Dreekz: I once slaughtered a goat in pursuit of blessings

Dreekz is a British-Kenyan hip-hop artist with sounds and vibes that blend UK hip-hop beats with his Nairobi roots and culture.

Writing and performing all his own material, Dreekz's natural lyricism and vocal harmonies fuse UK rap with the latest Afrobeat and Amapiano sounds to serve up a beautiful mix of the best of London and Nairobi.

Born in Swindon, UK, and with a deep well of musical inspiration from his Kenyan family, Dreekz has been writing music, playing drums, and performing at Church gospel choirs since the age of 12.

A gifted dancer, with skills boosted as an elite-level youth goalkeeper at Reading FC Academy, he broke onto the scene with his debut 2022 single "Party" and electric "Kenyan Freestyle" rap that went viral on Tiktok. Amapiano's anthem "Down For Me" was released in May 2023.

"My sound is unique," says Dreekz. "My beats come from my UK surroundings and my musical heart is Kenyan. I want to create music that can bring the UK scene to East Africa and amplify my Kenyan flavour to my UK fans. My challenge is to connect the UK sounds with my Nairobi roots. I strive to make beats and songs that bring in my Swahili language and carry these vibes to my UK audience."

While now plying his trade in the UK, Dreekz has had some experiences in Nairobi that were normally not his usual cup of tea.

"Since I was a little boy, I regularly travelled to my family home in Ongata Rongai, and each time I went there, I have such good memories of the smells of roasting Nyama choma and trips with my cousins to the Mathioya River near my Grandad's village. I spent so much time listening to Mugithi music with my Dad and Kenya family and cannot wait to bring some of the music I have created back home to Kenya."

Well, while this doesn't sound any complicated, Dreekz narrates how he once had to slaughter a goat following his traditional roots. "There is this one time that the memory is still etched in my head. I was asked to present a live goat to my uncle and when I did, I was told to slaughter it in a traditional way in order to get his blessing," he says.

Dreekz has been hard at work in London recording studios all summer, working with some of the UK's most talented producers and mixers including Strikez the Mix.