Let’s take a trip down memory lane to a time when Kenyan Hip-hop was on another level. When you talk about Kenyan hip-hop, the first artists to come to mind are the likes of E-sir, Abbas, Necessary Noize, Jua Cali, and Ukoo Flani. Additionally, there are some new school artists who can’t go unrecognized, like Octopizzo, Muthoni Drummerqueen, Khaligraph Jones, Camp Mulla, and others. Their music has had such a massive impact that, no matter which era you came from, you’ll still like it. These are some of the legendary Kenyan hip-hop songs we’ll never forget.
- Kenyan Girl, Kenyan Boy by Necessary Noize
This song had everyone jamming regardless of where you are. If you heard this song, you dropped everything you were doing and started dancing. For the dance style, that’s a story for another day. The legendary duo of Nazizi and Wyre gave us a magical era of Kenyan hip-hop, and for that, we owe them the top spot on this list.
- Leo Ni Leo by E-Sir
E-Sir had more hit songs than any Kenyan hip-hop artist to this day. That’s why we all have varying opinions on which was his best song. However, if we’re honest, E-Sir couldn’t make a bad song even if he tried. We might wonder what hip-hop would sound like if he was still alive, but at least we know what it sounded like when he was alive. This one was just one of many.
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- Chapaa by Abbas Kubaff
We can agree to disagree on this one, but it was a banger back in the day. And it’s something you can still listen to today and not seem old. Abbas has always been on the trend and knew how to incorporate his rap style to any beat. Plus, only a legend can name himself “Kubaff” and still get people to listen to him.
- Wenyeji by Ukoo Flani
This was Kenyan hip-hop at its highest moment. It represented the struggle of being from the hood. However, it didn’t matter whether you were from the hood or the suburbs when you heard this song; you bopped your head, regardless. The beats, the bars, it was, and still is one of the finest Kenyan hip-hop songs.
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- Hold It Down by Camp Mulla
The original cool kids of Kenya might be all grown now, but they’re still working on their music, and we can only hope for a joint project. At least, we still stand a chance of hearing new music from this iconic group. For now, we can bump into this classic Kenyan hip-hop song.
