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P-Unit
Frasha, Francis Amisi, was born in Machakos and raised pale Athi River. He met Boneye wakiwa primary school. So hiyo chemistry yao was built from way back.
Kabla tuendelee, do you guys know Frasha alikua beshte wa Wyre since stone age? I mean wakiwa watoi? Acha niwa-plug.
Wyre, Kevin Waire, grew up together with Frasha in Athi River. Hawa watoi walikua wanapenda mziki sana though Frasha ndiyo alikua anakaa mtu wa studio sana.
Walikua so much connected hadi kuna time huko 90s waliform a group of three kids wakaipea jina Undercover Brothers. Huyo kijana wa tatu alikua anaitwa Snoop. Ungewapata pale Florida Night Club wakiperform jam session.
Hii group haikulast sana. Ikabidi wameenda solo na hapo ndio Wyre aliingia fully kwa dancehall music. Frasha akapiga roundi hadi akakutana na Boni, Boneye. Remember Boneye pia ni wa Athi River so kuanzia hapo wakawa very close. At this time, Boneye ako Kajiado anapiga madrama akitour around schools, mafunkie.
Years down the line, Frasha ako campo anasoma kua Physiotherapist na Boneye ako Nairobi Film School. They actually had formed a duo (group) and named it BE'EF Brothers (BonEye En Frasha). Na ukumbuke hapa ni before they met Gabu to form a trio, P-Unit. By the way what if Wyre angekua one of the P-Unit members?
"..nikaenda KMTC Kenyatta, mother wa Gabu alikua anafanya hapo. Nikameet Gabu akicheza ball.." Frasha said to Dr Ofweneke.
And since nobody believed in them, even themselves, ilibidi wajipange tu vile watapambana na mziki. So after highschool, Buganya (Gabu) was given some cash na wazazi wake to attend school driving. But yeye kitu ilikua inam-drive ni mziki. So alichukua hizo fees, akapelekea Clemo, Calif Records, and that is how he made his first hit song Paulina, in 2004. Sijui aliambia nini wazazi hapo mabadae. But anyway, that's how Gabu was born. Najua hata wewe hapo kuna fees mahali ulitumia kwa vitu zako, right?
Nobody came up with the name P Unit. Walikua wanajulikana kama Frasha, Boni and Gabu. Then all of a sudden wakamake a song that was bigger than them. Remember the song? "Si lazima tuduu, tunaeza enda home na tuchill tuu, boo, si lazima tuduu..." The song was called Si Lazima.
Frasha recorded the idea on a phone with Boneye. Nonini alikam akaiskiza then akaandikia verse. Gabu came last to give it a touch with the bridge. The song is done, and it's out. Everyone is singing along. John Muchiri, a journalist from Pulse Magazine, comes visits Frasha's house for an interview about their new song and they're asked wanaitwa nani. Hapo ndiyo walijua they needed a name, but luckily Nonini was there. He had his company called Pro Habo Unit. Ilibidi aseme hiyo ndiyo jina yao. Muchiri alienda kuandika article on Pulse interview section, and found out that hiyo jina ilikua refu sana na alikua na limited words. So he had to shorten it to P Unit.
Boneye was still against the name because it looked more of G Unit. So grind iliendelea. Later on, they featured their friend Vera Sidika. They were friends with Vera akiwa bado hajaomoka, you guys term it as "kienyeji".
JUST FOR FUN:
P-Unit was a big name. Kuna time walienda show pale Tanzania and while they were heading to the airport, Diamond Platnumz approached them running. He wanted a collaboration. Unfortunately, P Unit denied him a chance. Reason being? They were on a tight schedule because walikua on an MTV Africa Tour. Hapa ndiyo mlisema time is money?
"We were big artists. Huh! Tunaenda Tanzania Diamond anatukimbiza hadi airport, to do a collabo.." Buganya said on Dr Ofweneke Tonight Show.
Remember when Willy Paul was denied a chance to perform before Diamond Platnumz at the Furaha Fest last December? Manager wa Diamond alisema the same thing. They are on a tight schedule. That's why they wanted Diamond to Perform first kisha aishie airport and fly for another event.
