FROM THE BAR TO THE STUDIO: MEET GABIRO, A FAST RISING KENYAN RAPPER

The Kenyan Music industry has for a long time been dominated by the same old acts most of whom have still stuck with their ancient style of music despite the industry undergoing drastic changes not just locally but internationally too. New musical acts have found it difficult to make it to the mainstream media as the same old cartels have still held the industry at ransom.

One young rapper from kisumu by the name Gabiro has overcome most of these challenges in a bid to try and be at par with the industry greats. The young rapper has not only have to deal with the musical and technical aspects of the industry, he has also had to deal with personal challenges such a drug abuse.

Gabiro has established himself as one of the true “positive leaders and motivational musicians” of Kenya.  His incredible upbeat attitude and positive energy combine to make him one of the most sought after performers in the business today.

He is steadily building a reputation for Kisumu’s best lyricist, and but also shares his personal struggles through his art. From working as a matatu tout to battling drug abuse, Gabiro’s ability to tell stories separates him from rap music ‘status quo’.

“Hip-hop inspired me to persevere. Persevere and self-educate myself. When I was going through it, the thing that held me down was an old computer at my uncle’s place that I stored thousands of downloaded beats. That’s why I’m so loyal to the cause and loyal to the culture. I feel like I owe it to Hip-hop to do the best I can” – Gabiro

To date Gabiro has performed and toured along several renowned artists including SautiSol during “Made In Kisumu”, as well as shows like “2jinyce Concert” which holds sentimental value to Gabiro being that he is a Kisumu City native. His show that meant a lot was when he opened for Diamond Platnumz in 2016.

Working as an unsigned artist seem not to slow the young rapper as he continues to release new music accompanied with great visuals if his latest song ‘Chini Ya Maji’ is anything to by.

Chini Ya Maji is a Swahili phrase that literally means under the water, whereas he uses the phrase to highlight on the kind of relationship he would like to have. The eclectic urban groove, sweet melody and well-crafted arrangement of Chini Ya Maji  allows him to portray both his sides of being a rapper and a singer in one track hence the ease for him to shine on it all through.

 “I fell deeply in love once with someone who was not ready to see our love go beyond the bedroom. We could meet secretly and do everything ‘under calm waters’ with the excuse that she is a public figure and worse enough she does not want anybody to know about our personal life not even close friends and family,” said Gabiro

He continued, “Then there’s the part of always responding to relationship questions with an I am single answer that could always drive me nuts and sometimes feel like I want to call it quits coz I was not being recognized. I felt like I was being used and that I meant nothing to her life after all but luckily enough I am glad I chose my path and went my separate way.”

Watch Chini Ya Maji Video below.

 

 In addition, “Chini Ya Maji is about being able to know what really matters in a relationship, for me it has been about knowing what I really want in a relationship. The song seeks to inspire young people to avoid being in unhealthy relationships.

 This song was recorded in Kisumu and mixed and mastered to the highest international standards. The video was also shot at Wigot gardens in Kisumu and was directed by award winning Kenyan video director Crizo Mzeyah.

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