Thread by @SpryVoice

There's a conversation going on pale Facebook. It stems from an interview where Ted Josiah claim to have discovered Kalamashaka and that he's the one who got them to rap in Sheng. #Thread

What is interesting for me is the ensuing conversation that has ropped in the generation that literary was responsible for 'inventing' Kenyan hip-hop.

#Kamah (FB Baba Njambi) did react. In his reaction, he tags #Hardstone. Now, there's agreement that Uhiki hit was beginning of #KEHiphop phenomenon. After that there was no going back. The discussion involves among others, Doobiez, FundiFrank, and Wenyeji.

So Tedd asserts that he's the one who advised K-Shaka to rap in Sheng. That's one.
Question is- since K-Shaka were already rapping, what 'language' did they deliver in? I mean, there's no hip hop as an art in Dandora and Eastlands without Sheng.

It's therefore as ridiculous as it can ever be for a producer to claim to control a vernacular of [a] generation[s]. The level of entitlement and negative appropriation exhibited here is beyond imagination.

I say this because #Sheng is as natural as Eastlands bled's existence. It's not even a product of 90s. These has been covered before by different interlocutors, scholars and cultural enthusiasts. The generation in question are largely kids born 70s. Sheng existed long before.

This shot is gem. The biggest untold story of #KEhiphop is that of #F2. F2, beyond that being residence on your keyboard means Florida 2000. (There was F1-Madd House that went down recently and F3 in now KEMU Building university way-close in early 2000s- another story).

Now, in the above shot, you are talking #KEHipHop emergence.
So going back to assertion that Tedd told K-Shaka, how were they doing their stuff at F2?

The distortion of hip hop history is not by accident. It's by design. It's a common behavior by some privileged folks to disempower the sublatern - those that they inferior.
If Tedd was discovered K-Shaka nonsense is true, how did F2 Crew all become huge?

How do you explain that the likes K-Shaka, Doobiez, Bamboo, Dubai Frank, Chameleons, Rafigah, Porcupine, Poxi Presha, Redsun-- that all were contemporaries at F2?

There was no stopping what was cooking in the cultural space in the 90s. And that, coupled with changes in media landscape specifically emergence of FM radio would tap into the existing talent. Producers didn't develop talent - They provided a space for them to express.

Kamau explains one of the ensuing struggles- the class struggle.
Note this is not necessarily an indictment of Tedd. For #KEHipHop to emerge and thrive, all parts are necessary: the artists, producers, outlets (clubs, shows, radio)- all. But how do we tell the story?

To be continued......