This is why music big wigs were overthrown this year

                       Jaguar has been one of 2013's consistent artistes

At the beginning of the year, sensational gospel star Jimmy Gait made an unusual decree.

He told the media that he was taking a music break and that he would not take interviews until further notice. Then, there came the black out.

He had made immense gains as he enjoyed national popularity thanks to the Safaricom Live concerts through which he had also cashed in millions the previous months. His Make It or Make It campaigns had almost become bigger than the Safaricom Live earth moving extravaganzas. He had made mad cash through callback ringtones and the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MSCSK) royalties.

His media blackout stance provokes one to think of one of the Biblical parables in the book of Luke 12.

 “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

But God said to him, ‘You fool!...”

By the time brother Jimmy was making his comeback in October with his Appointment single, a lot had happened in the showbiz scene. Juliani had swept through the field with his massively successful Utawala hit, Rufftone’s Mungu Baba video had received overwhelming praise from music lovers from across all generations, Willy Paul’s and Bahati’s Lala Salama and Machozi, respectively, were battling for the number one spot and Gloria Muliro had run away with the gospel trophy. It was too much too late for Jimmy.

It could have been a strategy for them to keep everything on the down low this year but records did not look favourable for Jimmy, Daddy Owen and Jua Cali, three celebrated artistes who were expected to make huge music statements this year.

Even after Jua Cali tried to make a comeback with well penned hits like Kuna Sheng’ and Baba Yao (featuring Sanaipei), he didn’t make much of an impact on the music charts. However, wherever he went for concerts, his crowd pulling magic charm continued. 

It wasn’t even a good year for Avril, Marya, Prezzo, Madtraxx, Kenzo, Mejja, Moustapha and other showbiz trusted names as the race inched towards the newcomers and the likes of DNA, Octopizzo and Rabbit.

Representing the new kids on the block Grandpa records (who have no doubt eclipsed Ogopa and Calif to become the number one music mass production house in the country), DNA’s 2012 Maswali ya Polisi fire seemed unstoppable and as the song continued its dominance, Grandpa Family released Chapa — Fimbo ya Pili to confirm the stables new found success. In fact, with this top artistes like Amani, Amileena, Wyre and Kidis among others ditched their stables to started pledging loyalty to the Reffiga owned studio.

Kenrazy hit the last nail on the coffin with Hivi Ndivyo Kunaendaga, another Grandpa records song also featuring V-Sita and Majirani.

But one artiste who has remained consistent in the game is Jaguar. After Matapeli, he released Kigeugeu and then in 2013, he unleashed Kipepeo, a song that has enjoyed a lead spot since the video was released in May, this year. Jaguar has made millions this year, week after week to the envy of many. It is argued that besides Diamond whose two singles Nataka Kulewa and Number One have dominated through East Africa, Jaguar was the man to beat this year. And that was not just in music charts.

He was also one of the biggest Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) earners besides carrying philanthropic activities all over the country.

 Is someone reasoning that P Unit and Sauti Sol stands to be counted? Over to you.