Being a female DJ in Nairobi is not easy
‘Ikibamba sana wapi nduru weweee’. (If you’re having fun, scream!) This is one of many famous phrases used by DJs to hype crowds in clubs or outdoor parties, as they urge the crowd to let loose and dance to music.
Being a DJ has become a lucrative business going by the number of entertainment groups that have formed to increase their chances of earning a living.
While a majority of Kenyans are guided in the conservative way — go to school, get an education find a well paying job — many youths are breaking away from that age-old norm to join the business of disc jockeying.
Life of the party
Commonly known to be the life of the party, these men and women dedicate themselves to reading, and directing, the mood of the party.
Over the years women have proved that they can work well in this male-dominated field.
DJ’s such as Pierra, Redbone, 21, Novia, Lil Mo, Eel, Tabbz, Shock Africa amongst others are some women in the DJ business. As Makena, aka DJ Pierra (pictured above on the left) said: “It is not easy because people associate you with a loose life and all sorts of evil, yet this is a job like any other.”
DJs in Nairobi earn anywhere from Sh40,000 for a club gig to Sh200,000 for a corporate event. Not bad for someone breaking away from tradition. Not bad at all.