DNG AND JALANGO ON SET OF KATUMBO DANCE: COMPLETE WITH PIX

Katumbo Dance, is an idea that Kenya’s Number 1 Hypeman-DNG and Top Comedian-Jalang’o come up with jointly and executed by their companies 254 Entertainment and Arena Media respectively.
The duo do a lot of MC gigs together and at one of these corporate events, they came up with a brilliant idea to come up with a comical but catchy hook that they can perform on stage together during their gigs. The Katumbo Dance hook was created instantaneously! The hook caught on and the two talented artists saw the potential and dared one another to record the song. A week later, the two artists kept urging each other on and decided to be serious about it. A call to Dr. Eddy -the producer behind the success of System Ya Kapungala and Tobina -was made and a recording session scheduled. The rest, is history.





Katumbo Dance is a mash-up of lingala, hype and comedy in one amazing audio production. The feel good song is all about fun, energy, positive energy and having a good time. It is light-hearted and easy listening, with top notch quality.
The video, shot in Kibera Namba Nane features an amazing dance routine by Sakata Dance 2011 Winners, F.B.I. They add spectacular appeal to the video.



The Katumbo Dance video clearly depicts the feel good vibe of the song with smiles, comical characterization, dance, hype and energy effortlessly but vividly being perceived.

SK Blue

The dramatization has taken videos to the next level from the start of the presentation, giving the production a ‘film’ feel. Quality, as always is unquestionable and this video has definitely risen the bar and has set a new standard in the Kenyan Music Industry.





Katumbo Dance has brought together the uptown swag-played by DNG- and the ghetto lifestyle-played by Jalang’o- in a musical production that has never been done before! Unprecedented, this song has done something that even our leaders have been unable to do- unite the low and the high classes in unity, as in depicted in the intro where these tow, totally distinct and different worlds come together in a showdown.

Alphamatone

The hate/despise that these two societies have for each other is quashed by a little kid who innocently shouts “Acheni hii vita!” Adding content to the production, it is ultimately depicted that we are one people, one nation, and that we can all live together in harmony.

UMBRELLAS, DUETS AND LOVE AT TUSKER ALL STARS REALITY SHOW

Tusker All Stars entered its fifth week with Rwanda’s Alpha Rwirangira still at the top of the charts with Msechu and Davies coming in second and third respectively.
This weekend’s performances saw the 8 stars pair up to perform duets with partners of their choice.







First on the stage were All Star giants, Alpha and Davis, performing one of African Reggae King, Lucky Dube and the Mighty Slaves’ greatest hits Usizi. The two gave a highly energized performance and proved to be a winning combination by delivering a worthy reworking of the popular reggae hit.









Caroline and Hemedi performed an East African hit from the popular Tanzanian songstress Ray C, Mama Ntilie. The chemistry between the two was unmistakable as they thrilled the audience with their lingala dance finale.
Patricia and Davis performed a rendition of one of East Africa’s most memorable hits, Haturudi Nyuma by Juliana Kanyomozi and Kidum. The two stars’ vocals blended perfectly to bring out the angst of the hit song.









Sultry songbird, Patricia, was up on stage again with Amileena, performing Beyonce’s If I Was A Boy. The divas complimented each other well as they sang about being on the converse side of the gender divide.






Resident comedians, Msechu and Ng’ang’a were up next as they performed a Westlife classic, Somebody Loves Me and they gave a performance which was highly energized as is characteristic of this crop of Tusker All Stars.






Viewers can vote for their favorite artist by sending a text message with the star’s Tusker number to 8009 for persons in Kenya and Uganda. Individuals in Rwanda can vote by sending a text message with the star’s Tusker number to 7333 while for those in Tanzania the number is 15324. SMS voting lines close on every Saturday morning at 8 am and re-open at 8pm on Sunday evening.

STELLA MWANGI TO NORWEGIAN TERRORIST: “I’M SHOCKED!”

