Ogopa DJs
Encyclopedia
Ogopa Deejays are a Kenyan music production team and record label
formed in the late-1990s which gained regional fame and popularity due to standards of their production work.
, Chameleone
and Redsan
. They are widely-acclaimed to have helped boost the Kenyan urban music scene from obscurity. They are also credited with creating the Boomba
(sometimes referred to as Kapuka) style of Kenyan music which is modern hip hop
and dancehall
influenced by African drums and rhythms. They later formed Ogopa Productions which apart from music production also organizes events.
They have released three compilation albums and several albums by their artists. Their first album was released in 2001 and was a widely popular in East Africa. It also introduced fans to the talent of the late E-Sir
and K-Rupt
. They are famous for their logo of a red face screaming. A music producer from Virginia, USA, gave the group a chance to showcase their musical talent in 2003. Ticket's sold out about 3 hours, which is record time for this group. Ultimately the show was a huge success and the group plans to start a world tour in 2013. People behind Ogopa DJ's are brothers Francis and Lucas Bikedo, and manager Banda. They rarely show their faces in public and do not agree to have their photos taken or published by Kenyan media.
Their studios are located in South B estate of Nairobi
. They have also started a sister label operating in Namibia
and South Africa
, known as Ogopa Butterfly . They have produced for Namibia
n, Windhoek
based girl duo, Gal Level
, and Kenyan-Namibian musician Faizel MC.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
formed in the late-1990s which gained regional fame and popularity due to standards of their production work.
Background
They started out producing hit songs for artists such as Bebe CoolBebe Cool
Bebe Cool is a ragga musician from Uganda. He started his career around 1997 in Nairobi, Kenya, but a few years later he moved back to his native country...
, Chameleone
Chameleone
Joseph Mayanja known for his stage name Jose Chameleon, Joe Chameleon, Jose Chameleone, or just Chameleone is a ragga musician from Uganda. He mainly sings in Luganda, English and Swahili...
and Redsan
Redsan
Redsan is a reggae and ragga musician from Kenya.- Biography :His first album, Seasons of the San was released in 2002 under Ogopa DJ's label. Best known tracks on the album are "Julie" and "Wanipa Raha"....
. They are widely-acclaimed to have helped boost the Kenyan urban music scene from obscurity. They are also credited with creating the Boomba
Boomba music
Boomba music, also referred to as Kapuka , is a form of hip pop music popular in Kenya. It incorporates hip hop, reggae and African traditional musical styles. The lyrics are in Swahili, Sheng or local dialects...
(sometimes referred to as Kapuka) style of Kenyan music which is modern hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
influenced by African drums and rhythms. They later formed Ogopa Productions which apart from music production also organizes events.
They have released three compilation albums and several albums by their artists. Their first album was released in 2001 and was a widely popular in East Africa. It also introduced fans to the talent of the late E-Sir
E-Sir
Born Issah Mmari, on May 20, 1981 in California Estate, and raised in South c estate Nairobi, Kenya, E-Sir was a Kenyan hip hop artist signed to the Ogopa DJs label who was famous for his deft lyrical ability and command of the Swahili language. He is still widely regarded as one the best rappers...
and K-Rupt
K-rupt
K-rupt , born Carlton Williams Bongo Juma in Nairobi, was a Kenyan rapper who had national success in the two years leading up to his murder in 2003. He collaborated with artists such as Fizzle Dogg, Bigpin, and E-Sir, who died earlier the same year.His hit singles in Kenya included "Changamshwa",...
. They are famous for their logo of a red face screaming. A music producer from Virginia, USA, gave the group a chance to showcase their musical talent in 2003. Ticket's sold out about 3 hours, which is record time for this group. Ultimately the show was a huge success and the group plans to start a world tour in 2013. People behind Ogopa DJ's are brothers Francis and Lucas Bikedo, and manager Banda. They rarely show their faces in public and do not agree to have their photos taken or published by Kenyan media.
