Jua Cali recalls how his first radio interview almost went horribly wrong
Kenyan Genge artiste Jua Cali has recalled the first time he went for a radio interview. Jua Cali revealed that the interview was a morning show on Nation FM way back in 2001. He had just released his first single Ruka alongside Nonini under and Clemo’s Calif Records label.
While all emotions were heightened and their choice of words was thoroughly chosen, Jua Cali said they all had butterflies in their stomachs when listeners started calling in. And to their big disappointment, the first caller really put them down.
“The first time ever we went for a Radio interview ilikua around 2001 morning show ya Nation FM Bernard Otieno ndio alikua host we as Calif Records had just released our 1st Single Ruka tulikua mimi, @Noninimgenge2ru na Clemo so Ruka ikachezwa halafu listeners wakaambiwa wapige simu, the 1st caller kupiga ashalia ‘What is that! Hizo ni nini!’
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“We as young artistes tulishtuka damn tumejiingiza kwa noma gani hii? It just so happened the legendary Bruce Odhiambo RIP was tuned in too so he called in too na akatuambia ‘jamaa endeleeni hivyo hivyo nyinyi ndio mnajua dream yenu and no1 should discourage you’ Hio phone call moja ilitupatia morale ingine noma sana!” Jua Cali tweeted.
The Ist time ever we went for a Radio interview ilikua around 2001 morning show ya NationFm Bernard Otieno ndio alikua host we as Calif Records had just released our 1st Single RUKA tulikua mimi, @Noninimgenge2ru na Clemo so Ruka ikachezwa halafu listeners wakaambiwa wapige simu,… pic.twitter.com/s06snKPgVp
— JuaCali (@juacaliGenge) June 17, 2023
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In the early 2000s, Jua Cali dominated the airwaves, with hits like Bidii Yangu, Kiasi as well as the chart-topping Kwa Heri in 2008, where he featured the talented R&B artiste Sanaipei Tande.
“Genge as a genre has hip-hop elements when we rap, but we localized and made our beats unique to our culture. After Genge, we have Gengetone music, which is what young musicians are currently creating. Gengetone is a sub-genre of Genge and has been heavily influenced by Genge music,” he recently said in an exclusive interview with Nairobi News.
His currently promoting his newly released Utu Uzima album which took him three years to complete.
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