Hubert Nakitare, better known as
Nonini is one of Kenya’s most famous Urban Music Artistes. He is the
Godfather of Genge (Mass Music), and the one artiste who brought to life
one of Kenya’s biggest and most influential recording studios (Calif
Records), Nonini has been in the industry for 10 years now signed to
Decimal Records.
He released his first album
‘Hanyaring Game’ in 2005, followed up by his second album’ Mwisho ya
Mawazo’ (Swahili for ‘End of Thoughts’) in 2007. This album was, like
the album title suggests, a clearer testament on the life of Nonini and
his musical career, his trials and tribulations, etc.
Whenever Nonini puts out an album
it always causes ripples in the Kenyan Music Industry in terms of
content, professionalism and basically how he re-invents his Image with
every album Theme. He is back again with his 3rd album called the
Godfather of Genge.
This album truly positions him as one of the greatest Urban Music Artiste Kenya has seen thus far.
2009 has been a huge year for the
Godfather in terms of his growth and passion to take his music style
genge to that international platform.
1. He was awarded (INTERNATIONAL LIFE STYLE AMBASSADOR) by Limkokwing University.
This award has also been granted
to distinguished VIP’s such as Mel Gibson, Bruce Davey, Miss England
2008, Miss India 2006, Eric Way (Sex and the City), Miss Botswana, HE
Prince Andrew, HE Festus Moghae (President Of Botswana), Prime Minister
of Malaysia. The award is in line with the University’s of building the
skills of their young citizens, particularly in the area of new
technology, of Sound and Music, Film and Television and other creative
courses.
2. He graced 2009 MTV AFRICA
VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS (MAMAZ) by giving out the award of best Hip Hop
together with HHP from South Africa.
3. Most of His music soundtracks were used by MTV Staying Alive for the HIV AWARENESS Mini-Series SHUGA.
4. His Video Production House Pro
Habo has proved to be the best in Kenya in terms of Script Writing and
Quality. (Kadhaa was the Best Video 2009)!
5. He was voted one of the best
dressed Males 2009 by the Nairobi Star magazine alongside other
dignitaries like Raila Odinga, Churchill, Shaffie Weru etc
Hubert Nakitare, better known
as Nonini is one of Kenya’s most famous Urban Music Artistes. He is the
Godfather of Genge (Mass Music), and the one artiste who brought to life
one of Kenya’s biggest and most influential recording studios (Calif
Records), Nonini has been in the industry for 10 years now signed to
Decimal Records.
He released his first album
‘Hanyaring Game’ in 2005, followed up by his second album’ Mwisho ya
Mawazo’ (Swahili for ‘End of Thoughts’) in 2007. This album was, like
the album title suggests, a clearer testament on the life of Nonini and
his musical career, his trials and tribulations, etc.
Whenever Nonini puts out an album
it always causes ripples in the Kenyan Music Industry in terms of
content, professionalism and basically how he re-invents his Image with
every album Theme. He is back again with his 3rd album called the
Godfather of Genge.
This album truly positions him as one of the greatest Urban Music Artiste Kenya has seen thus far.
2009 has been a huge year for the
Godfather in terms of his growth and passion to take his music style
genge to that international platform.
1. He was awarded (INTERNATIONAL LIFE STYLE AMBASSADOR) by Limkokwing University.
This award has also been granted
to distinguished VIP’s such as Mel Gibson, Bruce Davey, Miss England
2008, Miss India 2006, Eric Way (Sex and the City), Miss Botswana, HE
Prince Andrew, HE Festus Moghae (President Of Botswana), Prime Minister
of Malaysia. The award is in line with the University’s of building the
skills of their young citizens, particularly in the area of new
technology, of Sound and Music, Film and Television and other creative
courses.
2. He graced 2009 MTV AFRICA
VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS (MAMAZ) by giving out the award of best Hip Hop
together with HHP from South Africa.
