And I remember I made a whole tape of like 14 songs of trap beats and I still have them. Oh, nobody will ever find them. I. Need to hear those I need to hear. Can you play one? Could you play one as an intro for the podcast please bro? Please, you want me to play one for the intro? Please, I actually can. Like I act, I genuinely can. If I you know that. Yeah, the the one that went crazy, it went platinum on the streets was called Firetrap. I named. It firetrap.
I was, yeah, it was called Firetrap and I was so proud of that beat. If I'm on this beat. FM off. His feet. You what's going on, what is up, what's going, what's going on? Everybody, welcome to the 30% episode 100 of the 30% podcast that makes me happy. Episode 100. We've done this 100 times, Alpha. How are you feeling, man? Yo, yeah, man, bro, episode 100, man, that's insane. Like that's crazy. That's actually it's a real. It is. It is. I'm as excited as you.
Never could. I didn't think it would make it. Actually, no. I know what you're about to say. Let me let me not start singing, but yeah, no episode 100. They are shout out to everybody who's been listening to us and who is listening currently. Man, we really appreciate you. Like for real, for real, for real.
This is this is a podcast that we started to talk about the Kenyan music industry and the, the fabrics and the foundations and the frameworks or all FS and the frameworks of, of, of it and just like bring light, shed light to a couple of things, artists, music and everything. So yeah, man, it's very, very,
very rather. I'm very appreciate personally, I'm just very appreciative of, of what we get to do here and that you get to do it with the greatest of all time producer extraordinaire, future Grammy winner Affami Funa. Jeez, jeez, Affam himself. What do you have to say to my interview? Wow, OK. I mean, I appreciate, I appreciate, I appreciate the belief. No, Yeah, yeah, yeah, man, belief is everything. Yes, yes, How's it going? And likewise, likewise doing likewise.
Yeah, bro, I'm doing fine. I'm doing great. Yeah. Just chilling, man, for the 100th time. What am I even say? Anyway? Let me be serious. Yeah, I'm. I'm good, you know, happy to be here as always. Yeah, man, just living life. I mean, for me this week, I wouldn't say I've done anything like, you know, this. Noteworthy. Yeah. But yeah, yeah, yeah. Just existing I guess. How much is self man? It's cool, Cool. I've been.
Well this week was full of work. Was recording a voice over for the ad I was talking about, which was cool. I ran into a legend in the studio. Actually, I don't know. A lot of people might who. Did you? What did you run into? He's a legend in the Gospel scene. His name is Pete Odera. Well, I don't want to say old because he's still very youthful, but then I was like a very, very instrumental in terms of the Gospel scene. Like back in the day when it was bubbling.
He was part of them, He was part of some group and then he did his own sort of stuff. He's great. We were struggling with a voice over and he came into the studio and because he has experience, he just like, he just snapped everyone into place real quick and got results in half or less than half the time that we were that we're sitting there trying to figure out it, figure out how to get the emotion out of the voice of artists. But he was a bit talented, too.
I'm shouting. But yeah, anyway, so that was that school in the studio doing client work, which is always fun. Apart from that, not much happened Saturday. I was outside. I was outside. Oh really? I was outside. Where were you? Yep, took myself outside, went to CLC 1 male. She is back in the country from her tour and she is playing. She was playing in the Gecko Gecko Cafe. So that was that was fun. Yeah, it was it was a good show.
I mean, I wasn't. I need to learn how to do shows better and moving shows because I was, I was in the, I started the I just like sitting at the back and watching everything happen, being in front and like vibing and jumping to songs and, you know, the energy and hyper. Like for me, being outside is I'm I'm very, very, very comfortable and just being laid back and sing. So I was, I was not in front, but then it sounded good. She's a good performer.
Her band was was pretty, pretty good too. It was great. And then she sold much outside. I think I bought merchandise for the first time in a long time from an artist. I cut myself something from her much stand, which was really cool. She had a bunch of T-shirts, hoodies, vinyls of her projects and some like jewelry and stuff. So yeah, that was dope. That was dope. Met a couple of people out there. It was really fun.
Enjoy that. And then from there went over to went over to the to the mist mist, the mist in Westlands, same around Westlands, which is pretty not very far from. It's in the it's at the mall, it's at the mall. At the mall, yes, at the mall, At the basement of the mall. So that was very cool. That was cool. It was a gang, gang, gang, gang. Rather, I was going to say gang, gang, gang, gang. And the I forgot who the espresso was playing. So they had a show.
