NONINI SPEAKS ON BEING MISTAKEN FOR A WOMAN AND LIFE AS JEHOVAH’S WITNESS

Nonini is one of the most respected music legends in Kenya. He is one of the pioneers of Genge music but the vision they had for the genre, didn’t materialize. He spoke about how Genge was started and even clarified why he left Calif Records and the beef that ensued.

The Manzi wa Nairobi hitmaker also talked about why he doesn’t celebrate his birthdays due to his beliefs. “I was at Calif Records then. I wrote just one verse of Manzi wa Nairobi and then the chorus s the song had a part 1 and 2. Clemmo went to Egerton and came back with a fire beat. Clemmo’s sister actually sang the chorus for Manzi wa Nairobi.” Nonini states. 

When Nonini joined high school in Ukambani, it was a case of hilarious mistaken identity, “On my first day of school, guys assumed I was a girl. It was a mixed school so when we started moving in rows of girls and boys, the boys assumed I was going to the side of the girls because I was bit plump and I had shorts all the way past my knees. The boys were surprised when I went to their side.”

How did Genge come to life? Nonini points credits Clemmo for the genre, “Clemmo came up with Genge. We were just chilling in the living room and he told us about his plans for Kenyan music.

Initially, Kenyan music was called Local. When you tune in to radio stations and TV you’d hear, ‘here’s a local track, another local track is out’ so Genge was supposed to be the genre for Kenyan music, that was our vision.

Kenyan music was supposed to be identified as Genge the way Tanzanian music is Bongo. Unfortunately, Kenya has diverse styles, different genres so people didn’t take the name kindly, the name Genge was just for Calif Records producers and singers. But our vision with Genge was for the entire Kenyan music to be identified as Genge.”

Despite making hits and winning crowds, Nonini felt like he wasn’t being appreciated enough at Calif Records, “I left Calif because I had an issue with Clemmo. I like products, merchandise that makes me money. Clemmo told me he didn’t have time to make my album so he took me to Egerton University.

I was living in his dorm in Egerton. He’d go to class and leave me in the room, then he’d come back to mix the album. But it never materialized after waiting for such a while.”

He decided to move on, “One day I decided that me and Calif were not on the same wavelength. I talked to Clemmo as a brother and told him that I’m leaving to look for another producer and find a way to make products to make money and that was that.

But remember I met Clemmo and his friends at Calif so naturally, friends’ side with their friends. There wasn’t an issue but years later the media reports were that I left Calif because of my ego coz Manzi wa Nairobi was huge. The guys who knew the truth never said anything and they let the media smear my name.

Even during media interviews, no one was clarifying why I left and that’s where the issue started. But when I go for interviews, I’d state the reason I left but no one was backing me up. So, when people don’t speak up, I usually spoke my truth and sometimes it rubbed people off the wrong way and that was the beef. But we are now grown and I don’t have anything to tell Juacali but there’s no friendship at all.”

He plans on dropping a video from his upcoming album on his birthday October 2, however, he doesn’t celebrate birthdays, “I’m a Jehovah’s witness Christian. I don’t celebrate my birthdays but if you have a birthday I’ll come celebrate. Anyone else’s birthday, I don’t have an issue celebrating. But on my birthday I like giving my fans a gift instead of someone gifting me.”

Nonini was eager to talk about Gengetone but he stated, “I’ve been avoiding that topic for a minute. I like what those kids are doing with gengetone music. I can’t be irresponsible about my words and just say they’re not doing anything because for a kid who’s there writing songs and hitting a million views on YouTube, it means the world to him.

So, don’t blow out that candle or kill that fire. When we started with our provocative music back then, it was a strategy so that people listen to our music and pay attention to us. People were listening to other songs so we wanted them to listen to us then we gave them our message.

These kids are in a different generation which is good, they’re creating their own hype and they have their own message and language. They are where we were at but times have changed. There’s social media, there’s YouTube so now the dynamics are different.

Nigerian music was getting massive airplay in Kenya and these kids grew up listening to Juacali, Nameless, Nonini so they’re like how do we get in? I can’t get to Nonini, I might meet him someday, or I can’t get to Clemmo’s studio, so what do I do? The same strategy we used, back in their home in Kayole with the few equipment, they make their own music.

The mastering might not be great but the music is good and they’re doing it with the little they have. Their videos might not cost a million like Diamond’s videos but how many views are they getting? So they’re using what they have to be who they want to be. We can’t blow out that flame and we shouldn’t.

After Nigerian music came, these kids found their spot. So right now, are Kenyans listening to Kenyan music? Yes. Is the attention back to Kenyan music? Yes. The strategy has worked and you have people’s attention, now, show them who you are.”