Hip Hop Artist with a Positive Cause
Henry Ohanga, also referred to as "Octopizzo," is one of Kenya's hottest hip hop artist. He says his most fulfilling work is helping fellow youth in Nairobi's so-called "informal settlement" of Kibera to turn away from drugs and crime and rather make a living from their abilities. Born and raised in Kibera, Octopizzo initiated a youth self-help group called "Young, Gifted and Black" to aid members develop their singing, dancing, and other abilities. And he have made a tour company and a business that sells T-shirts and watches to fund the group.
Octopizzo may be one of Kenya's fastest-rising gangster rap performers but Henry Ohanga will not forget where he came from - Kibera, one of Africa's largest casual settlements. And he says he is taking his fellow Kiberians along for the ride. 24 year-old Henry Ohanga is Kibera's jack-of-all trades. He is most commonly known by his stage persona Octopizzo, which he developed before cutting his first CD in 2008. But while creating his second CD one year later, Octopizzo remembered the friends he lost touch with after the country's post-election violence and the many Kibera youth traumatized by the experience.
To bring healing and development to his community, Octopizzo set up "Young, Gifted and Black," a group in which members are trained to be singers, performers, poets, artists, and sports athletes. The concept was just to use art to alter the youths. Nowadays you can't go and preach to a youth and simply tell him, change or you'll not get to heaven, they don't really care. The youths want to be entertained first, then you put yourselves in their level and you share the same stories that they are going through. As he teaches young adults hip hop and other skills, Octopizzo drills into his students the importance of education and living a drug- and crime-free lifestyle.
They call it 'edutainment' - you educate as you entertain. As you educate and entertain, you should be professional. You ought to go to school. Hip hop is not for people who are drop-outs. And that approach has made all the difference to hip hop singer Slum Dog, who used to do drugs and steal. Octopizzo had his own demons to fight. Orphaned in secondary school, Octopizzo considered his musical talents to support his four siblings. He says he first sold his music for $1 a CD. He was merely networking just as much as he can, trying to record his music and sell them everywhere, selling them for cheap just to get more money and then that's when he can raise it when he already have more funds.
Hip hop artist Octopizzo says his biggest joy is to recognize and foster talent among the youth of his neighborhood. Despite the grinding poverty, there is a lot of creativeness and good reputation in Kibera and other informal settlements. He denounces rap words that glorify violence, sexism, bias, and other social ills. He says that many people living in Kibera have experienced violence first-hand and are looking for a different approach to live. Octopizzo says he plans to expand Young, Gifted and Black to other informal settlements in Nairobi.
Octopizzo may be one of Kenya's fastest-rising gangster rap performers but Henry Ohanga will not forget where he came from - Kibera, one of Africa's largest casual settlements. And he says he is taking his fellow Kiberians along for the ride. 24 year-old Henry Ohanga is Kibera's jack-of-all trades. He is most commonly known by his stage persona Octopizzo, which he developed before cutting his first CD in 2008. But while creating his second CD one year later, Octopizzo remembered the friends he lost touch with after the country's post-election violence and the many Kibera youth traumatized by the experience.
To bring healing and development to his community, Octopizzo set up "Young, Gifted and Black," a group in which members are trained to be singers, performers, poets, artists, and sports athletes. The concept was just to use art to alter the youths. Nowadays you can't go and preach to a youth and simply tell him, change or you'll not get to heaven, they don't really care. The youths want to be entertained first, then you put yourselves in their level and you share the same stories that they are going through. As he teaches young adults hip hop and other skills, Octopizzo drills into his students the importance of education and living a drug- and crime-free lifestyle.
They call it 'edutainment' - you educate as you entertain. As you educate and entertain, you should be professional. You ought to go to school. Hip hop is not for people who are drop-outs. And that approach has made all the difference to hip hop singer Slum Dog, who used to do drugs and steal. Octopizzo had his own demons to fight. Orphaned in secondary school, Octopizzo considered his musical talents to support his four siblings. He says he first sold his music for $1 a CD. He was merely networking just as much as he can, trying to record his music and sell them everywhere, selling them for cheap just to get more money and then that's when he can raise it when he already have more funds.
Hip hop artist Octopizzo says his biggest joy is to recognize and foster talent among the youth of his neighborhood. Despite the grinding poverty, there is a lot of creativeness and good reputation in Kibera and other informal settlements. He denounces rap words that glorify violence, sexism, bias, and other social ills. He says that many people living in Kibera have experienced violence first-hand and are looking for a different approach to live. Octopizzo says he plans to expand Young, Gifted and Black to other informal settlements in Nairobi.
About the Author:
Hip hop music was first uncovered during the seventies. In order to become a well-known Hip Hop Artist one must sing out well, possess the winning attitude, and more importantly know how to dance. Becoming a New Hip Hop Artist will not be a fairly easy career. It undoubtedly requires a great deal of effort, motivation, and perseverance.