Let's get back to business. P Unit was the name in Africa. So they had their tour hadi Nigeria. Kwa hiyo tour walibeba Diamond to Lagos, don't ask me how, and that's how Diamond met Rick Ross. Wait a minute, sijui kama mnapata hii part. Au niRudie kama KenRazy?
"Ni kwasababu yetu Mondi alipanda ndege na MTV tukifanya Road To Mamas akaenda Lagos. Uzuri wake wakiwa na Salam pale, wako rada, sisi tukipiga sherehe wao wanaangalia biz." Boneye said while insisting that there was no beef between P-Unit and Diamond Platnumz as it was claimed.
There's a lot to talk about P Unit. We'll bring more stories about them soon. Wait a minute, before uende, just imagine they have been in the game for 20 years. Two decades manzee. Millennials najua mnamiss hizi moments. But msijali, coz you know what? Mko na plug. This 8th of February, P Unit watakua wanacelebrate their 20 years ya kua kwa music industry. Itafanyika hapo MassHouse, off Ngong Road, from 6pm till Late. See you there. By the way, Si Lazima Two Do Couples tickets ziko available on tokea.com
P Unit
Frasha, Francis Amisi, was born in Machakos and raised pale Athi River. He met Boneye wakiwa primary school. So hiyo chemistry yao was built from way back.
Kabla tuendelee, do you guys know Frasha alikua beshte wa Wyre since stone age? I mean wakiwa watoi? Acha niwa-plug.
Wyre, Kevin Waire, grew up together with Frasha in Athi River. Hawa watoi walikua wanapenda mziki sana though Frasha ndiyo alikua anakaa mtu wa studio sana.
Wyre
Walikua so much connected hadi kuna time huko 90s waliform a group of three kids wakaipea jina Undercover Brothers. Huyo kijana wa tatu alikua anaitwa Snoop. Ungewapata pale Florida Night Club wakiperform jam session.
Hii group haikulast sana. Ikabidi wameenda solo na hapo ndio Wyre aliingia fully kwa dancehall music. Frasha akapiga roundi hadi akakutana na Boni, Boneye. Remember Boneye pia ni wa Athi River so kuanzia hapo wakawa very close. At this time, Boneye ako Kajiado anapiga madrama akitour around schools, mafunkie.
Years down the line, Frasha ako campo anasoma kua Physiotherapist na Boneye ako Nairobi Film School. They actually had formed a duo (group) and named it BE'EF Brothers (BonEye En Frasha). Na ukumbuke hapa ni before they met Gabu to form a trio, P-Unit. By the way what if Wyre angekua one of the P-Unit members?
BE'EF
"..nikaenda KMTC Kenyatta, mother wa Gabu alikua anafanya hapo. Nikameet Gabu akicheza ball.." Frasha said to Dr Ofweneke.
And since nobody believed in them, even themselves, ilibidi wajipange tu vile watapambana na mziki. So after highschool, Buganya (Gabu) was given some cash na wazazi wake to attend school driving. But yeye kitu ilikua inam-drive ni mziki. So alichukua hizo fees, akapelekea Clemo, Calif Records, and that is how he made his first hit song Paulina, in 2004. Sijui aliambia nini wazazi hapo mabadae. But anyway, that's how Gabu was born. Najua hata wewe hapo kuna fees mahali ulitumia kwa vitu zako, right?
Gabu
Gabu, Buganya, alikua na group yake inaitwa Rhaptaz, with his friend Kapiss. Huyu same Gabu ndiyo wa kwanza kumake it kwa music industry through his song Paulina. Hii song ilifanya akajuana na Nonini, but the idea of P-Unit was not in the picture. Walianza kurecord kama tu collaboration.
Nobody came up with the name P Unit. Walikua wanajulikana kama Frasha, Boni and Gabu. Then all of a sudden wakamake a song that was bigger than them. Remember the song? "Si lazima tuduu, tunaeza enda home na tuchill tuu, boo, si lazima tuduu..." The song was called Si Lazima.
