No musician ventures into the music industry to be a one-hit wonder. They want to maximize on the available opportunities and hopefully sustain their longevity.
However, after releasing their first single hits, some become wholly consumed by the fame and popularity that follows their artistic work and end up never stepping into the spotlight again. From ‘Tokelezea’ by Chantelle to Czars’ ‘Amka Ukatike’, we revisit some of the classic jams that rocked the +254 airwaves. Some of these musicians may have been one-hit wonders but their contribution to the music industry left many Kenyans, not just singing along to their popular hits, but also fully appreciate the anthems they created.
Gidi Gidi Maji Maji: Unbwogable
Released in 2002 under A’ mish Records, this hit traversed the +254 airwaves as quickly as it had been launched, breaking records as the most played pop song. The two lads did a superb craft that the song ended up playing in one of the biggest political movements in 2002 when former president Kibaki took over power.
‘Unbwogable’ which literally means something that cannot be defeated or stopped topped the charts within East Africa and is still a song worth listening to until this day.
Czars: Amka Ukatike
Hailing from Mombasa, Czars took the industry by storm, pushing his way into the music scene, at a very young age with the hit ‘Amka Ukatike’. And his grand entrance was highly welcomed by radio stations which quickly to put his song on the top daily countdowns. He recorded it while in high school and would later become a sing-along track. However, he quickly fizzled out towards the end of 2006 and has never showed up again.
Circuit and Joel: Juala (Manyake)
These two are a perfect example of instant fame. Armed with a message of sensitizing the youth against HIV/AIDS, ‘Juala’ became a popular anthem in the country due to the message it carried along. The song was previously named ‘Juala’ but due to the massive clout it got, fans renamed it ‘Manyake’. The duo would later attribute their sudden downfall to fame and money.
Chantelle: Tokelezea
After high school, this chic hooked up with mogul lyricist Abbas and later ‘Tokelezea’ was born. Chantelle was a promising rapper but that dream never came to be. However, she went quiet for 5 years after coupling up with videographer J Blessing.
Q-Tac: Narudi Ocha
It was a funny and informative song that died down as fast as the singer’s raising star fell. He may have gone back upcountry as the title suggests. Q-Tac vanished immediately and the subsequent projects he had planned for never took off.
Boomba Clan: Chonga Viazi
‘Chonga Viazi’ was a creative song. And the hip-hop group made it a popular urban phrase. Released at Calif Records in 2008, the song gained much popularity placing the Clan in top hip-hop charts. However, their consequent releases fizzled out, never reaching the heights of their past records.
