Many in Nairobi and beyond consider Dandora, or ‘D’, to be a place where man, birds and dogs scavenge for food for the bare fact that it hosts Kenya’s largest dumpsite. However, a gem, deep inside the informal settlement, has helped shape the music scene not only in Kenya but the greater East African region. Mau Mau Camp uses the influences of Hip Hop music to resist, contest and mobilize those that relate to the music to instigate for change.
A major influence in the group is Julius
Owino. He grew up as part of a large family, with five brothers and one sister
in the heart of Dandora. The third born, whose family traces its roots in Siaya
County, is a household name, but few people know his real name.
His stage name, Juliani, resonates
with both the youth and the old in equal measure. Prior to taking on music,
Juliani attended Wangu Primary and Dandora High schools, at that time, already deeply
interested in music. While in form two, for instance, he was already a member
of Mau Mau Camp, performing at
Florida Club alongside Kalamashaka, the pioneer Hip Hop group in East Africa.
At first, his parents did not like
his idea of making music, but perhaps because of the thought-provoking music
Juliani and Co sent out, they would have no choice but embrace it later.
He looks up to his dad tops for
ensuring he went through school amid a myriad of struggles. Other mentors in
his long list include Boniface Mwangi, Bob Collymore and Gilad Millo.
Juliani’s star started to dazzle brighter when UK-based Gatwitch record label signed him. This culminated in his first
solo album, ‘Mtaa Mentality’, which
he released in 2008. Mtaa Mentality scooped
the Groove Awards Hip Hop Song of the Year award.
From the devastating effects of
the bungled elections and subsequent violence that rocked Kenya in early 2008
saw Juliani and other Kenyan artistes hit the studios for the ‘Wakenya Pamoja’
single.
Juliani’s Kind of Salvation
Juliani started off with secular
music. Due to peer influence, he says, they used to smoke bhang believing it
would help them compose better music. However, in 2005, he got saved. At that
time, he had no money at all, but what he was to become after that only helped
his star rise.
Juliani says, ‘My songs are like parables; they do not
address God’s issues directly.’ He believes that his faith and things that
happen around him are the main sources of inspiration. That way, through them,
he explores the questions why Kenyans are poor, why we face these problems, as
well why a significant number of young people remain unemployed.
Through his social conscious
music, he won two awards in 2009 after releasing the Biceps single, which was part of the Mtaa Mentality album. In
the 2011 Kisima Awards, he scooped a total of 4 awards for the Best Production,
Hip Hop Song of the Year and Kes.1million in cash.
Juliani and social causes
The artist has stood true to
socially conscious music. In 2009, he represented Kenya at the UN Climate
Change Conference in Copenhagen. In addition to that, he was part of the World Vision Peace Tour, Vina Na Maana (a
campaign against Economic Partnership Agreements), Stand Up Against Poverty (UN Millennium Campaign For MDG's).
Most notable is his association
with South Sudanese international Hip Hop act Emmanuel Jal and the 'Lose 2 Win' Campaign. Here, he
committed himself to sending a share of every record sale to a school building
project in South Sudan. Another feather in his cap was as a facilitator at the
NCA conscious music workshop. All this while, he maintained support for Sarakasi Trust’s WAPI (Words &
Pictures) monthly initiative.
Environmental activism
In 2011, Juliani headed the ‘We Have Faith’ Road to Durban Climate
Change Caravan as the initiative's ambassador. The caravan covered six
African countries, and with it, the message of environmental awareness. The
tour was never devoid of electrifying live shows. The success of it was in mobilising
a million signatures to petition the pan-African Climate Change pledge. The
Caravan tour came to a memorable end in Durban, South Africa. Juliani performed
to an audience in their thousands, in front of Desmond Tutu and other high
profile leaders, at the historic Kings Park stadium.
With his commitment to the environment, Juliani
made it a mission to plant trees pretty much everywhere he went. Even today as
a Kenya Climate Change ambassador, he is planting thousands of trees. In
addition, he has visited schools all around Kenya working with the youth to
remind them of their responsibility towards Mother Nature.
Active Agent of Social Change
Beyond music, Juliani's social
awareness programmes continue to inspire all and sundry. 'KAMA SI SISI' came into being in early 2011 as an attitude change
campaign targeting, empowering and enlightening the Kenyan youth to be
responsible and accountable to themselves and their community. The call to
action was to encourage the youth to positively improve their surroundings.
By virtue of encouraging the youth
to take care of themselves and others, KAMA SI SISI successfully operated a
crucial 'change' vehicle. It also created and utilized key messaging for social
development. Some of the aspects it centered on included encouraging wise
investment, governance and leadership as well as climate change. This critical,
relevant, and inspiring information is disseminated through musically charged
university tours across Kenya, as well as a number of 'Music Summits' headlined
and facilitated by none other than Juliani himself.