It was super dope, super dope. They had a show. They they they Samboga yeah, listen AKA yeah listen. Who was he had a set solo, had a set DJ and then Espresso came out. They did a couple of songs, did some of the unreleased stuff and some of the, you know, the hit players. Who else performed? TD Black was out there. TD Black performed. She's a very good. Yeah, she's she's dope. Like she she got the crowd really hype because I've never
seen her life. So that was interesting meeting her and, and and just seeing her performing the energy and everything. So that was really cool. Who else performed? A couple of people. Did you jump in to see it was them? So it was a mix between like Express will come on. Then they had an outperform extra. So yeah, at some point did Mr. perform Mr. Sneaky Link, which was cool. OK, Yeah, it was it was an
interesting first of them. When I got to the mist, it was the mist is a very I don't know, I don't mean this in about it, but it's a very like very shady looking spot, like it's just old. And and when I walked into the first thing I thought was like a bunch of crime cells have probably been committed inside this in this small spot. It's just a very Oh my. God. Sam. No. Can I say that Cook, Cook. Oh, no. But yeah, it was. I was like, oh man, this is a very, very interesting little spot.
But it was cool. This was very. It was, it was adequately. Was it? Was it packed? What the what the many people? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, that's it was, I mean, I would say it was full if everyone congregated together. I won't say it was probably halfway or maybe a little less than halfway. It wasn't. It wasn't like a big, big crowd, but it was cool. I saw a lot of a bunch of people in there from the music scene. Valerie Madonna was out there, Xenia was out there, Iana was
out there. Big Z. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just a whole bunch of people, man. I think I saw my AMOL at some point. Fire. Yeah, it was, it was, it's like that crowd, you know that. But they all, they all came out to, we all came out to support Express. That's what I wasn't planning on staying honestly when I got there first, but I decided to stay and see what the boys but. The vibes kept you there man. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I stayed, I stayed all the
way till the end. It was very cool, very cool. Interesting outing. And yeah, 1:00 AM. Went home, tried to espresso, man. Love what they're doing, man. I'm just happy for them. Mr. Liu Revamp. It's just cool seeing them go continue to create for so long, you know, from the SoundCloud days boys have been putting out. Those are those are those are the peers for real, man. Yeah. Because yeah, I know when I started producing like was around the same time like Mr. Liu was producing.
So like, it's just those are people who we've grown up with in the industry. Yeah, you just want to see them succeed. You just want to see them succeed. A lot of them in there. Yes, Sir. Yeah, yeah. So we talked about us doing Q&A last week and I want to say shout out to you guys for actually coming through and
asking us a bunch of questions. So yeah, we just kind of wanted to have like a chill episode where we just kind of, you know, it's an episode about the podcast essentially, and it's memories, IE myself and Sam. Yeah. So we're just kind of, yeah, we're just kind of talking about, you know, the questions that you guys asked and hopefully giving you guys more insight into who we both are. And yeah, so bro, I think I should just get right into it.
So Sam, my nephew actually asked a question on Instagram and he was asking why? He was essentially asking like, why I choose to get into music. So I want to extend that question to you and then I'll answer after that. So why did you choose to get into music? And like, how did that all start? How did I get into music? How did I get into music? I this is really interesting. Interesting.
So I think when I was younger, my dad bought me, you know, there's, I don't know if you ever got one of those Casio keyboards that had like preloaded songs on them and, and that you could like play. Yeah, I know the ones you're saying. I know the ones you're saying, yeah. So he brought well, let me let me start before that. From a younger age, I've always been interested in music. Like I used to sleep with the radio on listening to music in the night.
And it just it just said me in somehow in in some way, But then I wasn't really into it like that. And then when I got that keyboard, I started playing around. Funny enough, I didn't learn how to play the piano. What I'd the first thing I was doing was sampling, like I'd trigger the songs up there and the beats and stuff like that to try and make new songs rather than actually play the piano. I really wish I focused on playing the piano because now I'm struggling.
But yeah, so I did that and then for a while that was cool. And then I don't back in the days we had like Java phones, the the Java applications downloaded games from a graphic and whatnot, like Gameloft and stuff like that. There was this app called Vibe. So it was essentially what it was, was a mini DAW, yeah, where it had like kick snare, like maybe like a full drum set and then it had maybe a keyboard, a piano synth pad and like strings and stuff like that.
