WILL.I.AM REVIEWED JUST A BAND'S SINGLE

Kenyan all boy group Just A Band have found out that Will.i.am reviewed one of their tracks called Save My Soul a while back.

Here is what they said on their Facebook page







...and this is what Will.i.am said about the single

AY’S NEXT PROJECT IS WITH T PAIN

Hot Secrets has learnt that Tanzanian rapper AY has already recorded a single with American rapper T-Pain and is planning on shooting the video.

The rapper was in the country for Saturday evening award show EMAS where he bagged the award for Best Collabo for him musical effort with Mwana F.A. in the track Habari Ndio Hiyo.







Other winners included a tie in the Best Male category where Dr. Claude of Rwanda and Jaguar shared the award. Best Female went to Juliana for her single Alive Again while Best Group was P-Unit. Gospel group BMF bagged the Best Gospel Group for the single I Live For You and Emmy Kosgei scooped the Best Gospel Collabo for her callabo with Lynn in the single Omegeu Rerein. Kidum and Papa Wemba were both awarded in the Best Male in the Afro Fusion and Rhumba category respectively. South Sudan rapper Lam bagged the Best Video for Stay in Love.

Anyhow, AY released his latest collabo with Romeo and La'Myia Good – actress Meagan Good’s older sister - for the single titled Speak With Ya Body.

ALPHA, DAVIS AND MSECHU TO JAM WITH CABO, SHAGGY AND EVE ARE COMING

So word on the street is that the promoters who have been contracted to sign up acts for the Tusker All Stars finale concert are from Tanzania. Crying shame. After Kenyan promoters, Homeboyz failed in their bid to get Usher and Keri Hilson to sign on the dotted line, Clouds FM people have been contracted to get acts for the Tusker All Star concert.







Though it has not been confirmed by EABL, the acts signed for the October concert are American rapper Eve, ragga star Shaggy and Angolan Cabo Snoop – famed for his hit Windek.







This means that the winner for the Tusker All Stars reality television show will be jamming the stage with the three international stars. The winners of the concluded show were Alpha, Davis and Msechu.







Meet the all-star finalists



Alpha Rwirangira

Alpha has been on a roll and busy with music and performances since he won the 3rd edition of Tusker Project Fame.

The soft spoken but charismatic young man recently won the Pan African Music awards for best male artist with his song featuring Bebe Cool, Come To Me. He was also nominated for a Kilimanjaro Award in the best male artist category, for his song, Songa Mbele featuring AY.

Alpha has toured the region giving live musical performances and most notably he had the chance to represent Rwanda in the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa at the Fan Fests that were set up for fan entertainment.

The talented performer has also managed to catch his President’s eye and is feted by many Rwandese as a role model for the youth. He has obtained the President’s scholarship to study Music and Business at Fulbright University in Ohio, in the United States.







Peter Msechu

The Tanzanian who is known to be a bag of laughs has definitely been busy since he left at the end of the third season as first runner up.

Msechu has recorded songs with a number of producers back home in Tanzania. He has recorded Unaniumiza Roho with renowned music producer and Tusker Project Fame judge Hermes Bariki at his B Hits Studio and Majaribu with renowned producer Marco Chali of MJ Records.

He cites Tusker Project Fame 3’s Ngangalito as his favorite contestant since the inception of Tusker Project Fame. He says that he admires his fellow musician due to his humorous streak and his superb stage performances.

Msechu has had the opportunity to meet the president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete and other notable leaders in Tanzania because of his new found fame.







Davis Ntare

Tusker Project Fame Four’s golden boy, winner of Season 4 and energetic performer, has relocated to Kenya and has been in studio with R Kay working on his debut album.

He recently released his first single Sheka Sheka on Sound Cloud and the video is currently doing the rounds on You Tube as well.

He writes his own music and therefore promises to deliver fresh and original content in his album debut.

ARTISTES UNITE TO FIGHT HUNGER

Top musicians are working together to fight famine under the umbrella of Africans Act 4 Africa, the artistes, aims to put pressure on their governments to fund relief for the hunger crisis.

Organizers by Afro Fusion act Sara Mitaru, the campaign is supposed to get the personalities involved in the crisis.

