Kenyan Hip Hop Heads
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KIMYA
Born Clarence Kimani in Nairobi, Kenya, Kimya moved to the states at a young age and was raised in California, L.A. His siblings are rapper Bamboo and singer Victoria Kimani.
He has been Representing freestyles on the block and at clubs as far back as 92' at the age of 12. A couple years later he relocated to Nairobi, Kenya on the East Coast of Africa.
Recognising street level Hip Hop in Nairobi back around 1994, he started hitting up freestyle Clubs like Florida 2000 up against the Hip-Hop headz of that day.
“Music was my release point. I was straight out of school and I hated everything. My music was full of rage and the anger came out in the verses,” he added.
After the rage period, he took a break from music, grinding his way through college, where he did Information Technology related courses
He went to Tanzania, Dar es Salaam in 2001, on some hustling tip and ended up hookin up with Tanzania's strongest Hip Hop group called Kikosi Cha Mizinga (Kiswahili For The Cannon Battalion). With artistes like Kara Pina, Gwalu Fukuda, Suma Lago among others, Kimya found a new home.
“I am bigger in Tanzania than I am here at home. Even Jesus was not appreciated at home,” Kimya joked sometimes back.
Kimya On Stage
“From 2001 to 2006, I enjoyed my life in Tanzania. Apart from my music getting massive airplay and appreciation, my IT business was doing well,” he lights up.
“Professionals from Kenya are highly valued there and that is why I prospered.” Kimya continued.
In 2006, he had to come back to Kenya due to regulations on permits that were not favourable to him. With the government wanting non-citizens to pay work permits annually other than monthly, he relocated to Kenya.
“I came back with Ibra de Hustler and together with Vigeti, we did a song on a Musyoka beat, had it mastered at Andaki by Ambrose Mandugu and Punchline Kibao was born,” says Kimya, on the Kisima best hip-hop song 2006
Kimya was nominated in many awards and in 2006 he was the Kisima Award winner under the Best Hip Hop Song Category.
Soon after, he hooked up with Headbangaz International, where he was a producer, an artiste and shareholder.
“I am a shareholder on intellectual aspects,” he clarifies.
“We released street mixtapes and the idea was to bring random artistes, both known and unknown together.” he added.
Kimya With His Family
His involvement with Headbangaz led to self-examination, after he realised his own art was dying for the sake of others. In 2011, he released A Moment of Silence, his first solo album. Fresh featuring Abbas, Wordplay alongside Richie Rich and Get Money were the stand out hits from the album.
On his siblings, Kimya explains that he has not been able to record a song with Bamboo until recently due to a scheduling conflict.
Kimya With His Brother Bamboo
“Bamboo started before me and I never tried to fit into his shoes. Vicky is world class, a great performer, crazy ideas and the best singer I know. I am just a rapper,” said Kimya.
“Younger artistes are lucky they can afford to do music and have access to any studio they want. We were broke in our time and studios were expensive,” he added.
For him, artistes uniting to do shows and work together is his ultimate dream. Last year, he did a verse on One Of Dem challenge and posted it on his YouTube channel hoping to bless someone.
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What's that one song you love from Kimya?