“Mbui!” The fans next to me started chanting the word. I didn’t know the word, but I felt him. The reference from his days at Mombasa’s Art Cocktail came to mind as we reminisced about the coastal city's escapades and his journey as the self-proclaimed Kamba Rap King.

“Music is an art of inspiration, and what better way to own your art and make an impact than being proud of your heritage and spit flawlessly in vernacular?” posed Nicholas Mwinzila Anthony, AKA Real A (Real African).

I first interacted with Real A in 2021 at Jukwaa Arts, Mombasa, on a warm Tuesday Evening. His energy had the packed room jamming to his songs and swaying in the humid heat as he delivered bars in Kikamba, strutting the stage in a dashiki and red Nike Air Force.

It hit me like stumbling into a sermon at a protest. I’d never seen Kikamba bars cause a roomful of wacoasti to bounce like that.

“Well, shifting to pure Kamba rap in 2020 was first met with skepticism, but I understood my assignment as a bard. If I needed to tell our story, I needed to do it in a way that the audience could relate and feel a part of the sonnet,” Real A says.

And to do so, he became his first listener, musing in private and getting the energy right.

“Music transcends boundaries, and the moment you master yourself and have the energy right, it doesn’t matter where you are or the size of your audience, whether they understand you or not, mtaconnect na mchizi pamoja.”

Real A, whose catalogue currently boasts six studio albums and 2 eps, with another major project dropping later this year, says as a performing artist, it’s critical to perform with a live band or a raw beat and master your craft.

“The audience needs to feel the raw delivery to have a memorable experience at your show,” he says.

Real A further adds that a memorable show is pegged on a lot of factors.

“Hufai kubahatisha the sound quality, the setup, the theme, and the choice of music to perform. Everything needs to move as a unit, perfect in every way. It is also important to constantly engage with your fans leading up to the day of the show, during the show, and after the show. How? One may ask.”

Mbui says social media works like a magic wand where he gets ideas from his fans on how to curate the show and feedback on past shows.

“I am a brand. Owning the Kamba rap space is a daily grind, and to that, I strive. My ‘Mbui Merchandise’ is meant to be a memento. Whenever you put on the cap, t-shirt, hoodie, or other apparel, you feel pride in your African traditions and heritage.”