3. Most of His music soundtracks were used by MTV Staying Alive for the HIV AWARENESS Mini-Series SHUGA.
4. His Video Production House Pro
Habo has proved to be the best in Kenya in terms of Script Writing and
Quality. (Kadhaa was the Best Video 2009)!
5. He was voted one of the best
dressed Males 2009 by the Nairobi Star magazine alongside other
dignitaries like Raila Odinga, Churchill, Shaffie Weru etc
Other Nonini’s award accolades include;
- Best Male Artiste of the Year (2004) at Chaguo la Teeniez Awards
- Collaboration of the Year for ‘Si Lazima’ (2007) Chaguo la Teeniez Awards
- Group of the Year for ‘P-Unit’ (2007) Chaguo la Teeniez Awards
- Song of the Year for ‘Si Lazima’ (2007) Chaguo la Teeniez Awards
- Best Group (Punit) 2007 Kisima Awards
- Best Group (Punit) 2008 Chaguo La Teeniez Awards.
- Most sizzling Video 2008 Chaguo La Teeniez Awards.
- Chaguo La Teeniez is simply ‘Teens Choice Awards’
- Nonini once endorsed a Motorola V550 phone during a Safaricom promotion through their (Safaricom) dealer Com21 Ltd.
- Nonini was once a celebrity breakfast presenter on the youth-oriented FM station Y FM, now Hot 96.
NONINI – THE ARTISTE
Born Hubert Nakitare in October
1982 in Nairobi’s California Estate in Eastlands, the young Nonini
caught the ‘freestyling’ bug in 1999 like many other of his peers when
Urban Kenyan Music was kicking in. A friend and fellow MC (T.I.T.O.)
introduced him to Clement Rapudo and Paul Nunda, better known as Clemo
(the producer) and Juacali (the artiste) and together they began the
‘Genge (Mass Music) Revolution’.
Like many other MC’s in the
industry, Nonini represents Genge! Genge is a Swahili word meaning
‘masses’ thus his music is basically ‘Music for the Masses’. His music
uses a raw format of slanguistic Swahili known as sheng which is quite
understood in the Kenyan streets. Nonini is instrumental in the
articulation of a subculture that is not openly spoken about in the past
Entrepreneurship has always been
in Nonini’s blood. He owns a clothing line called Nonini Wear and a
Video Production Agency called Pro Habo.
Nonini is currently a free lance
artiste, recording music in the different production houses and
recording studios as he feels fit for any particular song he does. He
released his first album in 2005, and is now ready with his second
album. His musical journey follows…
NONINI IN-DEPTH
Hubert Nakitare, more popularly
known as Nonini is undeniably one of Kenya’s most successful, prominent
and most importantly, INFLUENTIAL solo urban artistes in the Kenyan
Music Industry at this very moment.
His influence is quite obvious,
what with the elicited responses and discussions that stem from every
time he releases any song / video to the public. He has always been, and
will most likely continue to be a controversial figure in Kenya’s Urban
Music Industry. The reactions of his fans and all alike make for quite a
considerable amount of ‘talk’, and this ranges almost across the age
bracket. His strongest and ardent fans seem to range from 14 – 30 years,
with an obvious spill-over both ways. Interestingly enough, quite a
majority of his fans are female, and this could be due to the fact that
as bold as he is, he touches them somewhere deep down REALISTICALLY.
Talk among his peers and
especially some ‘industry insiders and heavyweights’ reveal that one of
the strong reasons for Nonini being a top notch artiste is the realness
in him. A critical look at his peers in the industry reveals that while
most of them (his peers) struggle to portray an image of ‘hardcore, hard
life’, etc, they seem ‘plastic’. Nonini was rated as the one Kenyan
artiste who invokes his lifestyle and that of his friends and neighbors
through his music. There is no exaggeration about him. It’s all REAL;
his language, his behavior, his lyrics, his ordeals, etc. It all comes
from his heart.
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