Kenyan singer based in Norway Stella Mwangi was shocked to learn that Anders Behring Breivik the suspected terrorist accused of massacring as many as 93 people in Norway had mentioned her in his meticulously detailed diary.
Stella who spoke to Peter Okwoche on BBC’s Focus on Africa on Monday night said, she “wasn't aware of the diary entry” but “I’m used to hearing such words because people will also ways have different opinions
But hearing that from him is another story…” adding, “It’s shocking and wasn’t aware of that.”
Asked if she usually gets the same “right wing” comments, she said, “Being an artiste a public person you have to be prepared to people having different reactions
She termed the massacre and bombing as a “shocking” but Norway is “showing the world we don’t fight hate with hate but fight hate with love”.
Anders railed against multiculturalism in his 1500 manifesto that was posted online. He made his first appearance in an Oslo court on Monday, hours after the country held a minute’s silence to mourn his victims.
The diary held details on his months of planning for the Norway terror attacks. On Saturday 14 May 2011, Anders entry entered on the 13th day of preparations read: “It's the Eurovision finale today. I just love Eurovision. It's a lot of crap music but I think it's a great show all in all. I've seen all the semi finals and will take the time of to watch it later today, online. My country has a crap, politically correct contribution as always. An asylum seeker from Kenya, performing a bongo song, very representative of Europe and my country. In any case; I hope Germany wins!”

SUZANNA OWIYO CLINCHES HARPIC AND RADIO JAMBO DEAL!

Afro fusion singer Suzanna Owiyo has bagged two major million bob endorsement deals. The first of which is with Harpic. She told Hot Secrets the deal is worth “some millions. It is a good deal that is why I went for it.”
The singer who is back from filming of the TV ad in South Africa remarked, “It was a great experience and tiring, I have never done something like this before. Yes, I have shot many of my music videos but this is different and it happened right after I had embarked on my music tour. The shoot for the new Hapic ads took one and half weeks.”



Suzanna was on the set of the TV advert production together with Nigerian actress Chioma Chukwuka who in 2007 won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role. Chioma was shooting the same ad for the Nigerian market.
Following the Harpic deal closely is a media deal with Radio Africa’s Radio Jambo where she picked up a SH 22M worth of airtime to push and publicize her Kenyan mini tour that will see her perform In a number of cities in Kenya.
On her music, Suzanna, “This year looks promising for my musicians I start on my mini tours around the country in various towns like Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega and Nakuru. A tour to Uganda is also in the works.”
The sponsorship is for her Kenyan tour after the launch of her third album, My Roots, at the Carnivore in Nairobi in May where Zimbabwean legend Oliver Mtukudzi was a guest artiste.



During the presentation of the cheque, the General Manager Martin Khafafa said, “Suzanna represents authentic African talent and her association with the Radio Africa Group under the Radio Jambo banner correlates with what Radio Jambo as a brand aims at achieving; going into the grassroots, the hook and cranny and to the borders to touch everyone at a personal level.”
Suzanna’s first tour date to commences with a show at the Mombasa’s Mamba International disco on July 30. The tour will then proceed to other towns like Kisumu, Kakamega, Nakuru, Meru and Eldoret.
An elated Suzanna remarked, “I’m humbled that the CEO of Radio Africa, Patrick Quarcoo supported this noble undertaking. I’m also humbled that Radio Jambo is part of this by supporting local music, which is what the music industry needs. This is just the beginning expect more of the live performances supported by The Stage.”

REALITY SHOW FOR UNIVERSITIES LAUNCHED

Elsie Akoo from JKUAT University and Qabale Duba of KEMU University receive a symbolic leadership torch from, Daniel Maanzo Cooperative Secretary and Nelson Kuria

A new reality show that will feature 24 university students dubbed The Expedition was launched on July 20.
The show is expected to feature two students from each university from varying universities countrywide.
The 13-episode show, sponsored by CIC Insurance Group is a culmination of Sh40 million-worth youth campaign aimed at attracting the youth to join the co-operative movement.