Sara has called, texted, Tweeted, and Facebooked her network of fellow musicians in countries as far apart as South Africa and Nigeria, calling for their participation.







Already Kenyan acts Nameless, Juliani, Jaguar and Sauti Sol are on board and are now being joined by P-Square and Asa from Nigeria and Tanzanian poet Maya Wegeris on the line-up. Youssou N’Dour from Senegal has indicated to organizers that he is interested in being involved.

According to various press outlets, Africans Act 4 Africa aims to spread this clear grassroots desire to help across the continent. Participants are discussing the possibility of scripting and scoring a single to be released to raise funds for the drought.



Check out the acts pledging their support

KENYAN GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING FLAVOR

Naija singer Flavour has being in the music industry for 2002 but y’all know him because of his hit remix Nwa Baby (Ashawo).







Well Flavour real name Chinedu Okoli began his music career in 2002 when he was 19-years-old. He joined the band Enugu in his home state as a drummer and went on to play the keyboard after performing with them for a while.







After going solo in 2004, he went on to release the albums Nabania (2008) and Uplifted (2010).



Have a listen at some of his music

TOP NBA EXECS AT SPRITE SLAM FINALE

Glen Rice



The conclusion of the energetic Sprite Slam competition that was held in various towns in the country drew to a close on Friday (12 August) was conducted by former Los Angels Lakers NBA shooting star Glen Rice, NBA scout Bul Bior and Denver Nuggets Vice-President Masai Njiri.

Njiri, a Nigerian from a Kenyan mother who said:'' The game of basketball can be used as tool to education, meet people and get job s and the Kenyan youth have the needed talent''. Rice said,'' Kenya has the talent and the players who participated in the camp can do better than what I did during my NBA career.







Rice also added that he was impressed with the shooting talent of the young Kenyans.

The champs at the finale were all male team Beez who edged out the S.W.A.T.S 7-5 to clinch the 3 on 3 Sprite Slam National championship title at the University of Nairobi sports grounds.







The winners competed against a total of 7 men’s amongst them high schools, universities, colleges and clubs.

Beez who fielded regular premier league players led by Evans Leting of USIU-A Tigers team, Brian Busu of Co-op Bank along with Brian Shivachi and James Omweno had an advantage of experience over the Swats team of the U.o.N.

Another winner was Upper Hill School student Dominic Omunaka named as the best player and was chosen to represent Kenya in the Basketball without Borders four-day camp in Johannesburg South Africa in September.







Alongside basketball competitions, the youth demonstrated their talent in urban expression through graffiti and dance competitions and rap battles that saw Wycliffe Elegwa (Nairobi) emerge winner in the graffiti category. In the dance category Hotraxx (Kisumu) while in the freestyle category Joseph Collins Onyango A.K.A CJ Double O was crowned the national freestyle champ.







A host of celebrity artists graced the event with performances by Calif Records Mejja, Jimwat and Kendi, Ogopa DJ’s Avril and award-winning gospel artist Daddy Owen.

Additional Sprite Slam competitions are taking part in Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique.

SHUGA TO AUDITION FEMALE AND MALE ACTORS

Upcoming production of Shuga: Love, Sex, Money has sent out a call to Kenyan youth to audition for two supporting roles. Auditions will be held on Saturday 27 August 2011 between 08:00 and 18:00 at Homeboyz Studios at Ambar House, Baricho Road in Nairobi. To be eligible to audition, you must be a Kenyan resident between the ages of 18 and 24 with good spoken English skills. No previous acting experience is necessary.







“We are looking for real and raw talent,” says Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, “Shuga: Love, Sex, Money is going to follow the pace set by Shuga. It’s going to be a hard-hitting drama about sex and relationships. With principle photography for Shuga just a few weeks away, and the TV show premiering across Africa in February 2012 – this could be a huge career boost for aspiring Kenyan thespians.”







“Among the judges will be MTV Creative Director, Tim Horwood, actress Lupita Nyong’o, who played the pivotal role of Ayira in Shuga, Alison Nguibini (Shuga series producer), and Jacqueline Achieng from HFG. Homeboyz’s DJ Hassan and Corine will keep the crowds entertained,” continues Arnold.