So I, that really fascinated me. So I started making ringtones, like remaking ringtones. Then I went into like producing, reproducing songs like I do like a Bob Marley, No Woman, No cry and like make the full song in ringtone mode on my phone. And I was so excited. I was like this is the best thing. Ever I remembered I remembered the ringtone mode I used to try and figure out how to like Make in the End by by Linkin Park. Yeah.
So that was called like I actually went to look for it because that's it was instrumental to my producing and let me make this shorter. And then that was actually pre effort PFL. So maybe a few months after I discovered vibe, someone introduced me to Fruity Loops and, and right around that time also I started doing like live music, starting out live music, doing live sound, live sound engineering. So that all came together.
And then once I started, I just to be honest, I haven't stopped as I got into it. Yeah. And how, how long, how long ago would you say? Like when you started started. We about to age myself. So I want to say let me just start in terms of how I started producing my dear in like FLI won't say I started using FL seriously in 2010. So how many years is that now? That's like 14 years ago now. Oh my God.
That's a long time ago. But yeah, that's why I, I was messing around with FL in 2010 and then I think I got serious about like working with artists and producing and engineering in 2014 and I was in campus. So yeah, it's a long time ago, man. Dang, I've aged myself. How did you, how did you get That's fun? Did you get into it? For me, it's such a random, like I in 2012, I believe Chief Keef released the song I don't like. And I've told this story multiple times.
Like, I listened to that song and then I was just like, you know, this is insane. So I just did some research on to who produced it and I found out it was produced by Young Chop. And, you know, I looked, I looked for Young Chop and I was just like, he's just like a, you know, just like a bigger kid. Yeah. Dreads from Chicago. Like, nothing about Young Chop screamed like, cool. But like I really. Superstar producer, I know. I saw myself in that.
I saw myself in that. And I was like, I know, yeah, yeah, that's that's not great. But like, yeah, I was just like, yo, so if Young Chop can make something so amazing, then so can I. So I just googled how can how do people make music? And everyone was like Fruity Loops, FL Studio. So. So I downloaded FL Studio, I think for the first time, I want to say in like 2013. Yeah. And I want to be a trap producer. Yeah, I just. Now, so you bought it, of
course. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I purchased, purchased it, of course. And, and, and yeah, I was like, I just want to be a chap producer. Actually, I wanted to be a drill producer. Like I wanted to make Chicago drill. So I just googled how do you make that? And I bumped into busyworksbeats.com Anybody who makes music knows about busy
works beats. So bumped into his videos and he was giving tutorial actually, no, actually before I bumped into him, I bumped into some other content creator who was showing, showing you like all the features on FL Studio. And when, when I watched that video, I got so overwhelmed because there was just so much about FL Studio that I just didn't understand. And so I quit. I quit making music. Well, I quit even learning how to make music using FL studio for it was like 1 full year.
Wow. Some like I just, I gave it up because I was, I was like, this is too complicated. And then a year later I was like, Nah, I have to run this back. Like, I really want to learn how Chief Keef and all of them make like these slaps. So I just, I brought, I was like, you know what? This time I'm just going to stick with it. And I think that's when I found busy works beats. And he simplified it like way more than the other person who I was watching. And I was like, OK, I can do
this. And so, yeah, then I just started making chop beats and I remember I made a whole tape of like 14 songs of trap beats and I still have them. Oh, nobody will ever find them. I. Need to hear those. I need to hear can you play 1? Can you play one as an intro for the podcast please bro? Please, you want me to play one for the intro as well? Please. I actually can. Like I act, I genuinely can. If I man, you know what?
Yeah, the the one that went crazy, it went platinum on the streets was called Firetrap. I. Named it Firetrap. I was, yeah, it was called Firetrap. And I was so proud of that beat when I produced it. That was the first beat I produced. I was like, OK, maybe I'm destined to be a producer. If you listen to it, it's like really trash. But yeah, so that's what that's how I. That's how I essentially got into music. And then. And then from there it was, yeah, just watching a bunch of
YouTube, YouTube tutorials. And around like 2016, that's when like Internet money were becoming big and all was starting. And then they were doing a bunch of YouTube tutorials and I really got invested in those and yeah, and just kind of kept at it. So yeah, that's that's essentially brief, brief Cliff note version of how Sam and I got into music. I guess next question, I guess, I guess go ahead.