I’m a Co-operator project which is expected to enlist 500,000 youth into the Kenyan co-operative movement is a run up to 2012 which was declared by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Co-operatives.
“Though the Co-operative movement has been a great tool for economic emancipation, the youth have widely shunned the movement owing to the perception that it is a preserve of the old folk,” said Nelson Kuria, the Managing Director CIC Insurance Group.
Speaking on Behalf of the Minister for Co-operative Development and Marketing, Dan Maanzo, the Secretary at the Ministry said, “We now need young and transformative leadership within these co-operative organizations to create a new impetus for growth and inculcate the culture of corporate governance that will unleash the sector’s potential,” said Maanzo.

MISS WORLD BEAUTIES SHOP AT MAASAI MARKET

The reigning Miss World Kenya Natasha Metto accompanied the visiting Miss World Alexandria Mills and Miss Botswana Emma Wareus on a shopping spree at the popular Maasai market in Nairobi's central business district.



This was when the beauty queen was touring Kenya early this month. The trio shopped, bargained and haggled for the best prices for necklaces, earrings, bangles and animal carvings at the weekly market.



Photos/ Mbiyu Njoroge

MO FAYA SELECTED FOR SUNDANCE THEATRE LAB

Top Kenyan thespian Mumbi Kaigwa will join other East African filmmakers and entertainers selected for the second Sundance Institute Theatre Lab on Manda, Lamu for a two-week exchange and development program.
The Sundance Institute Theatre Lab kicks off on July 17 till July 31 and will also feature other participating artists from East Africa including Andnet Dagnew (Ethiopia), Philip Luswata (Uganda), (Kenya), Schollarstickar Luwi (Tanzania), Pili Malundila (Tanzania) and Angel Uwamahoro (Rwanda). In addition to the Fellows, Creative Advisors for the Lab are: Hope Azeda (Rwanda), Lynn Nottage (USA), Stew (USA), Indhu Rubasingham (UK) and Liesl Tommy (USA/South Africa).
The selected filmmakers will join Mumbi who played the lead lady, Anna Mali in the theatrical release of Mo Faya. Eric Wainaina who played DJ Lwanda wrote the play. Anna seduced DJ Lwanda to keep him away from the slums and fighting for the rights of it’s inhabitants of Kwa Maji. When the government and media turn a blind eye to the decapitated bodies in the streets, DJ Lwanda must return home to expose the truth. But at what cost?
The cast also included Dan Chizi Aceda, Atemi Ayungu, Valerie Kimani and Peter King among others.
"For 25 years, Sundance Institute's Theatre Program has been discovering and developing new work, always with a focus on richness and diversity of storytelling," said Keri Putnam, Executive Director of the Institute. "Now in its fifth year, the East Africa initiative reflects our commitment to connecting with the stories and histories of other cultures, and supporting artists who can share them with global audiences."
"The insight and feedback we received for last year's charter Theatre Lab on Manda affirmed our belief that cultural exchange informs arts and artists on a deep level," said Himberg.
Sundance Institute East Africa is a program to support the work of theatre artists in East Africa, as well as to create exchange and exposure opportunities between U.S. artists and East African writers, directors, and performers.

WHEN RICCARDO MUTI WAS IN NAIROBI CITY

World-famous Italian maestro Riccardo Muti, Conductor and Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, was in Kenya for a grande concert on July 9, 2011 with more than 200 members of the Orchestra Cherubini at Nairobi's Uhuru Park grounds. Kenyan musicians and singers were also be part of the concert that proved to be the biggest-ever classical music extravaganza in East Africa.



The event was part of the Ravenna Festival's Roads of Friendship initiative, born in Sarajevo in 1997. Every year since then, the Ravenna Festival have organized and performed concerts in 14 nations, with Maestro Muti conducting various orchestras, to celebrate peace and to invoke solidarity through music.



The event was sponsored by integrated telecoms provider Safaricom.
Kenya was chosen for the 2011 location of the Roads of Friendship. Maestro Muti and the Ravenna Festival are dedicating this year's concert to funding educational scholarships for young people in Nairobi slums. These scholarships, which will be given to Italian missions, will be coordinated through a special committee based in Italy in the city of Piacenza.



