It is safe to say that legendary genge artists Jua Cali and Nonini were not impressed by a '10 Top East African Producers of All Time' list created by top event organizer and MC Buddha Blaze.
Conspicuously missing from the list was Clement 'Clemo' Rapudo whose 'Beat ya Clemmo' tag ruled the airwaves in the heyday of Calif Records pioneering the 'genge' sound.
"10 Top East African Producers of All Time: 1.Ogopa DJs 2.Musyoka 3.P Funk 4.Cedo 5.Tedd Josiah 6.Master J 7.Big Mic 8. Nahreel 9. Mandugu Digital 10. Chizen Brain," Buddha Blaze had tweeted.
Nonini took to Instagram to post a song dug from the Calif crates with JuaCali rapping over a Clemo beat.
He captioned it: "Unakumbuka hizi ma ngoma vile zilileta disruption Music industry ya Kenya (Do you remember how these songs disrupted Kenya's music industry?) Same thing new generation wanafanya noma sana (Same thing the new generation is doing so well)
"Foundation tuli set ni deep alafu top list ya most influential producers ever ati Clemo is missing getourrahia ?SMH.. (We set a deep foundation and then Clemo is missing on the list of most influential producers ever? Get out of here)"
In response, JuaCali went after Buddha Blaze for omitting Clemo's name, commenting: "Niliona hio List SMH budhablaze aliommit jina ya Clemo deliberately bure kabisa!!!! (I saw that list Budhablaze omitted Clemo deliberately, very useless!"
Both Jua Cali and Nonini started their careers at Calif alongside Clemmo, going on to make countless hits and establishing Calif Records among the biggest labels of the 2000's alongside Ogopa Deejays.
Other major artists who came out of Calif include Mejja, Jimwat, Pilipili, Lady S, Choku and Rat-a-Tat.
On Twitter, Buddha Blaze clarified that his list was based on impact and not popularity, explaining the omissions that other fans had noticed as well.
"Dude debating my list without looking at Impact. Its not about popularity but how much did these producers change the game for good?" he wrote.
JuaCali and Nonini also expressed their support for the new wave of Kenyan 'gengetone' artists, patting themselves on the back for setting the foundation.
"Wametetemesha 254 hata watu hujiita international wanachanganyikiwa kunaenda aje. Pendwa nyumbani kwanza utapendwa kwote baadaye (They have shaken the 254 even those calling themselves international are confused they don't know what's happening. Be loved at home you'll be loved everywhere else later," Nonini wrote.