The
‘Kenyans 4 Kenya’ campaign in 2011, was a rallying call for patriotic
responsibility to care of each other. In addition, Juliani initiated the "Celebrity Waiter Challenge" under
the "Kama Si Sisi" school of thought. He managed to bring into the
fray other Kenyan stars to serve members of the public in the popular Nairobi
restaurant, Kosewe. In 3 hours, on a busy Monday afternoon, Kenyan celebrated
names: Jeff Koinange, Nameless, Nonini, Wahu, Daddy Owen, John Alan Namu,
Valerie Kimani, Avril, BMF, Neema, Marcus Olang, Pierra Makena, Juliani and
more raised a total of Ksh.135, 000.
Freedom and access to information
in Kenya
As part of the need to promote citizen’s freedom
and access to information as stipulated in the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Juliani
worked with ICJ through the Freedom of
Information Bill. To date, parliament is yet to formulate a law to allow
information to trickle down from the government. For instance, there is a need
for information sharing when it comes to money spent on government projects for
accountability purposes.
Juliani the Star Ambassador
In September 2012 the National
Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) picked individuals across Kenya as good-will Ambassadors for Peace. They
selected Juliani to be amongst other distinguished Kenyans of integrity.
He represented the music and arts scene.
Juliani became the Umoja Cultural Flying Carpet patron in
Kenya in 2013. This is a collaborative development program that involves 11
cultural institutions from four countries: Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa
and Norway in the Carpet "South". Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda
and Norway are the Carpet "East". The program works for peace and
social development through international cultural collaboration and brings
young artists together for cultural camps.
Here, Juliani had the pleasure of
working with peers such as Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe, Karola Kinasha, Miriam
Makeba, Ray Phiri, the late Malanga Tata and Eric Wainaina among others.
As
Amiran Kenya’s Poverty Eradication ambassador for farming in 2014, Juliani’s intention again
focuses on the youth, educating them about the importance of going back to
farming. Through his music, the rallying call is more than just creating
employment, but also installing a value system in Kenya.
He also runs a project intended to
help young and upcoming musicians — School
of Rhyme. Through this, he organises shows in and outside the country. The
main aim is to expose youngsters to the financial benefits of engaging in
modern agribusiness.
Juliani is also a ONE Campaign Agriculture Ambassador – This
came as a result of his success in sensitizing the youth to take up farming. The
slogan for this project is 'Do Agric, it
Pays'. The kick-off event was in Addis Ababa on 29th January 2014 with
campaign champion, Benin’s President Yayi Boni in attendance. Amongst those in
attendance were civil society partners who included the Pan African Farmers
Association (PAFO), ActionAid International, Accord International, Oxfam and
the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
Juliani Music and Peers
Describing
Juliani’s Music Eric Wainaina says it possesses an, “Unmatched socio-political intelligence,
beautifully tempered in spirituality.” He goes on, “Juliani comes correct with
an infectious message of religious, social and political emancipation, fresh
and relevant in today's society.”
Juliani Music Themes;
Ø Music business
Ø Entrepreneurship
Ø Activism
Ø Social work
Ø Rooted and issue based lyrics
Shortly after the 2013 General Elections in
Kenya, Juliani released the extremely popular and provocative Utawala single. Every time the song is
played everywhere, it is a common occurrence to see Kenyans of all walks of
life nod their heads and sing along to the lyrics, and if you looked keenly,
some actually shed tears.
Juliani has lately featured in the ‘Fuata Sheria’ single by
new entrants into activist music; Sarabi Band. ‘Fuata Sheria’s, release came on
the eve of 11th December 2013 Jamhuri Day celebrations. Fuata Sheria is about
the state of Kenya’s politics. In its highlights is the failure of Kenyans to take
responsibility for their contribution to a corrupt status quo. The song calls
on Kenyans to respect and judge, not just the political leaders, but themselves
as well. It calls upon them to ‘fuata sheria’ (to respect the rule of law). It
calls upon Wananchi to account for the habit of giving bribes as a convenient
way to subvert the law. The inspiration to write the song came after Boniface Mwangi shared a list of
scandals that have dogged Kenya in the last 50 years with George Nderitu, the
Sarabi Band Manager.
A consistent issue came out in that list of scandals. There was always a government-appointed
commission of inquiry; some of these included the maize scandal, missing free
primary education money, the Kazi kwa Vijana scandal, Anglo-Leasing,
Goldenberg, numerous assassinations and other unresolved issues of national
importance.
Themes
Ø Leadership and Integrity
Ø Social Change
Ø Citizen participation and
responsibility
Ø Scandals in Kenya
Ø Youth Empowerment
Ø Climate Change and Environment
Ø Religion
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