LOVE CHILD SURPRISE

Watching the bodies move was pure delight. The mood was magnetic. The energy palpable. the space was turnt ! Heads bobbing, feet shuffling, bodies shifting in sudden sways. The crowd was in sync. All flowed in perfect rhythm to the Nairobi urban beat. This was an 'odi' dance rupture beneath sunny, cyan skies. Not at all what I expected to be partaking in when I woke up this dreary October morning. Nairobae had surprised me yet again.

It started out as a regular Saturday afternoon with me idly passing time at my favorite hangout - the Alchemist in Westlands. The moody, cloudy morning with its threats of rain had opened up to spaces of gentle, radiant sheen. I was seated at my favorite table at the far edge. My back to the wall,  I commanded the entire scene, the perfect vantage for a voyeur. With a cool beverage on hand and a travel magazine before me. I was having a self indulgent mini vacation.

Sudden rapid drumming catches my attention. A caramel skinned girl in a short purple and yellow  ethnic dress revealing forever legs in pristine white sneakers is having a go at the conga. There is a rush of activity on stage. Microphone, back-line and audio visual set up for what I assumed was in preparation for tonights act. Two ladies, thick and proud, crowned with kitenge head wraps promptly set themselves up on high stools behind adjacent microphones and begin harmonizing melodies.

There is a sudden steady crescendo of chatter as patrons trickle in filling up the spaces. This is rather unusual for an early Saturday afternoon. Raucous laughter punctuates the air, youthful braggadocio, jesting and flirting. Its clear by the display of camaraderie that this is a select milieu, college kids for sure, I surmise. Something is up. 

The Deejay on deck suddenly cranks up the music and out blares the late E'sir"s hit "kuna bamba, kuna shika, … BOOM BOOM BA ! " The reverberations of Nairobi throw back hits in rapid successions tremors the structures and sends the juveniles into a frenzy. Whoops, shrieks and wild leaping catches the easy laid back mix of expats, tourists and local regulars by surprise. 

Twenty minutes into the set the DeeJay scratch halts the track and onto the stage pounces a man in a a faded denim jacket, dark shades and a baseball cap. He grabs the mic and belts out melodically "This is an uprising !" pointing back out into the crowd. Wait a minute, could this be?! "YE -A-AH" punctuates some in the crowd to the popular reggae tune. A split second pause as recognition settles in. WYRE !!! screams a mohawk rasta chic with a bull ring to a paroxysm of cheers.

The high octane crowd is entertained with hit after hit from 'da Love Child' sizable catalogue spanning the last 2 decade from when he was a part of the trail blazing Necessary Noise, pioneers of the sounds of a new generation of East African urban music. He pays homage to his fellow Kenyan artists by sampling songs with his signature twist, a fusion of 'Genge' and 'Reggae'. An hour later he concludes thanking the still thirsty crowd who are begging for more.

Without missing a beat the Deejay cross-fades into the new WBC-Wasafi and Diamond Platinumz collabo release 'Jibebe' to vigorous applause. The exuberant off-key emcee hypes the crowd and together with 'conga girl and the back up queens he leads the crowd to the accompanying trending jig - each leg in turn stretched out to the side, hips twisting salaciously to the mid-tempo bongo groove.

Faces beaming, feet matching moves, the tourists, expats and reg'lars are done taking selfies. I too am done watching. We are all fully immersed in the musical fray of this spontaneous mid-afternoon theatre. Together we are one sun kissed euphoric wave of dance and song.

Sigh, Nairobae.