The concert will also be a tribute to two Italian missionaries, Annalena Tonelli and Sister Leonella Sgorbati who worked in Kenya for many years, losing their lives in Somalia as martyrs.

NORWEGIAN TERRORIST RANTS ABOUT STELLA MWANGI’S SUCCESS IN EUROVISION

Details about a diary kept by Anders Behring Breivik who is suspected of massacring as many as 93 people in Norway on Friday, claim that he ranted and raved about “an asylum seeker from Kenya” who is a crap, politically correct contribution as always.”
Anders is what I would call a homegrown terrorist who subscribes to purist beliefs something akin to a KKK strongly believes he is waging war against multiculturalism, according to his 1500 page online manifesto.



Anyho, the Kenyan he is referring to is Stella Mwangi who represented Norway in the TV reality show Eurovision song contest. Her Swahili single Haba Haba won over many fans and was the first Swahili song that has been performed on the Eurovision stage.
The diary holds details on his months of planning for the Norway terror attacks. On Saturday 14 May 2011, Anders entry entered on the 13th day of preparations read: “It's the Eurovision finale today. I just love Eurovision. It's a lot of crap music but I think it's a great show all in all. I've seen all the semi finals and will take the time of to watch it later today, online. My country has a crap, politically correct contribution as always. An asylum seeker from Kenya, performing a bongo song, very representative of Europe and my country. In any case; I hope Germany wins!”
Stella has not yet commented on the issue but posted on her twitter page: “My prayers goes out to all the victims in Utoya and Oslo.”

KOBE BRYANT TO TOUR KENYA FOR BASKETBALL CLINIC?

There are reports that NBA star superstar Kobe Bryant might just tour Kenya for a basketball clinic. The LA Lakers MVP has already toured the Philippines and Korea for basketball clinics as part of an Asian tour organized by his sponsor Nike to promote basketball.
A source told Hot Secrets, “There are plans to have Kobe over but no final arrangements and date have been set yet.”
In Seoul the 32-year-old NBA player played one-on-one games with local players, and also spoke with a group of fans, delivering his passion for basketball.



In 2011, Bryant was featured in Taiwanese singer Jay Chou's single, The Heaven and Earth Challenge. The proceeds for downloads of both the single and ringtones were donated to impoverished schools for basketball facilities and equipment. The music video of the single also featured Kobe. The song was also used by Sprite in its 2011 marketing campaign in China.
Kobe has had an elaborate career he led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. In 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second-highest number of points scored in a game in NBA history.

BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL PRODUCER TO HOLIDAY IN KENYA

Six-time Daytime Emmy Award winner Bradley (Brad) Phillip Bell is expected in Nairobi on July 26 for a short stop over before he and his family go on safari. Brad is the executive producer and head writer of the most watched daily dramatic serial in the world, The Bold and the Beautiful.
The 47-year-old is married to Colleen Bradley Bell and is the proud father of Bradley Chasen, Caroline Catherine, Charlotte Cordelia and Oliver Phillip.
Their holiday plans are been kept close to their chests however, as you all know, you cannot holiday in Kenya without visiting the Maasai Mara.



Anyhows, Brad has been instrumental is The Bold and the Beautiful’s success. Under his leadership, the show vaulted from the sixth-rated daytime drama to the third-ranked series during the 1992-1993 season.



Today, The Bold and the Beautiful is firmly established as the second-ranked daytime serial under its sister show, The Young and the Restless in the United States of America. The show is the most watched daytime drama series in the world, seen daily by more than 35 million people in over 100 countries.