Audition places will be allocated on a first-come, first served basis. The judges will chose six finalists, whose fate will be decided by public voting at www.mtvshuga.com between 29 August and 4 September. The winners will be notified on 5 September.







The first series of Shuga was filmed in Kenya in August-September 2009 and told a bitter-sweet tale of love, loss, sex, heartbreak and relationships, set in the clubs, bars, campuses and hangouts of contemporary Nairobi. With a raw and uncut view on the lives of sexually active young Kenyans, Shuga spot lit the risks associated with unprotected sex and the party-hard lifestyles of urban Kenyan youth, told through the interlinked tales of characters Ayira (Lupita Nyong’o), Ty (Pepe Haze), Felix (Tumisho Masha), Violet (Sharon Olago), Skola (David Omwange), Sindi (Valerie Kimani), Leo (Nicholas Mutuma), Kennedy (Antony Mwangi) and Virginia (Eva Kanyang'onda).

Shuga: Love, Sex, Money starts filming in Kenya in September 2011 and will be broadcast around the world starting 14 February 2012.

CHIZI TALKS LAKE OF STARS FESTIVAL IN MALAWI

Dan 'Chizi' Aceda will be the first ever Kenyan act to play live at Lake of Stars Festival, Malawi’s annual international arts festival. In a year of firsts, Lake of Stars will also be screening Pumzi, Kenya’s first science fiction film by Wanuri Kahiu, in the festival’s cinema area.

The festival takes place from 30 September to 2 October on the palm fringed shores of Lake Malawi. The line-up cements Lake of Stars’ reputation as a truly global, naturally Malawian event with dozens of Malawian acts being joined by talent from across Africa and beyond, including Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, France and the USA.

Launching the Lake of Stars 2011 line up, festival founder Will Jameson said “It’s hard to imagine a better festival than last year- our biggest and best to date. But this year we’re going to be taking our best ever line up of talent, featuring African legends, new international acts and the best of Malawian talent, as well as theatre, spoken word and dance.

Introducing some of the headline acts, Jameson said: “This year we are really excited to have one of the world’s greatest live acts, Foals, headlining the festival. Foals are fresh from playing a selection of the world’s most prolific festivals this summer to incendiary reactions, so it’s only natural their next stop should be what Q Magazine has described as the ‘finest festival in the world’.







“We’ve also got Freshlyground performing their first ever public Malawian gig. They have been on Lake of Stars radar for a number of years, so we’re proud to provide a platform for their first ever public performance in Malawi. Plus we’re privileged to be welcoming back Black Missionaries, living legends of the Malawian music scene who have rocked Lake of Stars whenever they have played”.

“Baio, the bass player of New York band Vampire Weekend will be keeping the crowd going after hours. Baio’s DJ sets have rocked clubs across the globe from Ibiza to Paris and Sydney to Seoul, but this will be his DJ debut in Africa.”







Hot Secrets caught up with Chizi and threw a few questions his way...



How did you get involved with the festival?

Well, this year the goal was always to play a lot more concerts outside of Kenya so my team and I were actively looking for such opportunities. So we applied to the festival and through my manager Buddha Blaze (the best in the business) and sent in my music and clips. The festival organizers loved it and that was that. They offered us the opportunity and we grabbed it quickly! Blaze worked tirelessly to put this together, I am very grateful to him.







Do the Malawi fans and market have a feel of your music? Have they heard any of your singles?

That’s an interesting question. Now with the internet it’s much easier for us to share the music internationally and so I am sure that Malawi has heard a few songs. In any case if they haven’t then this is our chance to introduce them to it. Besides all that, over the past year we have worked really hard to get the music into the international circuit so I am not worried about that. All we have to do when we get there is play a good show!



Is this your first major continental performance? if not please tell me about the others.

Yes this is the first time I will play so far away from home. I mean I have been a part of productions that have toured other countries but this is the first time I am going on tour on my own merit.









How does it feel being the first ever Kenyan to play live at Lake of Stars

You know I actually had no idea that I was to be the first Kenyan to LOS, so it was quite exhilarating. It’s an honor to stand before any audience to perform but if you then become some kind of ambassador for your country then the honor is doubled. To tell you the truth, Im still reeling from the reality that I will in a sense be “carrying the Kenyan flag” to a festival. And I may never get over the fact that I will be sharing the stage with big African acts such as Freshly Ground and The Foals…



You will be donating the Mabawa Initiative charity supplies soon. Tell me what the plans are in place and what the feeling is on the ground about the initiative.