Their studios are located in South B estate of Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. They have also started a sister label operating in Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, known as Ogopa Butterfly . They have produced for Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n, Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
based girl duo, Gal Level
Gal Level
Gal Level is an award-winning R&B girl duo from Windhoek, Namibia, made up of Daphne Willibard and Frieda Haindaka . They are very popular in Southern Africa, and other African countries. They are produced and managed by continental music producers Ogopa Deejays of Kenya...
, and Kenyan-Namibian musician Faizel MC.
List of Ogopa DJ's artists
List of artists who have been signed to Ogopa DJ's at least some part of their career (artists who have occasionally recorded with Ogopa are excluded)- AmaniAmani (musician)Cecilia Wairimu , better known for her stage name Amani, is a pop musician from Kenya. She has won various awards, including the Best Female category at the 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards.- Career :...
- Bebe CoolBebe CoolBebe Cool is a ragga musician from Uganda. He started his career around 1997 in Nairobi, Kenya, but a few years later he moved back to his native country...
- Big Pin
- ChameleoneChameleoneJoseph Mayanja known for his stage name Jose Chameleon, Joe Chameleon, Jose Chameleone, or just Chameleone is a ragga musician from Uganda. He mainly sings in Luganda, English and Swahili...
- NamelessDavid MathengeDavid Mathenge , better known by his stage name Nameless, is a Kenyan pop artist.- Biography :Mathenge was educated at Strathmore School, He rose to fame in 1999 through a star-search contest on Kenya's urban music station 98.4 Capital FM, which he won with his original song "Megarider." The song...
- Deux VulturesDeux VulturesDeux Vultures is a musical group in Kenya performing hip hop and pop music.The group consists of two members: Colonel Mustapha and Nasty Thomas . They grew up in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Like many other kenyan artists, they started their career at jam sessions of the Florida 2000 nightclub in...
- E-SirE-SirBorn Issah Mmari, on May 20, 1981 in California Estate, and raised in South c estate Nairobi, Kenya, E-Sir was a Kenyan hip hop artist signed to the Ogopa DJs label who was famous for his deft lyrical ability and command of the Swahili language. He is still widely regarded as one the best rappers...
- KleptomaniaxKleptomaniaxKleptomaniax is a pop group from Nairobi, Kenya. The group consists of three members: Roba , Collo and Nyashinski ....
- K-RuptK-ruptK-rupt , born Carlton Williams Bongo Juma in Nairobi, was a Kenyan rapper who had national success in the two years leading up to his murder in 2003. He collaborated with artists such as Fizzle Dogg, Bigpin, and E-Sir, who died earlier the same year.His hit singles in Kenya included "Changamshwa",...
- LongombasLongombas- Career :The group consists of Christian and Lovi Longomba, who are twins. They are from musical family; their father Lovy Longomba was a member of Super Mazembe, while their grandfather Vicky Longomba was a member of TPOK Jazz. France-based Congolese musician Awilo Longomba is their uncle .The...
- Mr. GoogzMr. Googz- Biography :He grew up in Zimmerman suburb of Nairobi. He attended Ainsworth Primary School in Eastleigh, Nairobi and later Highway Secondary School. He teamed up with Vinnie Bantonn forming a duo. They joined the Ogopa DJ's record label. In 2002 they released the "Wasee " song, which became a...
& Vinnie Banton - Mr. Lenny & Kunguru
- RedsanRedsanRedsan is a reggae and ragga musician from Kenya.- Biography :His first album, Seasons of the San was released in 2002 under Ogopa DJ's label. Best known tracks on the album are "Julie" and "Wanipa Raha"....
- Tattuu
- WahuWahuWahu Kagwi , performing under the name Wahu, is a musician from Kenya.-Biography:Wahu is a former model and University of Nairobi student, graduating in mathematics. She started her musical career in 2000. Her first three singles were "Niangalie", "Esha" and "Liar". Wahu released her first major...
External links
- Ogopa Deejays Official Website
- Ogopa Butterfly
- Interview with DJ Edu A BBC interview with DJ Edu on the Kenyan music scene.