Rapper K-47 opens up about stealing from his parents and alleged beef with Octopizzo

K-47 walks over to the Pulse desk for the interview that he has been blowing up our phones over for some time now. He is sporting a mainstream colourful outlook with a pair of maroon khaki pants and a blue muscle T-shirt.

This is far from the street look that he had been sporting a couple of years ago, which included a pair of sneakers or Timberland boots, black baggy jeans with a matching heavy black leather jacket and a T-shirt, no matter the weather.

He is established now, so he says. His talk and point of view has changed as well. Industry name-dropping that had been about Abbas not long ago, has been replaced by mentions of the softer Elani and Sauti Sol.

He is also getting his songs pushed through to radio a little faster than he used to. He is now into production and video directing, which he is making money from.

His latest single, Fly, features Khaligraph, Kristoff and Rosso. The single has a party feel and a smooth chorus with its video scenes featuring curvaceous models in bikinis in true flashy style.

The video and single have considerable high rotation, pushing him high as it features the celebrated rapping duo – Khaligraph and Kristoff. He self-produced the track and co-featured his first signed artiste, Roso, from his Family Force Label on the track to sing the chorus as well as directing the video.

How he started his record label is an interesting story. The money used to start the label’s recording equipment was practically stolen from K-47’s parents.

Real name Kevin Kibanani, K-47 while in his second year at University of Nairobi doing his Bachelor of Commerce, re-directed a whole year’s fee of Sh200,000 to fund his music studio in South B.

“Secrets have a way of coming out at the end of the day. I sat down with them (parents) and told them about my studio and asked for their support despite my earlier transgressions,” says K-47.

He adds: “Things worked themselves out and now we have expanded and I have recorded the likes of Abass, Chiwawa, Khaligraph and Kristoff as well. If I had to go back, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Now all focus is on his recording label with his newly signed artistes Roso, who played a huge role in making the Fly single a hit with a harmonious chorus and Destiny who is a medical doctor fresh out of University of Nairobi’s medical school.

Recording labels in Kenya have been accused of not sticking to the contract and doing right by their signed artistes through funding, releasing and promoting their singles.

We push the question towards K-47 to find out if his recording label is more than just a bedroom studio.

“I have both a recording and marketing deal with my signed artistes. The first single to introduce Destiny will be a single featuring Kristoff, with the video to be shot in the coming days. Her album will follow soon after,” assures K-47.

But K-47 is not cool with everyone. Though he says he let it go awhile back, K-47 has some very strong opinions on Octopizzo.

“I just felt I needed to bring up the truth. He bites other rappers’ style and flow and never gives credit for it. It is a well-known fact that he bit most of our flows and even lines from WAPI and used it on his singles when he got commercial success,” says K-47.

K-47 started rapping in his years at Dagoretti High School. During one of the popular Insyder events, Abass and Chiwawa spotted him rapping and extended an invite for him to come by their studio when school closed.

He took up the opportunity and went on to rap on WAPI stages immediately after high school. Known as a rapper, he has tried to sing on some of his songs.

Even though he is enjoying considerable commercial success now, the Internet will forever remember some of his failed tracks including Call Me, in which he tried to sing.