The Pit London

View Original

Mbona

Blah Records’ videographer and first female signing Nah Eeto enlist Kenyan MCs Thayu Mwas and Asum Garvey for her track ‘Mbona’. It’s title means ‘Why?’ in Swahili and may also refer to the famous shrine for a rain god in the Republic of Malawi. The floodgates open with Asam Garvey rapping “How come you still giving me lip? / Man embarrassed himself trying to get this drip.”

The tune is produced by the formidable Lee Scott, complete with spaced-out synths to match the vocalists’ Valium flows. Their rhymes bounce between English and Swahili, expressing the linguistic diversity of Kenyans. Nah Eeto also captures elements of Kenyan life in the music video, which she edited and directed herself. We see the three MCs touring the streets of Kariobangi and hanging out with the kids in the community, where Nah Eeto raps “I'm out here in Nyeri wearing a bally.”

Look out for more from the queen of Blah Records and be sure to check out Thaya Mwas and Asum Garvey’s releases via Hotbox Music.