Well, the actual date is First week of September because the kids are on holiday right now. The plan is to get a Caravan of cars filled with books to deliver these books to Mungoiya Primary School in Kiambu County. Simple as that. I am very grateful for all the support that the Mabawa Project has received so far and look forward to the future with optimism. People are handing me books while in traffic! It’s really encouraging. As soon as we can set up formal drop off points we will be able to increase efficiency. If we keep going like we are now, we may oversupply the kids very soon!

MISS WORLD KENYA CECILIA MWANGI IS A MUMMY!

Former Miss World Kenya is now a mother. Cecilia Mwangi welcomed a bouncing baby girl on Wednesday (17 August) morning at 9:29 am at the Nairobi Hospital. The bundle of joy was named “baby Cherisé and weighed in at 3.1 Kgs,” Cecilia told Hot Secrets.

She continued: “I have to give a hands up to all our women who give birth normally. I went through it and it is not an easy task.” She added, “It is an experience and a half. This is one of the highlights of my life together with being a forme Miss Kenya and winning international awards for the fight against jiggers.”

Cecilia who is an Anti jigger campaign ambassador was visited by Dr Stanely Kamau, the campaign’s founder and fellow ambassador and former Miss World Kenya Natasha Metto.

Anti jigger campaign boss Stanley said, “We are happy that she has added a new member to the family and we will use Cherisé to further reach out to other children in the fight against the jigger menace.”

STELLA MWANGI TO FEATURE IN DANCE WITH THE STARS – NORWAY

Kenyan singer based in Norway Stella Mwangi has been selected to take part in a dance reality show called Skal vi Danse? (Shall We Dance?) – the Norwegian version of Dancing with the Stars.

In the show, Stella is paired up with a professional dancer, Asmund Grinaker in the show that will run late till October. Asmund, 31, is a Musician and teacher at the University of Oslo, Education and Teacher Education.

The two will compete with other celebrity duos made up of an athlete, politician, journalist, Reality TV star, footballer, Skier and Ski Jumper.

The other contestants include Rachel Nordtømme, Inger Lise Hansen, Noman Mubashir, Anna Anka, Lars Bohinen, Kari Traa, Rune Larsen, Atle Pettersen and Anders Jacobsen.

Stella told the organisers of the reality show hat the reason she opted to join the show is because “I want to learn how to dance and entertain,” adding, “I hope for a dance teacher who is patient and friendly, yet rigorous and requires discipline. I want to learn the most dance (moves) so I can blend it with my music and style.”

In the show the contestants will compete against each other and the pair with the least votes will be eliminated. Votes are cast by TV viewers and also a panel of judges.

The series has had high ratings in Norway, with an average of between 600,000 and 700,000 viewers.

STL GETS TOP NODS IN CHANNEL O MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS CATEGORIES

It’s down to the wire for Africa’s hottest artists and music videos with the just-released list of nominees in the 2011 Channel O Music Video Awards! Artists from Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Namibia are all in the running for this year’s awards.

This time around, the only Original.African awards feature multiple artists with two or more nods - making it an open field for nominees in the 14 categories as they make a bid for the votes of Channel O viewers throughout the continent!

This longstanding, public-voted awards event sees a massive 10 videos in contention for the hugely prestigious Most Gifted Video of the Year award – ensuring it’s a tough choice for fans.

Among the strongest bids is Kenya’s STL, whose Lookie Lookie has been nominated 3 times for Most Gifted Female Video, Most Gifted Dance Video and Most Gifted Video of the Year.

Alongside her is Ugandan artist, Navio whose Keep Moving is up for Most Gifted Video of the Year as well as Most Gifted Male Video and Most Gifted Hip Hop Video.

Also making a play for attention is hotshot South African artist Zakes Bantwini whose Wasting My Time clip has earned him a nod in the Most Gifted Video of the Year category as well as Most Gifted Male Video. He is up against one of Africa’s undisputed heavyweights in both categories in the form of Nigeria’s D’Banj with his Mr. Endowed (Remix) featuring Snoop Dogg.

