Pulsers craze

Crystal Okusa and Matilda Nzioki

Westlands Clubs

"What’s the plan, can we meet in Westy later. Rezorous, Black D or Red Tape? It’s Ok, when you get there just call me. I will be club hopping around there," Apondi is overheard shouting, trying to make a phone conversation amidst the loud hooting of matatus at the Globe Cinema. The Friday plan is set in stone, so she quickly struggles to get space in the next crowded matatu to make it to her hostel at the USIU campus on Thika Road. The plan? To change for the night, and then back to Westy.

Jamnazi’s song Riziki was not a passing cloud when he lyrically expressed the lifestyle of Pulsers …kila kitu mwafanya usiku... This is clearly demonstrated by the crazy traffic jam on Mpaka Road that Apondi and her friends later get stuck in, trying to get parking, before jettisoning into the clubs on that street.

Loud hooting from guys at skimpy dressed chics crossing the road, teethering like Tero on their six-inch heels! The drunken motorists shout the obscene words at the chics, and then vent parking rage at fellow motorists. It’s almost 1am in the night, and no car is moving. It’s like 1pm on Mombasa Road. Guys come out of the cars to stretch, some even dash to the clubs for little wiggle while the traffic is on standstill. Like one long mechanical statue.

Generation Pulse – young, trendy dudes and chickas, mostly in their twenties, are always "into" something in any given season.

Despite the unbearable traffic outside, the three main clubs are overflowing with Pulsers, but no one wants to go home yet, since the party isn’t over until you party at any of the Westlands’ clubs.

Eunice and Sara explain – "the feeling that the Westlands’ atmosphere gives any other club cannot compare them."

"Many clubs come up everyday. Of course we try them out, just for curiosity, or even promise ourselves not to go to Westy for a whole weekend, and instead go to other clubs. But to be honest, we would not have an interesting story the next day like we usually do when we go to Westy," explains Eunice.

"On the other hand, the music in Westy is simply insane. You are sure to dance your head off, you don’t have to conform to being the lady who will not dance to Raga like you would if you went to those other clubs," adds Sara.

Mohawk

Gone are the days when a chick’s beauty would be described by how long and curly her hair was. The motto has changed; the shorter, queerer and more coloured it is, the trendier you are.

Up until the MAMA’s, when Akon’s DJ made an appearance with his distinct Mohawk, most guys were a bit skeptical about donning the Mohawk. But like a wave, the guys are now competing with the chics on who will be having the trendiest cut. Talk spiky, gelled or ruffled hair, no Pulser wants to be left behind in this craze.

When attending a function, it is easy to feel out of place thinking you missed the memo that asked most chics to style their hair in Mohawk style.

Afro-fusion

A contemporary genre of music that used to be associated with more laid-back personalities from the upper middle class has taken over the Eastside too. Pulsers, who gave little appreciation to the genre and their artists, have now embraced the genre now even listing it among "favourite kind of music" in the other craze Facebook. Coming in right before Raga unlike the case in the past.

Demystifying the idea behind Makmende has taken over the topical discussion that would otherwise been on Lil’ Wayne’s latest video. The Sauti Sol and Just a Band sites are becoming the most hit on. Just when you thought you have had it with the discussion of how the Sauti Sol band rocked at a concert, a Pulser hits you up with a Lazizi ring tone, which almost became ringtones the anthem.

Donning brightly coloured, flowered maxi dresses, Blankets n Wine is the place to be every first Sunday of the month. The organizer needs not advertise frantically as before. All you see, is a status update on the Facebook craze "Blankets n Wine this weekend, see you there, guys." Followed by 100 comments on how they can’t wait. Valerie Kimani came to the scene with her first album Baisikeli with most of the songs bordering the said genre. Critics did not even give her a chance, yet she was doing the same Afro-fusion binding Pulsers tightly right now.

Gladiators

One fashion trend that is setting pulsers and the world ablaze is the renaissance of gladiator footwear. We thought they were left for dead in the ’80s, but recently they’ve made a comeback. Whether one is in a social gathering, in a matatu or on the streets, you will not fail to spot many a trendy pulser in this Greek-warrior look.

The current girl-shoe fad comes in a dizzying array of styles, materials and colours. They can be stack heeded, flat or stiletto, from leather and even plastic in an increasing variety of colours and metallic finishes. In terms of detailing, they range from the plain and unadorned to the bejeweled, studded or embroidered.

"I love the comfortable gladiator sandals; the combination of leather and buckles looks great. I rock them with almost everything from dresses to skirts, jeans and shorts, besides them being a big fashion statement worn by celebrities and ordinary people alike," commented a youngster in a recent bash held by Pulse.

Originally modeled after the ancient Greek and Roman sandals, gladiators are basically a T-shape shoe with a strap running vertically up the foot with multiple horizontal straps meeting the vertical strap to form a T, and they normally have at least one strap going around the ankle. One common factor of gladiator shoes have is the piece of material running up the top and connecting to an ankle strap. The most popular among, the pulsers is the gladiator thong sandals and high heel boots or platforms with chunky wedge heels, for the rave.

Mavuno Church

Located in South C, the house of worship is popular with youngsters and our gospel and secular celebs too. Most of the congregation attributes its popularity among Pulsers to the practicality of the preaching, which go with the happenings of day-to-day life.

"Some of them look at it as a fad, but I go there for worship purposes and I think the youth like it because the pastors are young and lively . They talk about things ‘’live- live’’ they don’t shy; they mention chips fungas on the pulpit!

And of course they advice not to fungana," said 20 year-old Johnny, who attends the church. He adds that the preaching is based on topics of money, addictions, women, etc and the music is really lively.

This same music is what another ardent follower wishes was looked into. "I have been going to Mavuno since September 2007, and like the fact that it’s the first church that makes Christianity fun. Going to church is no longer a chore, but something I look forward to. I, however, wish they’d change the use of secular tunes as Christian songs where they keep the beat and change the lyrics," said 19-year-old Jennifer. She says the songs catch the flock off-guard and some people struggle to catch up with the new lyrics and end up singing the secular song instead.

Another reason why the church is all the rage among pulsers is that it’s amongst the few churches where funky and gospel songs like Imagine Me by Kirk Franklin are worship songs led by musician Kanji Mbugua. There are also stage performances by local artistes such as Juliani, A-star and Allan Aaron.

Not to mention ‘Mavuno’ tackles issues of Pulsaters (older Pulsers, over thirty five) head on.

Facebook and blogs

Any Pulser concentrating on their phone, at home, in traffic and even on the street in this day and age, there is a 70 per cent chance they are online, either blogging or ‘Facebooking’. Parents are complaining that kids are not talking to other family members at home instead choosing to spend the better part of their time online through their mobile phones.

It’s the latest remedy to killing boredom, thanks to the compatibility mode of latest phones. Indeed many new phones are coming with a preinstalled short-cut menu to this sites and even Safaricom mobile phone service provider have come up with a number that upon dialing, takes one straight to Facebook. Yes, that’s how popular and bigger this thing is growing by the day.

"Online blogging and social networking is the ‘it’, and anyone in school who’s not part of it dares not say it aloud," comments a 17-year old day-schooling pulser who admits to have been bitten by the craze.

A certain youngster who plans to go slow on the obsession dared ask her friends, "Will it destroy my life or impoverish my web experience?" The vast majority of Facebook users still predominantly use the platform to interact with friends and upload photos showing what they have been up to, play games and also do creative quizzes.

Related Topics

Pulse trends