Through, through like just as someone else asked, through my lens asked because it's sort of related, right? What you needed, you did. You all, I guess did. No, you should. You should shout. You should. I think we should shout them out. Yes, through through my lenses dot PNG asked what you needed. You did you all attend? What did you study and did you have career anxiety and confusion or confusion after affirm you go first. OK, so one thank you for this question to my lenses dot PNG.
So I went to, so after high school, I wanted to be a doctor, so I went to, I got into you and um, and I was studying medicine. Your boy was on course to be a doctor. So I did that for three years. And in that time, that's when I kind of like found out that I'm really artistic because I was drawing and I was also making music.
And unfortunately, if you're doing something like medicine or if you're studying something like medicine, it's very hard to like be super, super invested in activities outside of that. And you know, eventually I was just like, you know, I have to pick like, do I want to do? This or do I want to, you know, be a doctor because bro, like medicine is very, very intense, especially when you start going to the wards and you're doing ward rounds and you know, you have to kind of dedicate your
whole life to that stuff. And I just was like, you know, I'd see my friends and I'm like, I just felt so disconnected because it, like everyone else around me was or seemed super invested in the whole medicine thing. And I, for me, I just wasn't feeling the same way. And I was wondering like, what's wrong and everything. But yeah, eventually I just had to pick 1.
And so then after that, I, you know, ended up leaving medicine and got lucky enough to, you know, come to the States of which I got into a uni in Texas called TCU, Texas Christian University, where funnily enough, I still did something that was related to like the biology and chemistry field. It was called combined sciences. So I did both biology and chemistry like as my majors. And then I did a minor in English and yeah, I did that. So that's what I did for
undergraduate. And then after that I did masters. So I got into Syracuse University, which is in New York. I did a masters in audio arts, which was music business as well as sound engineering. And have I ever had any career anxiety? All the time because like audio music, it's a very, it's it's a creative field. And you know how those fields usually are like, you know, you have to be very organized, I guess, to get the best out of
these fields. So, yeah, I mean, all the time, you know, but I don't think I would ever trade anything for this. Like just the ability to sit down and create something from scratch that didn't exist before. And that's that thing that you created to be the most meaningful thing ever. Like that's a feeling that's irreplaceable. And I I would never trade that for anything. So yeah, that's kind of my story. How about yours? I went.
I went to Daystar at Daystar University, I studied psychology at Daystar University and yeah, then currently doing a master's in the same thing. So it's psychology and and music. Music was just sort of always the, the fun creative. Like I said, I think I've always been a creative too. And I'm sorry, like you said, I think I've just always been attracted and attracted to
creativity. And so there's definitely like, because those two fields are seen as separate fields like psychology and creativity, but there's definitely ways you can merge them and do things in either field to complement, Yeah, the differences, differences. So, yeah, career anxiety isn't when you when you get to the music field before you become an established artist, there is a lot of anxiety and just trying to figure it out.
And so, yeah, so that's why I don't know if there are many artists who don't artists and producers or people in the creative field who don't deal with some sort of creative career anxiety. And let's be real, we also we, we are the common narrative is that we're in Africa and African parents and you know, the society in general does not value creativity as high as it values like being a doctor or being a lawyer or some other more shore field.
So there's definitely always that there's always that push and pull in the mind of a creative. But again, like Affirm said, I would not want to be doing anything else because just getting up and making something from nothing and having that mean something to either me or somebody else is priceless. So. Yep, Priceless. Priceless. Yeah. OK, so moving on. So Mihagarati, which one is a top tier Instagram handle anyway? Mihagarati asks what are both of
your top five genres to listen? To good question. Some. OK, off the bat, in no no particular order, number one EDM. I like #1 EDM. OK yeah. Oh, what you said in. No particular order, maybe when I get you're. Already failing the exam maybe? Maybe when I get to the end of Organism, but let's go. So we do EDM. I like to listen to folk music, so very stripped down, minimalistic, probably just like a voice on guitars, soft drums if anything.
