G-Rongi - mokorino hits

Mokorino is G-Rongi's latest song.
The Kikuyu rap song has amassed
over 1,000 views after just two weeks
since it was dropped on YouTube.
"Its main context is urging Kikuyus
and Luos to sit down for the future
of this country. I did not have
subtext on it so that Kikuyus can
explain its context to Luos," says the
straight-talking G Rongi aka
Matigari, whose biggest hit is
Fyatua.
"Living abroad opens up one's
perspective of this country. Things
are not right but it's up to the
citizens to start the initiative," he
notes.
For ten years, he has been in and
out of the country, doing tours in
Belgium, Norway, England and other
European countries in what he calls
a breakthrough courtesy of Mau Mau
camp. In between, he went to jail
severally for petty crimes and rowdy
behaviour and a serious substance
abuse addition got him into rehab.
A tale shared by most Mau Mau
members: crime and substance
abuse.
"I had a lot of money with little
responsibility. Every time I came
into the country, there was always a
crowd that derailed me and my
money. Simple experiments became
addiction," recalls G-Rongi, who
confessed to having done drugs with
the late Tanzanian rapper Mangwair
and Ray C at some point.
"I was finally taken to a
rehabilitation centre by my family
and spent eight months getting
clean. It was an expensive affair and
I had to leave the country to get my
sanity back," he adds.
In 2012, G Rongi went to Ghana for
a year before going to France where
he has bought a house.
"I always knew I would be a
superstar and when Mau Mau
became fully functional, I had
chosen rap. Interestingly, the
famous Mau Mau base where there
is a wall with murals is actually
where I lived. I let the camp make
that their base," the Tana River-born
but Dandora-raised artiste informs
me.
He was a founder of Wenyeji before
Roba unceremoniously threw him
out. He bears no grudge.
"I was chucked from a group I
founded but I later decided the
move was actually beneficial as I
perfected my solo career. We
occasionally meet and we are cool
friends. It is all water under the
bridge."
Mau Mau is a topic that gets him
animated and proud, with the artiste
disclosing that police would not
arrest members of the hip-hop
ensemble even as they were
dreadlocked like the Mungiki
members.
"They could distinguish us from the
adherents," he explains.
With massive competition in the
camp, G-Rongi opines that it was
healthy as each artiste tried to be
different from the rest. G-Rongi
perfected the act of ferocious rap,
with a passion and delivery
reminiscent of Wu-Tang Clan. With
the group informally dissolving in
the last half of the last decade, the
dream fizzled.
"Desperation killed the dream.
People who are real to the struggle
for equality and political direction
applauded us for our talents but
the society in general viewed us
differently. Plus being a big group
eventually proved expensive for most
promoters," he notes.
G-Rongi is paranoid about the local
scene as he feels most rappers are
shunning him. This includes award-
winning Kenyan export, STL.
"I first met her in Norway before she
even hit it big but I recently asked
her to collabo with me and she was
hesitant. I've had the cold shoulder
from a number of rappers and I just
think I'm either paranoid or these
rappers are not up to my game," the
boisterous G-Rongi opines.
He is currently working with Provoke
and HP Records for his upcoming
album that will include artistes form
as afar as Peru and Colombia.
"Early next year, You should all be
watching," is his final promise.