In the Most Gifted Newcomer category, Nigeria’s Wizkid is vying for the title in a field that includes South Africa’s AKA, Uganda’s Keko, Nigeria’s Ice Prince, Zambia’s Zone Fam and South Africa’s Kwesta in one of the most exciting categories at this year’s event.



In addition to STL’s success, another female has also made an impact on a music scene dominated by male artists. South Africa’s Lira has a double nomination for the video Phakade in the Most Gifted Video of the Year and Most Gifted Female Video categories.



Voting for the 2011 Channel O Music Video Awards opened Friday 19 August and closes midnight (CAT) Thursday 27 October 2011. Visit www.channelo.tv to cast your votes via web or WAP. You can also vote on MXit and SMS (send your favourite artist’s code to +27 83 920 8406). You can vote in all 14 categories as many times as you want, but only ONCE per hour.

DREW BARRYMORE WAS HERE!

In another segment of 'who was here' features the secret trip to Kenya by Hollywood actress, Drew Barrymore.

The child star now 36 years old was in Kenya in May for a charity trip. Her trip will be chronicled in the upcoming September issue of Condé Nast Traveler for the Visionaries issue, which features celebrities, activists and companies who are trying to change the world..

The Charlie’s Angel star was in the country courtesy of the World Food Programme where she donated food and help build a local primary school.







In the issue she said she had the desire to help when she learned that some Kenyan children walked miles to get to school.

“I was really moved. I never went to school myself,” Drew shared. “I was doing a job and didn’t have a kid’s life. I wanted to learn more about why these kids were so passionate, walking so far and overfilling their classrooms.”





But she said she felt awkward about meeting with the villagers at first and did not want to appear as an ignorant woman from America.

“I didn’t want to be on a soapbox, this Westerner living in a bubble, so on the first trip I was a little nervous. I asked questions and listened a lot,” she shared.

“When you find something like this that speaks to your heart,” Drew said of the organisation, “it gives you the courage to look beyond your own problems and take the first small steps to try as an individual to make an impact.”

ISAIAH KATUMWA SET FOR KENYA SHOW

Ugandan jazz maestro Isaiah Katumwa will be headlining a show in Nairobi at the Carnivore restaurant on August 31.

The saxophonist nicknamed Uganda’s Kenny G has a robust portfolio that includes performing for more than 20 heads of states.

With a traditional folk musical background, he has for the past five years developed a blend of sounds to express his East African identity, smooth jazz influence and Christian passion. On the international scene he has not only featured on BBC, Africa Magic TV, DSTV’s Studio 53(Mnet) and the like but he has either shared stage or opened performances for names like Manu Dubangu, Jonathan Butler, Miriam Makeba, Oliver Mtukudzi, Alvin Slaughter etc.







He is also a qualified sound engineer whose passion is to see young lives changed through music. Isaiah has dedicated himself to a vision of inspiring untapped talent and potential using his personal life story. With his background of hopelessness as a child having to work for his school tuition from 10, parentless to the success he is.

The last time he had a concert in Nairobi, he got the jazz enthusiast literary dancing in the rain. Well he is back for another show, one you don’t want to miss.

ROYAL PRINCE EDWARD TO VISIT KENYA FOR PRESIDENT’S AWARD

British Royal Prince Edward will attend this year’s 13th International Gold Event (IGE) President’s Award at the Great Rift Valley Lodge, Naivasha from September 2 to 16. Prince Edward is the youngest child and third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The IGE will be launched by the President and Patron of the award in Kenya, His Excellence Hon. Mwai Kibaki and it boasts of attendance from 200 international and local delegates from over 50 countries.







The IGE is one of the most important events that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Association (IAA) organizes with the host country and is held once every three years. It brings together select Gold Award holders aged 20 - 30 years to engage in the governance and policy of the Award while discussing social, political and economic issues to better prepare and empower the youth to positively influence societies in the present and the future. Themed “Each One Reach One”, the event will encourage each attendee to use what they gain from the IGE experience to reach one goal they have set so as to be of value to themselves, their community, their country and the world.





