Luo stars Dolla Kabari, Musa Juma inspire rapper The Goat WazM's culturally rich album 'Nyadhi'

Kenyan rapper The GOAT WazM has finally released his 6-track album dubbed Nyadhi. 

The album draws heavily on the rich musical heritage of Luo traditions, with WazM citing legendary Luo artists like Musa Juma, Dolla Kabari, and Omondi Tony as key influences.

“Their music shaped my understanding of rhythm and storytelling,” he says. 

“With Nyadhi, I wanted to honor that legacy while creating something fresh and relatable for today’s audience.”

Produced in collaboration with producer Amoh, the album marks a creative turning point for WazM. 

Amoh’s insistence on a distinctly Kenyan sound pushed the rapper to dig deeper into his cultural roots. 

“Amoh challenged me to make music that feels like home,” he says. “This album is as much a love letter to my heritage as it is a statement of where Kenyan hip hop can go.” 

One of the standout aspects of this album is its approach to songwriting.

“For the first time, I flipped my creative process, writing lyrics live in the studio as beats were being produced. This approach gave my music a raw, spontaneous energy that captures the synergy between myself and the sound in real time,” he says.

The album’s emotional centerpiece, Juliana, although not based on a real story, he talks about meeting Ugandan music icon Juliana Kanyomozi. 

“It’s not a true story, but I had fun imagining it,” he adds. 

Meanwhile, Juogi, another single has emerged as the album’s runaway hit, “I can’t even explain why this song connects so deeply, It just got this vibe that pulls people in.”

The album’s fusion of Luo-inspired lyricism and modern hip hop sensibilities is being hailed as a blueprint for the future of Kenyan rap.

WazM shows no signs of slowing down as he has already announced a series of live performances alongside Stickman Boiz and Ishmael Double OO. He further promises on additional releases in the pipeline.