CANADIAN GOSPEL ARTISTE FOR KENYAN YOUTH SUMMIT

This past Friday (July 22), Canadian gospel artiste, Ghanaian royalty and philanthropist Kay Moris jetted into Nairobi for the three day Change Africa Youth Summit that took place at USIU.
The event organized by the PLO Lumumba Foundation saw Kay speak about her involvement with children and women on the African Continent as she is the African representative for children and women in the One Heart Beat Movement of the United Nations.
Kay’s journey to becoming a humanitarian started through her music. She is a multi-faceted person, functioning in many capacities as a church Minister at Light and Life Ministries, Benevolent Queen (installed Queen Nana Sika I of the Royal House of Berekuso, Ghana in September 2006), an accomplished singer/song writer, Gospel music Hall of Famer, fashion designer, humanitarian, and motivational speaker. This versatile multi-award winning internationally acclaimed reggae Gospel artiste is also the President of the Kay Morris Foundation (KMF) in Canada and Ghana respectively.
Her advocacy work as a humanitarian has seen her blazing a new trail as the Voice of the Voiceless for orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS and Malaria in Africa, the Caribbean and other parts of the world.

The 2011 summit will expose over 200 youth and young professionals from around the world to the intricacies of youth leadership such that they are well equipped to contribute to the transformational agenda in both the corporate and political arenas in their various communities.

Other speakers at the conference included Prof. PLO Lumumba Director Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu Asst. Minister Trade and Industry Republic of Tanzania, Kennedy Hongo, Former Deputy Director Starehe Boys Centre, Hon. Cecily Mbarire Asst. Minister Ministry of Tourism Kenya and Pastor Esther Obasike of Redeemed Christian Church of God Nairobi.

DAN CHIZI STARTS PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE

The crown prince of Benga music in Kenya, Dan ‘Chizi’ Aceda will launch a new philanthropic initiative called Mabawa Project. The objective of the initiative is to give every child - especially poor children - a chance to fly, to achieve greatness, by giving them simple resources that empower them like books, class rooms, computers and mentorship.



This comes after a damning education report by Uwezo Initiative, that shows children graduating from primary schools without necessary reading and counting skills.
“I believe in humanity. I believe that deep down every human being has the will and desire to succeed in all that they do. I also believe that all anyone ever needs is a chance. A chance to show people their ability, a chance to touch another person’s life, a chance to even change the world,” Chizi said.



He continued: “I want to reach someone in a simple way that creates an enabling environment for them to succeed. I want to seek ways to remove the obstacles that hinder the development of our children and give each one a shot at making it in this cruel world. I want to make the playing field level so that every child can achieve greatness. I seek mainly to empower them because I believe that deep down inside they have the ability and spirit to do the rest. I seek to offer them the wings because I am confident that they will put in the work necessary for them to learn to fly.”



The Blackberry hitmaker has produced a soundtrack single Mabawa, set for a Sunday July 24, release at Santa Fe, the Mall, Westlands. The song and the initiative will mobilize his fans to give books, pens, toys, and any other educational materials to give to poor kindergarten and primary school children who need them.



The donated materials will be delivered to Muongoiya Primary School in Muchatha village, Kiambu County on August 5, where the video for the song will be shot.
“We shall do a remix of the song with other musicians in Kenya, including the vernacular as we grow the audience for the initiative – the givers and the supporters,” Chizi concluded.
The Mabawa Project is planned to be an East African initiative that creates support for children across East Africa

WHEN LUPITA PLANKED…PUBLICLY

MTV Shuga actress Lupita Nyongo was dared to plank, and plank she did – after being voted to do so on the MTV Shuga Facebook page. And as the rules state, the more public the plank the better. Lupita did just that.



Lupita has been acting for a long time from starring in phoenix productions to featuring in a short film by American producer Marc Grey. She is however, famed for her role as Ayira on the 3-part MTV series, Shuga.



Ayira is the most ambitious and beautiful girl who oozes sex appeal. She is very aware of her appeal and uses it to get ahead in life. She distrusts men and in her life, love is a second priority, a luxury.



In a past interview with Hot Secrets, Lupita likened herself to her on screen character Ayira. "We have a lot in common, we both have big dreams and we make questionable choices in our relationships. But the anger in her (Ayira), I don't have,” she continued, “It was challenging to bring out that side of her."