So I like that. So my favorite artists are man, what's Bros name Ben Howard and that kind of music. I really enjoy that. I can name more, but yeah. And then so there's EDM and different journals of EDM too, apart from dubstep, then Afro, Afro, Afro beat has Afro beat has been creeping up. If I was putting it, Afrobeats
would probably be last. Actually, hip hop might be last because I don't listen to much hip hop and so yeah, we have EDM, folk, hip hop, Afrobeat and orchestral music, orchestral music. Orchestral music. Yes, scores and I really enjoy and I love me a good a good Lion King soundtrack like and Johann PAC, Pacquiao Bell, I don't know how to pronounce that. And Beethoven like I just that's I really enjoy that kind of music. Yeah, yeah. I would say it's those.
Of course there's some genres in there and there's different genres I gravitate to within hip hop and I gravitate to within, you know, like, but yes, generally. I was going to extend that question and just say give us your top three artist stroke bands. I know hard question, just name them top three. Just go, Just go, just go. Yeah, just off the top of your head. Just off the top of my head, my, well, my favorite band currently is Maribou State.
That'll be my OK. And they do electronic, electronic music or electronic live music. Dang, I think it's just, it might be just them. What's his name? What's the guy? The guy who produced The Lion King soundtrack and all the other soundtracks that we love. What's his name? Han Zima. Han Zima is up there. I love Han Zima. Han Zima. Yeah, it's amazing. One last one, one last one, one last one. Oh man, can I think about that? Because I don't just want to say something for saying sake.
Just one, just say one. Just say why. But it's not to just say name first that comes to your mind. 1st that comes to my mind. Ben Howard, I'd say I like, I like Ben Howard. I like. Ben Howard is nice. I like what Ben Howard is doing, yeah. OK, for me, first of all, I just like to say our music tastes are so different because their names, you've mentioned that I have no idea who they are, I'm not going to lie. So I need to get into that.
I need to like listen to these different like bands and like musicians. So that's pretty cool. So for me, I guess my top five genres, OK, I think the genre of music that got me into music like it was rock, like that's the first thing that I like, really like resonated with. And then I would say trap and hip hop, like that holds a big
part in my life. R&B of late R and BI think is steadily rising to being like the my number one genre that I listen to Afrobeats, of course, but specifically like more Altay stuff. Like that's my vibe. Like anything that's more Altay is just like what I love. I've really in the past like three years gone down the drum and bass rabbit hole. So I want to say drum and bass is also like a big staple. Yeah, for me, I think those are
5, right. If I was to answer my own quest question about my top three artists, I would say Paramore has to be there. I'm I'm a massive. Anybody who knows me knows I'm a huge. Paramore. You talk about Paramore a lot. Yes, Paramore is just Hayley Williams, Taylor York bro. Fantastic, phenomenal musicians. I would say my second. Oh my God, this was a hard question. You weren't lying. I've been a huge Nirvana fan.
I know that's like such a like obvious like thing like band to like, but like, yeah, Nirvana were always up there for me and I and yeah, I just resonate with their music like insanely. Back in the day, I would say Drake was a huge artist. I listen to a lot. Yeah, I still listen to his music a lot, but not as much as I used to. But yeah, just for the fact, just for that run between 2011 to like 20/14/15, yeah, I listened to a lot of Drake music. So not even 2011, like 2010.
Yeah, like, yeah, we listen to a lot of Drake music. So yeah, Drake also System of a Down. That's one of my favorite bands anyway, bringing up names. It's a hard. Question because I haven't thought about it in a minute. Yeah. That's OK. I have. I have an extension question. Real quick, real quick, real quick. You're on an island and you can only listen to one song currently. Oh yeah, we were meant to live by Switchfoot.
That's. That's. Oh yeah, That's, that's my favorite song of all time. Oh, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm gonna say that right now. That's my favorite song of all time. I can listen to that song on a loop for Infinity and I'll never hate it. That's really cool because that's in my top 100 songs of all time too. Right now. It's a song called Nika, Nika Libre's at Dusk by Ben Howard. It was on my, it's my OK, my most pleased song for the past three years.
And I'm sure this this year, Spotify is going to put number one too. I, I don't know, it's just a brilliant song. So yeah. That's Howard. I need to check him out. Yeah, it's very. It's very, wait, made me the guitars music. I don't know, I like what I like. Let's go to the next question #1 real, not number 11, real under score Statesman shout out to you asks what do you think about conscious rap and doing this in Kenya with the use of orchestra beats?