Frasha recorded the idea on a phone with Boneye. Nonini alikam akaiskiza then akaandikia verse. Gabu came last to give it a touch with the bridge. The song is done, and it's out. Everyone is singing along. John Muchiri, a journalist from Pulse Magazine, comes visits Frasha's house for an interview about their new song and they're asked wanaitwa nani. Hapo ndiyo walijua they needed a name, but luckily Nonini was there. He had his company called Pro Habo Unit. Ilibidi aseme hiyo ndiyo jina yao. Muchiri alienda kuandika article on Pulse interview section, and found out that hiyo jina ilikua refu sana na alikua na limited words. So he had to shorten it to P Unit.
P Unit
Boneye was still against the name because it looked more of G Unit. So grind iliendelea. Later on, they featured their friend Vera Sidika. They were friends with Vera akiwa bado hajaomoka, you guys term it as "kienyeji".
JUST FOR FUN:
- Gabu alikua akitumwa chipo huko Calif Records anytime he appeared and asked for a collabo from Nonini or Juacali!
- He recorded his song pale Calif Records and it was delayed for a year without release.
- Gabu was called for a show in Mombasa. He borrowed Ksh 5,000 just to go get paid Ksh 1,500.
- P Unit confirms that if Jua Cali perfoms to a crowd before you, show yako ingeishia hapo. Followed by Nameless, Avril and Amani.
- P Unit says they once faced the wrath of Dj Pinye because kuna walimpelekea track yao "Mobimba" na Pinye akairusha akisema wamecopy Daddy Owen.
- P Unit walikua vijana wa Nonini and they were paid Ksh 5,000 each. One day Nonini falls on stage and P Unit laughed. At the end of the day they were deducted a thousand shillings each.
- Frasha was the late comer kufika session ya recording. (He claims yeye ni mnoma, writing and recording ni one touch despite Gabu and Boneye).
- Boneye loves make ups. He has the sexiest eyes among the trio.
- Boneye and Frasha were once Nonini's dancers.
- Boneye worked as a Nonini's backup artist.
- Frasha says, poverty motivated him.
P-Unit was a big name. Kuna time walienda show pale Tanzania and while they were heading to the airport, Diamond Platnumz approached them running. He wanted a collaboration. Unfortunately, P Unit denied him a chance. Reason being? They were on a tight schedule because walikua on an MTV Africa Tour. Hapa ndiyo mlisema time is money?
"We were big artists. Huh! Tunaenda Tanzania Diamond anatukimbiza hadi airport, to do a collabo.." Buganya said on Dr Ofweneke Tonight Show.
Remember when Willy Paul was denied a chance to perform before Diamond Platnumz at the Furaha Fest last December? Manager wa Diamond alisema the same thing. They are on a tight schedule. That's why they wanted Diamond to Perform first kisha aishie airport and fly for another event.
Let's get back to business. P Unit was the name in Africa. So they had their tour hadi Nigeria. Kwa hiyo tour walibeba Diamond to Lagos, don't ask me how, and that's how Diamond met Rick Ross. Wait a minute, sijui kama mnapata hii part. Au niRudie kama KenRazy?
"Ni kwasababu yetu Mondi alipanda ndege na MTV tukifanya Road To Mamas akaenda Lagos. Uzuri wake wakiwa na Salam pale, wako rada, sisi tukipiga sherehe wao wanaangalia biz." Boneye said while insisting that there was no beef between P-Unit and Diamond Platnumz as it was claimed.
There's a lot to talk about P Unit. We'll bring more stories about them soon. Wait a minute, before uende, just imagine they have been in the game for 20 years. Two decades manzee. Millennials najua mnamiss hizi moments. But msijali, coz you know what? Mko na plug. This 8th of February, P Unit watakua wanacelebrate their 20 years ya kua kwa music industry. Itafanyika hapo MassHouse, off Ngong Road, from 6pm till Late. See you there. By the way, Si Lazima Two Do Couples tickets ziko available on tokea.com