Speaking on behalf of the International Award Association, Africa’s Regional Director Edwin Kimani stated that “the programme is formed on four pillars: - Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, Skills Development and Adventurous Journey that will help youth unlock their potential, develop self reliance, social awareness, leadership and good citizenship”. The event will take the attendees to different parts of Kenya including Sagana where they will test their physical endurance, Empash, Longonot Township and Ndabibi Primary Schools respectively to participate in repair and renovation activities.

The first event of this kind, known as The Commonwealth Gold Expedition, was hosted by Canada in 1967.

MY LIFE IN CRIME NOVEL TO BE SHOOT AS A MOVIE

The popular 80’s novel by John Baptista Wanjohi, better known by his pen name John Kiriamiti is going to be adapted into a movie. It is slated to begin filming at the end of 2011 with the release due in 2012.

Kiriamiti wrote My Life in Crime when he was incarcerated at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison and Naivasha Government Maximum Prison where he was to serve twenty years with forty-eight strokes of the cane. This was after he branded “the most wanted” criminal on the “VIP list” of the police and had many aliases like John Khamwene, Charles Lukindo, Richard Mwangi, Albert Ngure, Albert Wanjohi and Jack Zollo (a name which he later used for his fictionalized self in both My Life in Crime and My Life in Prison) among others.







Now a reformed citizen Kiriamiti has traded in his gun for the pen and is yet to releases two more fiction books titled The Abduction Squad and City Carjackers.

Neil Schell an accomplished actor, acting coach, director and producer in film and television, will direct the movie. He has been working in the film industry for over 25 years.







As an actor, Neil has appeared in several feature films including The A-Team, Watchmen and Dr. Dolittle 3. He has also acted in several popular US TV series like Outer Limits and Cold Squad. In the local arena, Neil has completed the direction of 52, 1/2 hour episodes of the Kenyan drama series Higher Learning and 26, 1/2 hour episodes of the new Kenyan medical drama Saints - both of which air on NTV and Zuku Africa.











On the set of Saints

LULU HASSAN WELCOMES BABY BOY

KTN news anchor Lulu Hassan and hubby Qfm’s Rashid Abdalla are proud parents of a baby boy. The couple welcomed the baby Tuesday August 9, morning at 6:07am at Nairobi Hospital.

This is the couple’s first baby after they exchanged their wedding vows last year July 30.

Congratulations to the couple on the good news.

BIG BROTHER’S MILLICENT TAKES OUR ONE LINER INTERVIEW

Hot Secret's Special Ops corespondent caught up with Kenyan rep in the just concluded Big Brother Amplified season, Millicent Mugadi and shot the one line questions at her. Here are Millicent's responses. Verbatim.



I’m good at…

Cooking and socializing.



I’m bad at…

Mind games. Puzzles and cross words are clearly not my thing.



The last book I enjoyed reading is…

Conversations with God by Kneid Donald Walch.





Most surprising thing that ever happened to me…

Being introduced to my brother for the first time after big brother. I haven’t met him yet but his wife (a journalist) approached me and told me that he had sent her to show me the pictures. I believed her because my father had many wives.







A common misconception about me…

That I’m a pretender. This is probably because I have very many personalities so people never get to know the real me.



My worst childhood fears were…

Worms. I still get scared when I see them to date.



My ideal night out is…

Having a nice meal and a few drinks with friends.

In another life I would have been…

A nurse.



If I were a politician I would…

Reduce salaries for all MPs and create policies that necessitate the leaders to support sporting activities.



The best age to be is…

28. At this age you are very sure of what you want and exactly how you want it.





The best part of my job is…

Making money. Isn’t it just obvious?



My greatest regret is…

Not paying attention in high school. I really do not understand what I was doing.



Living leader I admire…

Wangare Maathai and Martha Karua. They are very strong women.



My greatest possession is…

My body. It is my greatest asset.





My favorite author is…

Kneid Donald Walch. He is the best writer alive.



In greatest depth of misery I…

Cry. It makes me feel better.



If I was to die in five minutes my last words would be…

Everything I own should go to my grandmother.



Millicent is also an actress and an avid football supporter and player.



INTERVIEW BY MIZZ CATE MUKEI