What do you think? Well, one real statesman, I would say. I think conscious rap is very, very necessary, especially in this times that we're in like where our social economic as well as our political like situation is just really, really messed up. We need way more people doing conscious like music even in general. Yeah, right. Because bro, you know, like I think now is the time for the conscious stuff, you know, not just the ignorant, like, which I
still like ignorant music. That's just like a vibe. I think now is the time for conscious. Yeah, I think it's just time for conscious rap in general. And I'm doing that in Kenya. Yes, perfectly OK. I mean, yeah, like you see the likes of Kelly, Hippie Boy, Black, those guys, they're always out here like, you know, spitting. Rest in peace to Jason Kalinga, man. Jason Kalinga is, I think is forever going to be in our hearts.
But the stuff that he was rapping about in those days on SoundCloud, I was like, how was he so informed? And how did he have access to so much meaningful information? And like he was thinking about things so critically back then when I feel like the rest of us were just kind of thinking about, I don't know, going to Westie or just having fun. I don't know, like, and you see, it's people like those who don't
get forgotten. Like we, I don't think we will ever forget his impact in the industry. So yes, definitely, definitely conscious rap, it lingers more, it stays more, it has more staying power and using orchestral type beats. Yeah, why not? Yeah. What do you think so? Yeah, yeah, I think I share your sentiments. The I think I don't want to put the burden on conscious rappers.
But then conscious rappers are usually the ones who say much who say who, who, who tell on, on the culture and the, the, the, the journal of the culture. Of course, in terms of like the real deep stuff the guys were rapping about the fun, lighter hearted stuff are necessary because we need to break some of that seriousness. But conscious rap is cool, man. We, I, I do think we need to figure out a way to make
conscious rap. I feel like conscious rap has always been for the most part, a niche and neglected part of the the industry and we sort of leave it to like the underground people and stuff. But then it's, it really helps if, if it's put in the mainstream of locally the, I mean guys like Gidi, Gidi Magi Magi and the older rap groups who spoke a lot about what's going on in the city and tried and made that popular. We, we need more of that these
days. Also, we need a lot of people talking about what's going on and doing it over orchestral beats. I haven't, I honestly haven't heard that, but I want to hear conscious rap over some strings and and and. But that always what do you mean like that always goes hard? Yeah, it does it and OK and not
like samples, not samples like. So you know what would be cool if if if someone does a show and they're a rapper and this sign standing for like the let's say the pick a venue alchemist and they're doing their raps and whatever, but rather than beats and stuff it's just like 4 violinists and a cellist. Didn't like metro booming do that once or something. I I, I know that like an orchestral. Yeah, I think that was recently that would go. Hard. It would be crazy, yeah, but I'd
like to see that. Someone should do that. Hey, that's an idea. That's an idea out there. Giving ideas away for free. Imagine that. That's. What we do here? OK, so next question. This is from I believe it's Mikey Dredd or Mickey Dredd or that Yardy guy on Instagram and he DMS us and he says I started listening to the pod from I think episode 27 ski. If you see me here the guy what ski the ski episode Anyway wow that was episode 27 interesting. Anyway sorry he was anyway I got distracted.
Sorry this is my ADHD brain. So anyway so he says ski which was the title. I would like you guys to talk about your fears and how you overcome them. Oh wow, wow, are we doing that? What are your fears? Oh man. Oh, another one to get another one to get like super deep. I'll, I'll keep it brief because I do be thinking a lot. One of the things I've struggled with as as a creative is not, it's not necessarily the fear of failure, but it's the fear of success because with the OH.
Sounds, sounds, sounds. Because with are you? Are you, are you fear of success? Yeah, because. Let's go. So sorry. Let's go so. This is how this is how I've processed it, right? My fear is that if I do something really well, and it's the fear of failure masquerading in the fear of success, I think because if I do something well, I'm going to have to keep that
up, you know? And that's the pressure that we put on ourselves is OK. Like, for example, if you have a hit song as an artist and you feel you're afraid of am I going to be able to make a new one and a new one, and am I going to be able to sustain that? And then am I going to grow? That's valid. Yeah. That's so you're free. You're not necessarily. So you're afraid of failing, but you're so afraid of failing that you fear success and actually being good at what you're doing.
