Ukoo Flani’s Labalaa to launch TV music show
Ukoo Flani Mau Mau represented the golden age for underground hip hop in Kenya.
The raw sounds from Dandora Phase II captured the imagination of Nairobi with witty lines and gritty messages in their albums Kilio Cha Haki in 2004 and Dandora Burning in 2006.
It is from these beginnings that some of the most popular musicians today would emerge. They include Juliani, Wakamba Wawili, Mashifta and Wenyeji. Kalamashaka, who were part of the group, had tasted fame as far back as mid-90s.
One of the members Kelly Makau, popularly known as Labalaa, will soon hit the small screen with a show Punchlynz Kibao.
“I recently did a video but a producer at a TV station told me that it was too hardcore, he couldn’t play it. It’s a common complaint and so I thought; what can we do? That’s when the idea for Punchlynz Kibao was born.
We’ve already shot two episodes of the show which will feature a mix of artistes who’ve made it, like Abbas and Khaligraph and others who are upcoming. We want to put hip hop back out there,” he said.
The artiste who was one half of Wakamba Wawili has since gone solo and recently completed recording a new album, Siku Inakuja.