MC BILL RUTO RECORDS RAP WITH JAL AND JULIANI

Suspended Higher Education Minister William Ruto donned a new hat, that of a recording artistes and hit up the Click Track studios with rappers Juliani and Emmanuel Jal on July 10.



Ruto arrived at the studio at 3:20pm, took photos with the artistes and stepped into the recording booth. The Rift Valley political bigwig a.k.a MC Ruto or if you like MC Bill recorded a segment that will be used in the chorus of the single dubbed Tribalism is a Disease.



His chant: “Upendo, amani tuungane pamoja (Love, peace let’s unite),” was repeated severally after which he recorded another segment where he gave a speech about peace, unity and ensuring that no other Kenyan dies of the horrible tribalism vice that leads to hatred.
Mc Ruto said, “I am honoured to be a part of this powerful campaign. It is an exciting initiative led by two young role models who have managed to lobby the political, corporate and entertainment worlds into one essential message of education and peace for Kenya, and Africa."



Ruto joins a list of other Kenyan personalities who have lent their voices for the anti tribalism campaign. They include Presidential candidate Martha Karua, PR Guru Gina Din and business magnate Jimnah Mbaru.
The accompanying music video is set to be shot early August 2011.

Photos/Chrispinus Wekesa

UHURU KENYATTA PROMISES TO RAP IN JAL’S SONG

Kenya’s Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta meet with visiting Sudanese basketball star Luol Deng with his countryman rapper Emmanuel Jal in his Nairobi home last week.
The duo, Deng and Jal had a chat with Uhuru about Kenya’s participation in the growth of what will be Africa’s 54th state.



“I can assure you that Kenya will play a leading role in ensuring good education for your people, growing your democracy through training personnel to be the anchor of your institutions and our private sector will be encouraged and handed incentives so as to invest in Sudan,” Uhuru told the duo.
Uhuru also pledged that he would personally support the Luol Deng Foundation that seeks to provide school uniforms, text books and classrooms for hundreds of poor children across Sudan.



Uhuru will also join Jal in the studio to record the rap single Tribalism is a Disease which has other personalities like MP Martha Karua, business magnate Jimnah Mbaru and PR guru Gina Din Kariuki.
“I will be dropping a few lines in the rap,” Uhuru told the duo and challenged them to use their talents to ensure “the growth of their country and to inspire hope to all young people in Africa.”

JIMNAH MBARU AND JULIANI ON ANOTHER RAP

Uganda’s president Museveni did it with his popular hit You Want Another Rap, now, Kenya’s business personality Jimnah Mbaru will be featured in a track with Juliani and Sudanese rapper Emmanuel Jal.
The single dubbed Tribalism is a Disease will be mastered in Jal’s Gatwich studio based in London.



Jimnah spoke to Hot Secrets about the experience in the studio at Click Track Records in Kileleshwa. “I have been to many studios but this one was very interesting. The song highlights the serious cancer that is tribalism and it needs to be removed completely from the body. It is responsible for the slow growth of our society,” adding, “No one choses which ethic background to be born into.” The business tycoon laughed off the possibility of recording his solo track in future.
Juliani said, “It is more than a single it is a campaign that people should take seriously.” The Mtaa Mentality star said that the KKK political Alliance is a fallacy that doesn’t reflect on the ground. “The youth understand one thing, hunger and not tribalism. The alliance will not go far. If we are to fight, let us them fight corruption and not each other on the grounds of our tribes.”

MARTHA KARUA ADDS VOICE TO JAL AND JULIANI”S SONG

The MP for Gichugu Martha Karua has pledged her support for Emmanuel Jal’s We Want Peace (WWP) campaign. She recorded her bit at the Click Track Studios, Nairobi on February 4, 2011. “This is a positive campaign and any serious leader would embrace it,” she said enthusiastically.
Martha an ardent user of the social media, said she was approached by Jal through Facebook.



On accepting his request, they had fruitful discussions. She recorded her contribution under the guidance of Juliani, a popular gospel artist. The video recording is set to take place some time in April. Yes, she wrote her own verse, and yes, it had the appropriate sheng and slang words, thank you.



In 2011, WWP announced its latest transition focusing on tribalism. Other leaders who have pledged their support to the noble cause include Prime Minister Raila Odinga, businessman, Jimnah Mbaru and Sudanese SPLM leader Yasir Arman.
As a presidential aspirant, Martha hopes to garner support nationwide, and her role in the campaign will give her much needed national appeal.



Launched in December 2010, the WWP campaign has received high profile endorsement from international celebrity musicians, politicians and businessmen, including Alicia Keys, George Clooney, Kofi Annan, Peter Gabriel and Richard Branson, all of whom feature in Jal's epic We Want Peace music video.
Spearheaded by global hip hop sensation, actor, author and activist Emmanuel Jal, WWP has made a memorable mark in many parts of East Africa and the world, with the popular sing along debut, also titled, We Want Peace.

EMMANUEL JAL'S PEACE SONG FEATURING ALICIA KEYS AND GEORGE CLOONEY

Emmanuel Jal has been on the fore front to highlight the issues that face Southern Sudan after the January 9 referendum. The single We Want Peace is a call for peace, protection and justice for all in Sudan and also for an end to conflicts affecting innocent people all around the world.
In his weblog, Jal says, "My country is on the brink of war. On January 9, Southern Sudan will vote for its independence to be free from a government who has slaughtered and displaced our people for 43 years. The country is currently led by a regime bent on controlling oil resources.



"80% of Sudan's oil fields are in the south, making it a prime battleground to displace our indigenous people. Both north and south are preparing for war, leaving innocent people at grave risk of major human rights violations. The last civil war between North and South claimed over 2 million lives, including my own mother."



We Want Peace features the legendary Peter Gabriel and a host of other big shot celebrities like George Clooney, Alicia Keys, Kofi Annan and Richard Branson among others all calling for peace.
Here is the music video shot in Kenya...

EMMANUEL JAL DATING SUPERMODEL

Sudanese Rapper and human rights activist Emmanuel Jal who was in the country for a series of shows including the just concluded Sudanese Summit is said to be dating America-Sudanese model Atong Arjok.
Jal refused to talk about the “relationship” between him and Atong saying, “it’s personal” but my sources swear by their small toes that the two are "an item". True story.



Anyhow, born on October 5, 1985 in California, Arjok is considered to be one of the top Nubian models to enter the fashion world since popular model Alek Wek. Arjok has made appearances in Glamour, Teen Vogue, Italian Vogue and Russian Vogue and most recently this year in British Elle editorial, photographed by David Slijper. She has also appeared on the popular television show Project Runway as a model.
Jal may have passionately refused to divulge his relationship with the model but he expressed his passionate about the summit hosted at the Louis Leakey Auditorium, Nairobi National Museum. “It was a celebration of the diversity and talent of young Sudanese as well as empower young people to bring peaceful change to Sudan through individual and collective action.”
He also released his track We Want Peace which echos the sentiments of Sudan’s youth in the run up to the January 9, 2011 referendum in Southern Sudan. He shot the video for the single that features English singer, musician and songwriter music legend Peter Gabriel, on Friday in Kibera. Gabriel’s daughter Ann Marie stars in the video.