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International Jam - The Kenya Edition #2

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Mistajam | 17:27 UK time, Sunday, 19 November 2006

Day 2 - 19th November

Tru Blaq's Head of Security Sammy has got a new job - the official MistaJam Kenyan tour guide! Our bellies were rumbling so it was all about eating first. We headed from the hotel in Sammy's pimped out car (there needs to be a Pimp My Ride Nairobi the amount of old cars souped up with major rims there are over here!) into downtown Nairobi. When I got here last night it was dark so I didn't get a real feel for the place - not so today. Kenya is a place of juxtapositions - on one side is the country with all the game reserves and safaris but on the other is a bustling city where self appointed parking attendants help people find and keep a free street parking spot and the streets are full of African people. Let me not be so polite, I can honestly say I've never seen so many black people!

We went and ate some traditional East African food at a spot called Ranalo (the Kenyans call it K'Osewe). The food there was amazing - like a proper home cooked traditional african meal. The place itself is a bit like a fast food joint with good food and fast efficient service - if only Caribbean food shops back home were like this place they'd be a lot more popular!

You decide what you want to eat, go wash your hands, pay and then take a seat. A waiter will come over and take a slip from you written when you paid and minutes later, he comes back with your order. I had a kind of spicy beef with ugali - a kind of cornmeal, eaten with my hands like any other good Kenyan and washed down with some bottled water. From there, Sammy took us to the infamous Kenya Jam Session.

Every sunday afternoon, the local nightclub Florida 2000 is transformed into the biggest youth event in the city where many of the big local artists got their first big break. The place was absolutely rammed as in RAMMED! Every corner was full of people - about 1000 people in a place that would have a 500 capacity in the UK. Imagine a really full vibesy club night. Now imagine everyone's under 18. Now imagine it's on a sunday afternoon at 4pm!! Everyone was dancing and once again Ragga was ruling the roost.

DJ Kay-Dee was killing it, going from riddim to riddim, dropping big tune after big tune and the crowd were going crazy. Then Kay-Dee cut the music, said something to the crowd in Swahili, the crowd went mad and he handed the mic over to two local emcees - both rhyming in a mixture of swahili, english and patois but all with a strong Jamaican accent! It was crazy. Sir Prestige and DJ Edu - Kay-Dee says big up!

As soon as the camera has charged, I'll put up pictures and video. Chilling at the hotel right now, but here's the exiting bit - what should I do next? Where should I go? What should I check out? Holla back and let me know what you think...

Comments

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  1. 1.
    • At 08:49 PM on 19 Nov 2006,
    • Anonymous wrote:

    no idea what to do out there, but seani's suggestion sounds good. oh, you gotta kill some kinda giant wild beast while you're out there.

    sounds dope though. "the streets are full of African people.".... in kenya? watch out TXU-ers. MistaJam is gunning for your spot! ;)

  2. 2.

    Well the streets of Cancun in Mexico are full of American people at spring break so I think it's a valid comment..

    Anyway, I was just saying in a more polite way what I said the sentence later. It's like the direct opposite of going to Mansfield in Nottingham.

    It's 1.25am now so I'm going to bed. Flights to Mombassa will be looked into in the AM.

  3. 3.
    • At 10:32 PM on 19 Nov 2006,
    • Crunk Karen wrote:

    Wow Kenya!

    Definitely somewhere I'd like to visit during my lifetime. Hadn't been that bothered about going to Africa but after checking out Ghana (and totally lovin' it), feel that I need to venture out there more.

    Can't say I've not commented on your blog now chuck :)

    - Crunk K

  4. 4.

    Glad to hear you having a good time in my beautiful country.

    I am very impressed with where you been already - your comments about Carnivore and the ravers there is sooo true!!! And, I can believe you managed to squeeze into F2 (Florida 2000) - ha! That place is crazy, nuts, mad - and hotter than the serengetti! That is the place where current hot music stars are born nowadays - if you can impress at F2 then you got it made. But try go there any other day/nite and you will see things no one under 18 should see... ha!

    Oh yeah, yeah tell KAY-DEE I said "poa". Yeah make sure you getto the Masai market and hit some of the bars in the city during the week. Plus, hit the radio stations there and tell 'em about the 1Xtra.

    And bring me and Seani B back a TUSKER.

  5. 5.

    Mistajam: Your programme and music has served as medicine for my aches and pains [secondary to a car accident]. Cheers from Miami Florida. Roberto

  6. 6.

    >wegmans best places to work

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