7 iconic Kenyan bands & music groups that dominated airwaves: Where are they now?

Kenya’s entertainment scene has witnessed the rise of iconic bands that rose to fame, taking the Kenyan rhythm globally and captivating audiences with quality music and great entertainment.

After setting standards for a while and attaining fame, a number of these bands ceased to exist, leaving fans hungry for more of their quality music.

A reunion is not off the table for some, it remains a distant possibility for many bands whose members parted ways and moved on to other things.

Some members have since attained success as solo artists and their fans can continue to have a piece of their talent.

For others, memories and good music produced while in existence is all fans have to remind them of times beyond.

Kleptomaniax

Made up of the legendary Nyashinski (Nyamari Ongegu), Roba (Robert Manyasa) and Collo (Collins Majale), Kleptomaniax was a household name in Kenya’s entertainment.

The band ruled the airwaves with its chart-topping hits such as Tuendelee, Haree, and Furahia to Magnetic and Psycho.

The band was a trail-blazer until its split with Nyashinksi relocating abroad for greener pastures and Collo going solo as an artist. Roba also relocated to the U.S, marking the end of a beautiful chapter for the band that landed a surprise nomination for MTV Europe Music Awards.

Nyashiski has since returned with unrivalled energy, talent and lyrical prowess propelling him to the top of Kenya’s entertainment scene.

Collo produces gospel music while Roba relocated to the U.S at the time when the group went under.

Tatu: The 3 ladies who added flavour to Kenyan music

The all-girl band was a breathe of fresh air in an industry dominated by men.

The trio of Angela Mwandanda, Angie Ndambuki, and Debbie Asila was a perfect team that gave club bangers which dominated the entertainment scene until their split.

The trio parted ways with to pursue separate careers in music, media and corporate sector.

Camp Mulla: Flair, quality & talent made in Kenya

When the group released Party Don’t Stop, it was the hope of their fans that the music too wont stop as the group promised to quench the thirst of their fans with their quality music.

Miss Karun, Taio Tripper, Shappaman and Marcus were the band members and together, they scaled new heights, bagging several awards including Chaguo La Teeniez and became the first Kenyans to be nominated for BET awards.

Made of five members from affluent families, the group was known for its quality HipHop music with top-notch videos and audio that rivalled what Kenyans only saw from established musicians in America.

The party finally stopped in 2013 when the group parted ways to pursue different interests and solo careers.

Necessary Noize: Kenyan flavour

The group comprised of female MC Nazizi Hirji, veteran dancehall artiste Wyre Kevin and Bamzigi was a force to reckon with in the 2000s and released hit after hit unappologetically.

Hits such as ‘Kenyan Gal, Kenyan Boy’ and ‘Bless my Room’ propelled the group to fame, fueled by the media explosion that the country was witnessing with several privately-owned radio stations coming up.

After years of success, the group parted ways with Wyre and Nazizi embarking on solo careers which they equally excelled in.

GidiGidi & MajiMaji: Onto the next challenge

The talented hip-hop duo of Julius Owino aka MajiMaji and Joseph Oyoo alias GidiGidi was a household name in the entertainment scene.

Their Unbwogable hit song was a campaign anthem that swept NARC to power, and earned them fame under that stables of South African Record label, Gallo.

Having achieved what they set out to do, the duo parted ways to pursue other endeavours.

GidiGidi is a notable media personality and hosts a show on Radio Jambo while Maji Maji is the managing director for Ghetto Radio.

Sauti Sol: From Kenya to the world

Undoubtedly one of Kenya’s most successful band, Sauti Sol took a hiatus in 2023, marking what many hope is a pause and not the end of the band that captivated audiences for 18 straigh years.

The four band mebers have been releasing solo projects with occasional reunions which are often well received by fans who are yearning for more of the Sauti Sol magic.

Le Band

With many iconic bands closing shop, Le Band stepped in to fill the void.

The once-promising band made of Fidel Eli Shammah (charisma), Ken Mwendwa (man with the bass) and Joel Maina, shot to fame in 2017 with their hit song Number 1 pushing them to celebrity status.

Thing however fell apart just when fans were hoping that the trio would stick together, with claims that money was at the center of the split.