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Who is Brima?
I am a rapper, lyricist and wordsmith who blends raw street narratives with therapeutic music designed to uplift the listener. I am a founder member of Maovete, a hip-hop duo celebrated for conscious music. In a nutshell, I am rooted in the hip-hop culture, with a deep love for the art of storytelling.
You have released your solo project ‘Shamba la Mawe’, what is the inspiration behind this album?
This is a hip-hop album about city life and a search of hope in the struggle. The album cover has an amazing city skyline. It is inspired by what goes on in Nairobi city, both what I have observed and what I’ve been lucky or unlucky enough to experience. I try to capture it as a story teller and the goal is striving to be constructive, and finding strength to continue building from the ground up. (The album) is carefully crafted to sound raw and hardcore. I truly appreciate how it was produced by EMN Beats at Hidden Vibes studio and the wonderful features that include; Yong Dana, Mc Kah, Kitu Sewer, P-tah, Nem R, Plate Mdaijasho and Bad Ngundo. I am grateful and happy to keep building.
Why did you go solo for this album?
I think it was just time for me to explore. My first album Happy Hour Buffet, I did solo but shortly after we started Maovete and released Kiswahealing. Therefore, I have never gotten the chance to fully explore the solo artist side of me. That’s why I decided to step out on my own and tell my own story as a solo artiste and express my truth, my journey, and my voice. I wanted to showcase who I am as an individual even though I’m currently in two hip-hop groups namely Maovete and Sauti Zetu.
What do you feel sets this project apart?
This collaboration is about unity and the voice of the people, so we merged perspectives from Nairobi and Mombasa. Our first EP was ideated during campaign and election period so it is full of political hip hop music. It’s raw and has got a deep message inspired by and written for the truth seekers, the hopeful fighters, the resilient dreamers and those who never give up.
In what ways do you think you’ve grown as an artiste since your last project?
I’ve grown in terms of confidence, vulnerability, and my ability to experiment with different sounds. I’ve also learned to trust my instincts more, to push boundaries, and to be unapologetic in the message I’m delivering.
What’s the message behind the track Rudi Kundini, which you have featured Plate Mdaijasho, Bad Ngundo and Kitu Sewer?
This track is about going back to the roots, re-grouping and reconnecting with where you came from. Basically it’s about going back to the basics and understanding the value of what you’re doing and re-discover the purpose. It was also a joke on myself after doing a solo album, telling myself that I have to go back to working in a group.
How do you decide which songs make it into the album?
Most of the songs we did made it to the album, I hate leaving out songs. However, what happens sometimes is that songs get moved to the next album. Fitting the theme is the most important thing and ensuring the song is part of the journey in the story we are trying to tell. Also, there’s creative satisfaction and once you reach the goal of what the project is envisioned to be about, I go with just those songs and the rest have to be moved to the next project.
How has your personal life or experiences influenced this album?
Working on Kiswahealing 2 led to this because the final track titled “Amka Kumekucha” speaks about “hata wewe ndugu yangu twende shamba”. That automatically builds into “Shamba La Mawe” because we’re going to the “Shamba” but we know we have to put in more work and beware of fraudulent transactions. So that’s one direct influence.
What challenges did you face while creating this album, and how did you overcome them?
The beats on this album have no samples and as a hip-hop head that’s a challenge. EMN encouraged me to ‘drop some bars’ on the loops and the creative process appeared to be relatively smooth. The only other challenge was because the studio is in Athi River so the commuting can be a little hectic. Overcoming this just required some discipline and being around someone who understands the vision and was willing to support me.
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