In Conversation with Jodye Faneto

Jodye Faneto, a rising rap sensation hailing from Kenya, has carved his niche in the music scene with a dynamic discography encompassing both solo and collaborative ventures. Renowned for hits like “Postman Pat,” “Tembea na Kidungi,” “Damu,” “Grim Reaper,” and “Bosses,” Faneto captivates audiences with his clever wordplay, skilful punchlines, and an innate confidence mostly seen in the greats that resonates through his music. His magnetic character can’t help but shine through in this interview, offering a glimpse into the authenticity and passion that define his artistic journey.

What inspired you to start rapping?

I was and I still am a big rap fan, so it was my love for the art. I was around 13 or 14 when I started rapping, I would do it for my homies and my classmates.

Who are your musical influences?

Biggie of course, Ice Cube, locally I would say Prezzo and my homies.

What is your creative process when it comes to making a track?

It depends on whether it’s an album track because in that instance, there is a theme to follow. However, if it’s a single or mixtape track, I just go with the vibe or feeling I have in the moment. I could rap about something I did earlier in the day if I have a studio session later. I’m primarily a writer, I can freestyle, but I prefer writing because the bars and punchlines I use are not something that you can freestyle off the top of your head, they’re very coded.

You’re pitching to a major record label executive, and they tell you they will only listen to one song. What are you playing?

Eh. I feel like I put my all into every project, so I’ll just open my Spotify page and click on shuffle.

How do you navigate staying authentic to your sound and adapting to trends especially because you can always hear Jodye Faneto’s element in his songs?

I’m looking for a cult following if I’m being honest so I can’t afford to fall into the trap of following trends and losing my core fanbase, so my main priority is being myself. If you hear something I’m on and it sounds trendy, then I’m probably the one who set it.

Describe your sound.

I’m a rap artist. I think calling myself that makes me able to blend into any sound and be versatile while remaining a rapper.

Who’s your dream collaboration dead or alive?

Biggie of course and Kanye West

Favourite Biggie song?

Party and Bullshit.

Why Kanye?

He doesn’t fully express what I’m trying to portray but I love his music and he was a major part of why I started rapping.

Do you prefer to rap about your experiences or preach a message you want to get across instead?

It started as just playing with words which evolved into telling stories and now the next thing on my mind is evolving into motivating and advising kind of, along the way I want to give the younger rappers what we were given but overall, I just want to rap about what I feel tu. If I’m feeling hype, sad, I just let it out.

What would you consider the biggest challenge in the rap scene?

Streaming royalties are so fucked up that it might be time for artists to go back to selling their tracks old school style, the returns do not make sense.

Is there anything that you’ve faced that has made you question your career?

The way we started, the steps, goals, and milestones we placed for ourselves and plan we had in mind, I think we’re moving forward nicely so no.

How do you handle criticism and how does it influence you as an artist?

It depends. If it’s constructive criticism, we take it, contemplate and see how to improve but if it’s someone being stupid and on their hater shit, we let it go because I’m confident in my capabilities and no one can change that.

How did your name come about?

I started out as Jodye Finesse but a lot of people at the time were using the word finesse, so I decided to switch to Faneto because it essentially means the same thing.

Sounds cooler too.

Describe your music in 3 words.

Energetic, Authentic, Intimidating.

You tweeted about hopping on a Lingala beat, would you?

Haha. I wouldn’t mind. I don’t think that there’s a beat that would be impossible for me to handle.

Do you ever feel pressure from your own expectations of where you want your career to go?

No. My team and I are on the right track with all the timelines we have established. It’s a step-by-step process and I’m happy with how we’re doing so there’s no need to worry.

Which movie would your latest album ‘Bigger Than Biggie’ be soundtrack to?

The Purge or Final Destination. Or any scary movie really because the album itself is like a horror movie in the form of a trap album.

Yeah, I see it: Purge, Hell, Grim Reaper, Shumileta.

I’m a writer myself and sometimes it can feel so out of place to put out your personal experiences for strangers to take in. Do you ever feel like that?

At the beginning it was a bit scary, but as you go on it gets easier because you’ve already invited them into your life, so it stops being awkward. You grow out of the fear, with time it doesn’t even scare you, you can say anything, just take that step to put yourself out there.

If your life was a rap lyric, what bar would summarise it?

It has to be one of my bars so let me think. That’s the hardest question I’ve ever been asked in an interview haha. I have many lines I can give you actually but they’re all unreleased so nah, but if it was a song, I’d say It Was A good Day by Ice Cube.

What impact do you hope to have as an artist?

I know that I’m the best right now, but I hope to be recognised as the biggest rapper in Kenya and Africa. I also hope to make hip-hop a lucrative business in Kenya, such that young artists can feed their families through hip-hop, the way it is in the States. I have to do that. I need to change that about the Kenyan Industry.

Oh, that’s noble. Most people just talk about wanting to be known globally and moving to the US. Like bye suckers, lol.

Hahaha. Mazee. I want to make it a business here, it’s really slept on. If you tell your father you want to be a rapper, he automatically thinks it’s a lost cause. But I want it to reach heights where everybody wants to be a rapper, again, like the states, you get all kinds of artists, low skill to high skill because of it but at the end you churn out more talent. I want everyone who wants to to be able to aspire to rap because it breeds return.

Okay, that is all thank you for your time.

For sure, for sure. Bless. You’re welcome.