, What are your thoughts on this music genre?