And that's such a, that's such a terrible mentality to have. Like it's, it's horrible. I hate I it's, it's something I like if I'm being vulnerable, like I've really worked on. And, and the way you get over it for me, I guess, is to take that pressure off yourself. Like it's OK to like, not everything has to be amazing. Like start like. And you usually say it a lot in the three CS 2. Just yeah, one step at a time. It doesn't have to be a Grammy
winning song off the bat. And some of those like songs that like do really well, I mean, some, some, some has gone through that like with a song that's done really, really well commercially. And you just have to like appreciate this lightning in a bottle moment. I mean, I had I had the thing with little minor. Yeah. And you just have to appreciate the IT for what it is and move on. Because I will never make another cocoa butter and neither do I want to. I don't really want to.
Make another thing. Yeah. So, yeah, sure. I want to remake that song, right? I want to move on and do something else. Yeah, you just want. So you just have to be like, it's cool that happened, but I want to make different stuff and just and don't try and chase that because you will never like get it again. You can only do different things. So you just have to let go of whatever, you know, those things and just kind of appreciate that. Yes, it's great. It was great, but we're doing
other things now. I don't know. What's your fears? What are you afraid of? I am afraid of heights, yeah. Success. Let's go with heights. Yeah, yeah, me. I'm afraid I'm. I'm not very good with heights. I remember once going on a date and we were on a Ferris wheel and bro, I just did not enjoy that experience a lot at all. Oh, were you holding? Were you? Holding on to the poor, the poor lady like. Maybe I was, maybe I was. She found it hilarious that I wasn't. It was crazy.
I guess that made it memorable. But yeah, you see, what am I doing to overcome it? Nothing. I'm not going to be skydiving or bungee jumping anytime soon. I love the ground. The ground is nice, it's safe, and I will be staying with my 10 tools down. Yes, 10 tools down. Like what I'm the definition of 10 tools? I like what gravity is doing. I like what gravity does. Oh man, I. Love it. I love it. OK, that is fun. Yeah. Do you want? To sure, sure, sure.
Let me read another question. This one is a more technical one by Wanna Be Rich 11 Hey, wanna be rich? We all want to be rich. Honestly, me too, he says. He or he or she, I don't know. Can I use type beats? Can I use YouTube type beats without purchasing yet received royalties? And then you put sketch EMP wallet. I'm not sure what that is. I'm not sure about the end of the question but no you can't because that's going to be fraudulent.
Like you can't just RIP off beats from YouTube and expect to be paid. Of course the producers are going to flag your stuff on YouTube so I would not advise you to go on YouTube and just get type beats and not not reach out to the producer and either agree on splits or you know. By the leases. So although I would say the brief answer to that is, yeah, OK, no, sorry.
I would say if, if the producer, I mean, it still gets sketchy because sometimes, sometimes producers do things to market themselves and they don't really mean it. But then if you see if, if you really do want to be get paid from royalties from YouTube type beats, make sure that it's clearly stated that it's a royalty free beat and it's free, royalty free free beat, right? That tech and the producer doesn't want anything extra. They just want to choose the
beat. But if you don't see that and it's more like reach out to me and stuff like that, like the producers reach out to me. And you probably should do that if you want to use the music, if not content, the content. But the content police are very they're becoming really good at their job. So you can't just get away with anything these days. But more context, even if a beat on YouTube says free, yeah it's most likely not free.
A lot of the Youtubers or people who post beats on YouTube both just say that to get you to listen to the beat. But it's not free. It's if you read the description, there's always going to be a link to beat stars or whatever. And then you you purchase the beat from there. Or they might have like a deal where they'll say you buy one, get 3 beats free, yeah, blah blah blah. But still, you're still going to have to like bust down the split splits and everything.
That's, I mean, that's why I said like sometimes producers do that to, to to push their stuff, but then just make sure, make sure that that you know what the producers conditions are for using the music before you use it. Don't just close your eyes and do it. Because I mean, if you're a small artist, of course no one would, would, would, would catch you. But then that could catch up to you later on. Later on you blow up, you have a hit song and then producers go
back in or down. He use my beat and then now they're collecting everything. So yeah, I guess that's how I would answer that. Do we have some else? Yes, we do. OK, so this is from, I think it's Mutti, Mary Lynn. I'm just going to say Mary Lynn and she's been asking when are we going to do a a meet and greet? And so yeah, we'll just bunch the questions or the people who've asked like how can we meet you or are we going to do a meet and greet that type of
vibe. Some tell us when we're going to do a meeting. Well, we could all purchase tickets to fly to New York, I think. Yeah, it's a bit complicated now just because I'm not in the country, but I will be in the countries in the future, So maybe we could plan something like that soon. Yeah, it would be nice. It would be nice to meet all of
your. It would like it would, I mean, I've said this a lot, but then I, I really, and even over the, the weekend when I was at the mist, I met a couple of like people who were fans of the podcast. And it's just like really interesting to see people who enjoy. So it'd be nice to meet and just have maybe have the, the sort of conversations we're having on the podcast, like with people in real life, like that would be super cool. So we could plan them.
