The free-fall of Ogopa Deejays?

Jaguar, arguably the biggest artiste in Kenya currently, is enjoying the big media buzz thanks to his new hit single, Kioo.

The song was released at a time when the flamboyant singer’s other hits; Kigeugeu and Kipepeo, were still on top of the charts in a trail of three successful years during which the singer has dominated the local scene, reaping great financial returns. He is the highest paid artiste around.

However, as Jaguar laughs all the way to the bank, the same cannot be said about Ogopa Deejays, the reputable home of Kapuka where his allegiance of more than ten years was broken with the release of the Kioo track. The new single has been recorded at the new Main Switch production stable, an outfit whose main producer is Phillip Makanda aka Phillo, who was Ogopa’s long serving producer before he led a breakaway coup from Ogopa mid last year.

Ironically, the success of the 2011 produced Kigeugeu, which is the last big hit Ogopa Deejays produced, as well as other hits such as Avril and Marya’s Chokoza (also released in 2011) is synonymous with Phillo whose magic fingers mastered most of Ogopa’s big hits over the years, before he called it quits. Before Phillo left, Roberta Kithimba, who was Ogopa’s artistes’ manager, had left the stable over management issues leading the exodus, which was soon to rock Ogopa Deejays like a red headed monster. Unknown to many, Ogopa manager Emmanuel Banda, also shifted to the splinter Main Switch Events Company late last year throwing Ogopa into the deepest crisis it had to deal with since its inception two decades ago.

The two stables had a bitter showdown late last year as  Francis and Lucas Bikedo the brothers who owned the stable moved in to put their house in order, accusing the splinter group for riding on Ogopa’s fame to build their new base.

Phillo reacted angrily, telling them off as he denied the allegations.

“Rumours that we were using Ogopa Deejays logo to attract business opportunities are a fallacy. Main Switch Group Limited, being an events company through its proprietors, has invested heavily in concert equipment and, with its directors, affiliates and other industry stakeholders, aims to grow the live sound, music and entertainment in Kenya to greater heights,” Phillo reacted, after the media approached him for comment.

Clearly, the ensuing business conflict went full blown after Main Switch Events hit the road, overseeing major concerts like the Tetemesha concerts and the Emmy Kosgei and Daddy Owen-led Eldoret end of the year show. Ogopa artistes did not perform in the shows. However, the clout that has been synonymous with Ogopa Deejays with its artistes ruling most of the big events in Kenya was quickly crystallising. And now, the Ogopa family is a house in management turmoil.

Was the current Ogopa Deejays upset long overdue since back in the day when some of the rebel Ogopa recording artistes accused the management of favouritism with some alleging that only a few artistes were allowed to record and earn themselves concerts at the expense of others?  With most of the remaining artistes’ contracts expiring in coming months, is the biggest upset yet to befall the South B based recording hub?

How will Ogopa Deejays redeem itself as the pioneer of the so called Kenyan Kapuka beat at a time when new players like Grandpa Records seem to have changed the game? Even though the Ogopa Deejay’s surviving artistes Marya, Avril, Trapee, Kenzo and Moustapha denied reports that they could be ditching the stable, sources within Ogopa tell a different story.

Pulse has established that some of the artistes there are warming themselves to new stables either to record collabos, or sign recording deals once their contracts at Ogopa come to an end.

“The truth is that there is a wind of unease at Ogopa. The management structure is a bit fragile since the exit of Roberta and the rest and artistes are now having to hunt for their own concerts, yet they have a management contract with Ogopa,” a source within the stable told Pulse, begging to remain anonymous.

“Look at talented artistes like Kenzo and Trapee who have not had any hit song for years. How can an artiste feel comfortable at a stable where he is not releasing a hit single for more than three years? How do they survive? How do they feel when they see younger artistes who are even less known, making more cash than them?” the source reiterated adding that since the exit of Nameless and Wahu, Ogopa has never been the same again. The truth about Amani, who has been on a showbiz hiatus over the last two years, is uncertain, as indications are that she is discussing recording deals with another stable.

Besides Lucas, only producer Anto is left to handle the audio production assignments while Alphi keeps the video recording docket.

Events that triggered the closure of Ogopa’s Namibian sister company Ogopa Butterfly, last year pose more questions than answers since that came at a time when Ogopa’s fame in Southern Africa was on the rise. With unparalleled dominance as the unrivalled recording masters across East Africa, Ogopa Deejays sought to spread its tentacles by going South where they signed top groups among them continental stars Gal Level before creating the Ogopa Butterfly base in Windhoek where popular producer Suleh was posted to grow the business. The collaborative effort saw Gal Level and other Namibian groups work with Kenyan Ogopa Deejays singers, a thing that helped them enjoy a boom in music success across Africa, with most of them going ahead to win Channel O Video music Awards. However, mid last year, Ogopa Butterfly suffered a major blow after unnamed individuals— some say, people unhappy with Ogopa’s Southern quest— raided the studio and left with key electronics among them computer disks with artistes’ recorded material and other music back up material. The stable was forced to halt its operations and its key operators were recalled to consolidate efforts in Nairobi.

The Bikedo brothers retreated to regain their footing regionally, ostensibly before unleashing their might down South. And then came the Main Switch Events splinter group nightmare.

Complicating this new spin further, after leaving Ogopa, Phillo started working with Calif Records CEO, Clemo, who has been viewed as Ogopa’s biggest rival over the years, thanks to the Genge beat popularity. In fact, Main Switch Events is still working with Clemo on their soon-to-be-released project.

The well-crafted move seems to have Roberta in the loop as she has also gone into event management cutting deals with big entertainment stables like Bernsoft, the brains behind The Circle events. “I have never been signed to Ogopa. I have been working with them as a freelance artiste and Phillo has been doing all my songs. I am still going to be working with them. We have no differences,” Jaguar told Pulse during a recent interview before the Main Switch crew flew with him to Dubai to shoot his recent release.

It is not certain at what point the two groups parted ways as the original sign was that Main Switch Entertainment was a subsidiary events company working within Ogopa.

 When contacted by Pulse, Phillo explained that he was the one who bought the sound equipment, at a cost of Sh7 million and decided to create Main Switch.  “Working Main Switch under Ogopa seemed to bring in conflicts, so I thought it was time to move, after serving for five years,” Phillo told Pulse. Main Switch Entertainment Company has Main Switch Studio and Main Switch Sound as its subsidiaries.

“In case any artiste suggests crossing over after their signed contract with Ogopa expires, we can always discuss that with Lucas,” he added.  With a repertoire that many would envy and after pioneering of some of the acclaimed continental giants among them Nameless, Amani, Wahu, Tattuu, Mr Lenny The Longombas, Peter Miles, Bebe Cool, Redsan and Chameleone, as well as the late E-Sir and K-rupt, one can hardly believe Ogopa is facing such a threatening disarray, putting its operations in jeopardy. Many music lovers and Ogopa Deejays diehards can only hope that Ogopa can sail past the current doldrums in its quest for African supremacy.

“There is a lot in store. I am back to the studio (Ogopa), working on my new songs,” Marya told Pulse a week ago. “This may be a good year,” said Moustapha who recently released new video directed by Lucas, Lenga stress.