Brian Ouko Omollo alias Khaligraph Jones is one of the best Kenyan rappers of all time whose immense contribution to the Kenyan Hip Hop culture.
Khaligraph Jones has been flying high the Kenyan flag as far as the music industry in concerned while making waves in the business world and investment.
His illustrious career has seen him put Kenya on the world map with several awards to his name while also inspiring a generation from his own experiences.
Armed with nothing but big dreams, sheer determination and raw talent, Khaligraph Jones rise to the top is not only inspirational, but also a journey of resilience.
Early life, family, education & link to Kayole
He was born on June 12th,1990 in Nairobi’s Kayole estate and Brian Ouko Robert.
His mother named him after influential Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Robert John Ouko who was assassinated in his prime on February 13, 1990, four months before Khaligraph Jones was born.
He is the 4th out of seven siblings and very close to his to his mother.
He spent his formative years in Kayole and remains proud of his roots, with the estate holding a special place in his heart.
His close ties with Kayole where he has inspired a generation that it is possible to achieve dreams through sheer hard work and determination reflect in his songs and videos.
Coming from a humble family, Khaligraph faced numerous challenges in his high school journey.
Spending most time out of school as his family struggled to pay his school fees are among the challenges he faced but soldiered on, with the rapper revealing in a past interview that he scored a D+ in his KCSE exams.
Working as a bouncer, challenges & music career
From a young age, Khaligraph realized his potential in music, with his career dating back to when he was in Primary school.
A function called Words And Pictures (WAP) gave Papa Jones who was hungry for success a glimpse of the entertainment industry.
Working as a bouncer & dismissal that turned out to be a blessing
Upon completing high school, Khaligraph landed a gig as a bouncer at a club in Nairobi, with a modest income of Sh500 per night.
An internal dispute which rendered him jobless turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he decided to fully embrace his music dream.
The environment around him shaped his worldview as he teamed up with talented peers including HopeKid who went to the same school.
Jones admitted that his elder brother who was also a music enthusiast influenced his love for music at an early age.
He collaborated with HopeKid who was equally talented and hungry for success on gospel music.
Winning the Channel O Emcee Africa in 2009 was a huge milestone that ushered Khaligraph Jones to the world, giving him nationwide acclaim and visibility that propelled his career to the next level.
Contributions to Kenya’s Hip Hop culture
He revolutionised the industry with his lyrical prowess, perfect rhyme and sheer talent and has contributed immensely to Kenya’s HipHop culture.
2012 saw him drop "Tema ma Verse," a collaborative single with legend Abbas Kubaff who was on top of his game at the time.
His debut studio album, Point of No Return, released in 2014 made it clear to the world that the talented rapper had come of age.
This was quickly followed by another masterpiece, Autograph which is a collection of previously released tracks all in one serving.
His energy, creativity and poetry comes to life in his songs, with the same reflecting in his live performances.
A mixtape called Eff Off released in 2015 and the release of his second Album Testimony 1990 in 2018 cemented his place among the greats.
Over the years, a hardworking Khaligraph Jones ensured that his fans got reliable and steady supply of his quality music by releasing hit songs and thrilling them at live performances which saw him build a huge fanbase.
“Mazishi", "Now You Know", "Toa Tint" "Yes Bana", "HAO" and "Sifu Bwana" are among the chart-topping hits to his name.
With the support of his colleagues in the industry such as rapper Kristoff who was among the first people to collaborate with Papa Jones and later introduced him to rapper STL and blew up in the remix to the song Biashara, Khaligraph worked his way to the top.
His hit songs “Mazishi” and “Yego” were well received, with the two albums to his name receiving a similar reception.
Contribution to Kenyan Hip Hop culture and nurturing talent
Over the years, the rapper expanded his reach beyond Kenya’s borders, taking the world by storm and gaining global recognition.
He was one of the 2 artists chosen to represent Kenya in Coke Studio Africa alongside RnB star Nikita Kering’ and worked with the latter in a mashup of her hit song "Ex."
Having attained greatness and aware of the challenges that aspiring artistes face the rapper continues to contribute to Kenyan Hip Hop culture and providing a platform to rising talents and the next generation of rappers in his "Khali Cartel" series.
This has given the talented rising stars the much needed exposure and introduced them to an audience already familiar with Khaligraph.
Business Empire: How Khaligraph Jones makes his money
Khaligraph is a shrewd entrepreneur keen on expanding his revenue streams and diversifying.
He runs and operates a record label, BluInk Corp located in Kilimani, Nairobi that is the home of some of Kenya’s greatest hits.
He is also working with several reputable brands both as an ambassador and in endorsements.
Luc Belaire sparkling wine brand, Galactic Kenya, Oppo Mobile, Tusker, Monster energy drink, Erisstoff drink, Safaricom, Captain Morgan are among the brands that he has worked with.
He is also the brains behind Omollo Customz, a car dealership company that collects and trades in luxurious cars.
He boasts of an enviable car collection which includes; a Mercedes Benz, a Lexus LX570, a Chrysler, and a Subaru among others.
Khaligraph recently movement into his mansion that cost a fortune, with his net worth rising sharply.