And maybe say some of the things we can't say on the podcast in person. We might be like some actual tea. We can have the real conversations. But yeah, and it's also very humbling, I guess, and honoring that people would want to meet a bunch of hermits and producers to talk about stuff. So I'm personally honored. Thank you for wanting to meet. We'll figure it. Out, but that's it's crazy, I'm
not going to lie. Some, you know, you've met like I think I've met like a handful of people who've listened to the podcast, like in person, which so for me, it's like I don't even know if these people are like, you know, like I feel like sometimes I feel like I'm just talking into the void. So it's reassuring to hear that you've met like people in Oh. No, that's. Nice, I like it. Yeah. Yes, Sir. Yeah, man. What else? What else was on the question? I think so.
Links to that Chi Weru official asks how do you get to be in the show? How do you get to be on the show? OK, so essentially when we started this podcast, some and I were very, very unwilling to even interview artists because we we, because when we started this podcast, we were like, we just want to talk to music industry professionals, like the people behind the scenes, the managers, the Anrs, the booking agents, the talent agents, blah, blah, blah. Like that's all we wanted.
Those are all the people we wanted to talk to because we wanted this to be like a podcast that gives you insight into how the music industry works, operates essentially. But since then, we've become a little bit more open to the idea of talking to artists, talking to producers and, you know, just like being, you know, more free flowing, I would say. Yeah. But I guess how would we, how would people get to be on the podcast? I mean, there has to also be like a bit of a rapport.
We have to, you know, kind of at least have like some conversations behind the scene, you know, maybe meet in person so we know there's like chemistry there. And yeah, I mean, usually if these things, I don't want to get all Astro, not astrological. But hey, if it's meant to happen, it it, it will happen. Yeah. That's such a bad answer. K Sarah. Sarah, whatever will be, will be. Yeah. So.
So everyone has opinions. For me, I'm also interested in talking to like the people who listen to music, right? Because their opinions is what drives for the most part, what drives the people behind the scenes to make the decisions that they make to some extent. So I mean, if there's a way we could again, chemistry, if you have that sort of connection, I guess it we could figure out some. But yeah. In, in conjunction to this, surely the CLA asks, would we collab with other artistic
podcasters? So I guess we could also extend this to would we do other podcast collabs? And I think we we've, we've only done one podcast collab. Yes, yeah, we did the breaking hard, breaking hard way back in the. Earlier, way back in this way, to be back in the day like we've been doing this for years. OK, it was last year. Oh my God, what's wrong with the Yeah, it was the last year. It's. Still way back, though we've had a long. I guess in a nutshell, the answer is yes.
Yeah, we would definitely collab with other podcasters. Yes, yes, yes, the. Yeah, why not? I think. I think it would be fun to collab with other podcasters so. Yeah, especially other podcasters that also talking about like, music and stuff like that in this space. It'd be good to talk about them. I just want to shout out MC Gabs. MC Gabs on this also asked that all he said that his question is can I meet you? So I was just want to shout him out for also adding to that conversation.
Let's see, let's see, let's see. Whizzy goes by Whizzy boy, not Lil Wayne, but Whizzy boy on Instagram asks, Hey, I'm a big fan of the podcast. I'm from Umoja. I've been listening to your views on the music industry in Kenya and it's evident that you have some knowledge that 90% of the masses don't have. Oh my God, thank you, he says. I do music as well and my question is do you guys offer recording sessions and mastering? If I can, if I can speak for me myself.
OK, Yeah. I mean, we could, we could talk about that in, in, in, in the further in the DMS. But yeah, I guess that can be arranged. That can be arranged if you do music. That can be arranged. I mean, for me, I guess the answer is yes for sure. Like mastering, recording. Yeah, mixing. Right now it's it's also, I mean, we're also very well, I don't know. Well, if I can also speak for myself, I'm also curating the
artist who I work with. So it just depends you know that that times where you've done some you work purely on a pay like basis, but there's sometimes you also want to. