In Conversation With King Kerby

King Kerby is a sleek and versatile artist from Nairobi, Kenya who dabbles in rapping, songwriting, production, DJ-ing, and curation.He is one of the pioneers of Nairobi’s vibrant Alté scene and has played a pivotal role in shaping Nairobi’s musical landscape. He’s has worked with various artists such as Kelele Kollekitv, Karun, O’HARA, Lukurito, and MR.LU, among many others.

I would want them to know that I’m such a uniquely positive person. Such a gifted, diverse, and innovative person as an artist and just as a human being with music that is refreshing and really amplifies my experience in Nairobi.

The charismatic artist is well known for his authenticity and breaking barriers in the music scene, and I recently got to meet and have a conversation with him about his musical journey.

What made you choose music?

I think music chose me, as cringe as that may sound. I have always had an ear for good melodies ever since I was a kid, and in my early teen years, just when I was starting high school, I started writing and making my own music. I have also always been surrounded by people who love music, so that was a factor too.

How long have you been making music for?

I started early so maybe 10 years, but at a high level I’d say 5 years.

What inspires you throughout your journey?

I am my biggest inspiration, first because I went through so much as a kid but I was always able to see the beauty in life and art. So whatever the situation was, I could always go back and connect with something more beautiful than what I was experiencing at the moment. That has really shaped the person I am today and also inspired me alot. Later on I started to draw inspiration externally by watching a lot of dope musicians.

I also grew up in South C and when I was a baby that’s when E- Sir and the likes were popping, so growing up in such a music-oriented neighbourhood inspired me as well.

When people listen to your music what do you hope resonates with them?

I hope that they feel confident and empowered and like are enough. If you were having self doubt and you listen to my music I hope it clicks that ‘oh nah I’m the shit’. I really want people to pick confidence from it and authenticity as well.

I also want them to see how dope Nairobi and Kenya is, and Africa in general.

How would you best describe your sound?

My sound is almost alternative, hiphop, RnB, and afro-pop. I feel like I’m very diverse and innovative as an artist and a person, and my music is very refreshing and really amplifies my experience in Nairobi.

When you are working on a project what’s your creative process?

First of all I listen to alot of music and I love having a sonic mood board. I basically like to have playlists with songs that I resonate with and that I could see myself doing, like I could have probably made that song. My creative process usually evolves but that’s what it’s like now. Having a mood board and then picture where I can see myself and in turn that shapes my choice of producers. Even when I am the executive producer, I like to pick a team that will put it together.

I also write music sometimes before I make beats or before I get them, and most times I sit with a producer and we create a track together on the spot, and I show them my mood boards and we play around with different sounds and I will write on the spot. Sometimes, conversations turn into songs on the spot when I’m with a producer and talking about something and then we would turn that into a song. Sometimes I’ll be alone, thinking about something a lot, and that could turn into a song. So I’ll write it down, call a producer and create something around what I have written, then we send it to an engineer just to finish up. I have a tight-knit group of engineers and producers that I work with. I like my songs to have visuals as well, so when we are doing the music I start to think about the visuals. And as soon as we are done with the song we start executing it.

What’s your favourite project that you’ve worked on so far?

I’d say Saba, my most recent project. I feel like I made some of the best songs that I have ever made and worked with some of the best producers that I could ever work with like Nasty C’s producer from start to finish in Cape Town. Even getting to record the project itself and shoot the visuals in Cape Town was a dream, and it felt magical because Cape Town is a magical city. As I said I got to work with Zino D and LD Beats who have worked with Nasty C, Maglera Doe boy, guys in Tyla’s camp as well. It’s like a small circle. I think Zino D also produced some songs in Victoria Kimani’s last album and worked with Xenia before, and a bunch of other household names like Rowlene in SA and Tellaman. So working with well exposed producers who are still young and have so much experience under their belts was pretty cool to me. That’s why Saba is my favourite album. The whole vision came together perfectly and it was like a dream come true.

Do you think your music brings out a different aspect in the Kenyan music scene, and if so in what ways?

I definitely think so. As I said, it fuses hip hop with RnB and other elements in a way that’s not what mainstream Kenyan music sounds like. I think it paints a different picture, like oh so there’s young people in Kenya thinking differently? If you listen to my music in another country it will make you more curious about Kenya beyond what your perception might have been. It breaks stereotypes about us and our sound. I also think that my subject matters also breaks stereotypes about what a Kenyan rapper should be talking about. I talk about day to day relatable stuff, and sometimes it can be introspective but in a nice wholesome way which I don’t think is as common in the Kenyan industry right now.

Do you have a dream collaboration or someone who you would love to work with?

Yes, Kaytranada. This year or next year I’m manifesting working with Kaytra. I would also love to work with Blinky Bill, I absolutely have to work with him. Skepta as well cause I feel like he is such a genius and very versatile and knows how to step into different pockets as a musician and a businessman as well so I love how he moves. I would love to also work with Tyler, the Creator and Kendrick or J.Cole.

You travelled around Ghana and South Africa recently creating music. How was that experience for you?

That was really amazing, and the crazy part was that it was all in a span of 4 months! I got to go to Accra, work on Accra Nights then go to Cape Town and do Saba, and that really showed me that I can do anything I put my mind to. I’ve been working on myself in terms of my mindset and I do a lot of meditation and visualisation and inner work as well as doing weekly therapy these days, even when I’m not going through something just as maintenance.

That kind of inner work really enabled me to do 2 projects in 2 different countries in such a short time. I genuinely feel when you start elevating your mindset you start to attract better things. Even when you don’t have the money at the time, getting into a better mindset makes people gravitate towards you and even the universe starts to conspire with you to make stuff happen. So I got to exercise my mental magic while working on those 2 projects and I was like, woah I really can do anything. Two years ago I never thought I would be in this position.

It was also amazing being in two different countries that have two different music cultures, but the funny thing is that there’s a big exchange happening between Ghana and South Africa, and Nigeria and South Africa. There are a lot of culture shapers going to Accra from South Africa and vice-versa, or at least what I saw. It really opened my mind as to how Kenyans have to carry their flag out there cause those guys really champion their own stuff and they are so proud of it, whether it’s music, sports, literature especially the arts. In Ghana it was more of fine arts then in Cape Town there was a pool of people who were culturally diverse and also sophisticated. In Accra there was more of texture and in Cape Town more of sophistication but the common thread was that they really champion their stuff. I got to see African people celebrate their stuff at a high level even when others think it’s mid so that made me want to come back and bring that energy in Kenya.

You are part of the team that runs Uzima Network and Zama Sessions. Tell me what that is about?

Zama Sessions is born from Uzima Network. Uzima Network is my first baby. I’m more than just an artist or a musician. I’m an entrepreneur as well. That has really given my music a backbone to be able to stand. First of all, character-wise. When you’re doing business, you build so much character. It’s challenging and you go through highs and lows. You also learn a lot about product development. Uzima Network has enabled us to do the music and to also create Zama Sessions which is a physical and virtual space where we can immerse people into musical experiences that we connect to and relate to and that we champion. Sounds from us and other people that we feel people should experience this. But more so, it’s to create a community that can do that but still have a sense of love, genuine unity and humanity at the core of it. That’s why wellness is big for us. Wellness helps us to be more caring with ourselves and each other within the community that we would have if it didn’t exist.

Do you think that wellness is a part that you channel into your music?

Yes, I think so. I think now it definitely does come across.

Have you faced any challenges so far and if so how did you overcome them?

I’ve had challenges in my personal life. Times where I haven’t made the best decisions. Times where I haven’t been so honest with myself and people who I love and then I ended up hurting myself and other people and that affected me creating but then it also brought me to myself.

I think working with people here can be a bit challenging.I’ve struggled to actually work with producers in Kenya who can actually deliver communication. People don’t communicate all the time. Within the arts and music, people sometimes do things when they feel like it so sometimes you can miss deadlines because someone wasn’t in the mood to do it or whatever their reason was and then now you end up missing some deadlines and that inconveniences the work or slows things down.So I’ve had challenges learning how to be professional within the creative space that I feel is still a bit young

What is one thing that you have learnt in your music journey?

I have learnt to believe in myself or to always have that conversation about believing in myself whenever I start feeling like I’m not myself. I also learnt to consistently push myself to work even when I may not have one or two “tools”, you know you always need something like a budget cause it’s really expensive to do music at a high level even if you’re doing it from your bedroom you have to get music gear and all that. So I learnt to work with whatever I have at any given time and to push myself not to slack. Consistency pays that’s what I’ve really learnt. Even if you weren’t the best, if you do it constantly you become the best version of yourself.

I’ve also learnt that music is a business and how to build a team and do it professionally.

What are you excited for people to see in your music?

I’m excited for them to see how far we can push the boundaries and how big we can dream. I’m also excited for them to see how many opportunities we can create through music. I feel like I’m trying to run King Kerby Music like a company. The better it gets, I can employ writers, photographers, creative directors. Instead of me going to Cape Town alone, I can be taking a team of people for their first time.I just want to open doors for people while doing this and break any barriers that exist. I’m excited for people to see more visuals, more creative direction.To see even more mind-blowing collabs, more music, more consistency, even better songwriting. A constant evolution you know.

What’s the next step for you?

The next step is more projects. There’s lowkey a project that I’ve already started working on and we’re dropping the Deluxe for Saba in June this year. So watch out for that, that’s coming out. Then after that we’ll definitely drop another project before the end of the year. I also have King Kerby Live coming up in June. I want to do a live show, a zama session .I feel like it would be interesting to do it here at Snowball , so we’d just make this space very interactive, and people can sit and enjoy. So yeah we’re planning that and just to keep evolving.

If you were not doing music right now, where do you think you would be?

I think I’d be travelling the world, just vlogging (laughs) . Yeah I’d just be travelling, vlogging and just enjoying myself and when I’m done with that, chilling on a farm somewhere or just on a beach. That type of shit. Just enjoying life a little bit.

What piece of advice would you give to anyone starting out in the industry?

This shit is possible. If you put your mind to it and if you take it seriously from early.

I would advise people starting out to equip themselves with other skills other than just their artistic craft. To learn business, just learn how it works and to learn the back end of things.

I would advise anyone starting to just start learning the back end as soon as possible.Because I don’t worry about creativity, you can always create if you’re talented enough and if you believe in yourself. Learn the back end, I think it just makes you more effective.

King Kerby fun facts?

I’m a bomb ass chef , I make amazing cocktails. I’m the snack. I am indeed the snack ( laughs) .I’m super into fitness and stuff. I give good massages especially pressure point massages.I give good pressure point massages like I could put you in a trance. I’m just really fun.

Is the massage something you’re trained to do?

No, I just learned. So Uzima Network started off as vending and I used to have a juice bar at the Alchemist called Zazi Bar and when we also used to vend at the Lamu Yoga Festival. We used to sell the jaba juice there and I did the Lamu Yoga Festival twice as a vendor. So I went for so many classes there like acupuncture, acupressure, Thai massage and different kinds of yoga. So yeah, your boy’s got the skills.

Photography by Cormac Ajwang.