By Mo Santuri (https://twitter.com/MoSanturi)
MATATA is a Kenyan Music Band/ Dance Group based in Oslo, Norway. The multitalented group is made up of Five Members
Marcus Ojiambo, Ken Kimathi, Richie Mathu, Freddy Milenye(FBI) and Festus Kwenda (Fezzoh)
The group has consistently been dropping hits with incredible screenplay exhibited in equally excellent music videos .
The group does their own mixing and mastering / production works closely with Kenyan Producer Pink Ozola who has worked on Bad Manners (Tuko Sherehe na Haitaki Hasira ...) beat , a sensation on TikTok, The videos are directed by frequent collaborators David Vu and Reuben Anda.
With plenty of versatility the group which raps in Sheng and a mix of Kikuyu have set shows on fire for their dancing routines normally choreographed by Freddy Milenye from International Dance Group FBI.
Connect with Matata on social media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matataoffic...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matataofficial1
Songs
Mare Mare feat. Lamaz Span K.O.B.
The song features Lamaz K.O.B ,Khaligraph Jones siblin who worked on Me Siogopi. This song cemented Matata as Gengetone Maestros with the catchy hook. The song is Directed by David Vu
Denge
The first single dropped mid 2019 and showed the groups strength in taking Gengetone international. This song is for the ladies. DENGE is a sheng (Kenyan slang ) word that means ladies, the song is basically about celebrating all the beautiful women out there, and enjoying life. This genre of music is referred to as Gengetone which is the new wave of kenyan music taking over the entertainment scene.
Kata
Many artists have dropped Birthday songs before but never got it quite right like Kata a birthday celebration song which dropped early 2020.The video is directed by David Vu and music produced by Pink Ozola.
Ruracio
The fire jam about dowry negotiations in Kikuyu Dialect was coincidentally dropped when one of the members, Ken Kimathi had just married his Mzungu girlfriend. The name Ruracio means bride wealth or dowry. In many African societies the groom's family presents either money or cows or both to the bride's family as a gesture of his willingness to marry her The payment of the bride price is a sign of the man's commitment to take care of his wife and is seen as a symbolic act and a necessary part of upholding culture, rather than a purchase The song taps from this traditional culture and puts an urban/modern spin to it.
Mapema
Time and Tide wait for no man they say ,this song is about the African Timer encouraging rising early and keeping time. As a way of celebrating Kenyan urban culture and telling Kenyan stories through Music and Dance, MATATA created this song to appreciate Sheng ,which even though is not an official language it’s widely spoken, especially by the youth.
Gengetone Love
Gengetone is a sub-genre of Kenyan hip-hop music that has evolved from its predecessor Genge which was popular in the early to mid-2000s. Genge literally translates to 'mass of people'. It is music made for the 'Ordinary Masses Gengetone love is that ordinary way the masses of people especially the youths in Kenya express their love and emotions towards each other But may also be seen as the love that the ordinary people have towards Gengetone music