Susumila, Amoxco and Chibo Dee urge artists to embrace culture in modern music

Kilifi artists Susumila, Amoxco and Chibo Dee are calling on upcoming artistes to embrace their cultural identity while incorporating modern urban sounds, saying authenticity is what will help Kenyan music stand out on the global stage.

Speaking during an interview on KTN, the three musicians said many young artistes are chasing foreign trends instead of building on the rich languages and cultures that already exist in Kenya. They argued that audiences connect more with rhythm, energy and emotion than with understanding every word in a song.

“There has been a transition,’Mziki unaweza kufanywa kwa aina nyingi bora tu unaconnect your audience,sisi mziki tuonaoufanya kwa sasa una midundo ya segele na mwanzele,tukijumuisha mziki wa kisasa na imekua ikipokelewa vizuri’’ said susumila.

According to the artistes, Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie as an example of an artiste who has successfully remained true to his roots while achieving continental success. By blending his Ghanaian rap style with Nigerian Afrobeats and other contemporary African sounds, Sarkodie has built a unique brand that resonates with audiences across Africa without sacrificing his identity.

“Nilipoanza mziki sikua naimba lugha ya mama but nilipojaribu kuimba na lugha ya mama fan page yangu iligrow nikaona watu wamekubali nikaembress mziki wa kiasili’’ said Amocxo.

The trio also pointed to the popularity of South Africa's Amapiano across Kenya proves that music is driven by feeling as much as language. Although many Kenyans do not understand the lyrics in most Amapiano songs, they continue to embrace the genre because of its infectious beats and danceable production.

"Mziki ni vibe,nyimbo tunazozifanya sisi zina mdundo wa kisasa tukiconnect mafans wetu wa nyumbani pamoja na kukubatia asili yetu ya kiafrika," said Chibo dee.

They encouraged musicians to fuse local languages and cultural storytelling with contemporary urban beats, saying such a blend creates music that is both authentic and commercially appealing. They noted that preserving culture through music does not mean abandoning modern production, but rather using it to present African stories in a fresh and relatable way.

They said Kenya has the talent and cultural diversity needed to create globally competitive music. They urged the next generation of artistes to stop imitating international acts and instead draw inspiration from their communities, languages and traditions while embracing modern production techniques.