PART TWO: KBC English Service...these were the days!

This is the second feed from the one I narrated yesterday. I was just about to tell you a little of how I spent my days --radio-wise--- as I waited to join University. For two years. Two whole years.

So, Station ilikuwa KBC English Service, ndio nionekane msee nimeishia chuo.

Hizo days, ma-fm stations, kina Kiss, Classic, Umoja na Metro hazikuwa zinashika huko ocha. Wazae na wasee wa kawa walikuwa juu ya KBC ‘idhaa ya Taifa’, ile ya Kiswahili, kusikia kina Leonard Mambo, Anunda Sakwa, Gladys Herude na Elizabeth Obege.

Mimi msee nilikuwa nadai vile ati nimefika chuo kubwa; man uliza msee yoyote Kakamega High School, ama Kach High, na utaambiwa sio chuo ya ma-softie. Kila mtu ni hardcore. So redio ni English service, ndio nisikie John Karani na Charity Karimi wakihost Beat-Time Show, saa zingine Jeff Mwangemi , lakini sanasana Jeff alikuwa msee wa ku-bring ile show ya Reggae noma sana kila Thursday eight asubuhi hadi nine, na repeat kila Monday afte, saa nane.

Hapo katikati, kulikuwa na show noma noma, morning Bill Odidi na Magdalene Muchoki.

Saa sita ni kina Mukami Gyoshe (siku hizi anajiita Winnie Mukami), Catherine Ndonyi, John Obong’o Junior, na Lora Okall. Show ilikuwa inaitwa ‘Mid-day melodies’, show moja fyam, na unajua hapo ndio ma-late adolescence, so love songs ndizo hizo. Halafu Winnie, Lora na Catherine walikuwa juu tu sana, wanaku-explainia song hadi unawika.

Sahi John Obong’o, Catherine na Catherine Kimuyu ndio wanadondosha show, na nikisikiza hiyo, halafu ma-six jioni niget ile inaitwa “Sun Downer”nasikia kupiga nduru.

John na Charity walikuwa juu sana, time ingine wanaleta macountdown za chat. Hii ilikuwa Monday morning na Saturday night (Saturday Night Show). Wana-dictate lyrics za song wewe ukiandika na pencil ya Staedtler home, masikio kwa redio.

Wasee wanacall kusifia wimbo flani na ikiwa number one, inakuwa repeated mara kama ten in a day. Kila presenter akiingia ama kila caller akipiga simu, hiyo ndio request.

Nakumbuka song ya “Who let the dogs out…who, who, who,” ikichezwa mara kadhaa.

Fridays afte, kina John na Charity, hii combi ilikuwa deadly, walikuwa wanaleta reggae. Dance halls pekee. Zenye kina Peter Andre, Admiral Tibet, kina Lord Laro, Frankie Paul na Freddie McGregor walikuwa wanarock sana.

Ukirudi Kenyan, kina Mighty KingKong, ule boy alikuwanga DJ hizo siku za before halafu akaishia kuwa presenter KBC, then Metro kabla a-die. Manze, KingKong, rest in peace. Ulikuwa inspiration. Songs kama Lady’s Choice bado sijasahau.

Jah Key Marley na ile song yake ya ‘Dhuluma’ na ‘Charoni ni wasi’ na Anna Wakesho mwenye alikuwa famous na “Bwana nipe pesa” ndio masong’s nakumbuka.

Halafu pia kuna ma-legend wa mashow. Itakuwa vako niki-insist ati English Service ama GS (General Service) ilikuwa complete bila ile show ya Jeff Mwangemi ya salamu kila Wednesday night kuanzia saa mbili hadi saa tatu.

Walikuwa wanaiita “Yours for the Asking”, lakini alikuwa ame-corrupt “asking” na kuiweka “axing”. Ni story na kusikiza reggae kibao hadi una-think kama ma-nutty wa Jamaica.

Hii show ilikuwa poa sana, ile style Jeff anaanza show na ngoma ingine ya down south, South Africa. Jina ya ngoma yenyewe sijui, lakini mpaka leo, nikisikia hiyo song nakumbuka hiyo show.

Kuna place kwa hiyo song huyo lead singer anabambika hadi anasema “ooosh” time beat imebamba. Ungesikia Jeff akirepeat hiyo place like mara kumi akirudia, ama tuseme kwa hiyo lugha ya Ma-dj, ‘akiloop’ hiyo place, basi ungejua ni nini nasema. Ilikuwa fyam major.

Sahi Jeff yuko Metro FM. Nasikia yeye ni sonko wa hiyo place, although sonko or no sonko, namrespect. Ile inspiration na advise alikuwa anapeana na bado anapeana ni poa sana.

Ametoa ma-boy mbali. Sahi, DJ flani alikuwa anaitwa Prince Otach, ako London majuu, ku-spin doba.

Prince Otach alikuwa mtaani, ku-hop maclub. Siku alikuwa invited ile show ya Doba ya KBC, boy alisema atacheza ma-remix za reggae za love songs noma noma. Sijawahi sahau hiyo show na vile Jeff alimvisha maua. Enyewe huyo boy alikuwa ameiva na aliivisha show.

So, juzi Jeff alimwita tena, Metro FM sasa. Boy anasema ako London na anasema vile ngoma zenye zinakunywa wakenya, ukienda London unaweza gongwa juu hizo ni vitu old sana.

Ati sijui ngoma ikiwa two months old, kama DJ hufai kuicheza kwa club ama machupa zitakumaliza kwa hiyo cube yako. Story zake zilikuwa zinashow msee ako- determined na anakumbuka kule ametoka.

After show, akaambia Jeff ati atamnunulia iced tea. Iced tea kwa msee alikuwa anaishi ghetto na sahi anajua iced tea, chai flani ya mababi, hata mimi haijawahi nipandisia. Lakini hiyo ndio alisema ilikuwa favourite yake.

Prince Otach alinifunza my third lesson in humility: Haijalishi umetoka wapi, hata ukifika juu, wasee ulikuwa nao usiwahi wa-forget.

Kuna song ya reggae hiyo huimba ati “on your way up, don’t burn bridges,” since huenda time utaanza ku-fall down, utaneed hizo mikono za wasee wako down ziku-prop.

So, Prince Otach, hadi sahi, although sijawahi mcheki hivi, sijamsahau. Ni boy nampea respect to the max.

Jeff pia ali-prop up kina King Monday, DJ flani alituwacha hii juzi ya 2009, akiwa DJ hii klabu ya hapa Tom Mboya street inaitwa Pink Elephant.

Papa Bingi, ule DJ alianzisha Shashamane International, one of the first deejaying outfits in the country, pia amepass kwa mikono ya Jeff on his way to fame. Jeff Mwangemi ni legend.

Metro FM, 101.9 FM iki-relaunch juzi kama station ya Reggae, Jeff aliinua ma-dj kibao. Kuna Ras Ken, Junior Dread na DJ Stano.

Kama unafikiri ni joke, basi angalia sahi vile hao wasee ni ma-legend. Hata kama mshande ni less, at least aliwapea hiyo opportunity, kiasi kwamba wasee wanawajua, na kama promoter ana show, basi ma-dj na ma-mc kibao wako Metro. The power of radio msee wangu.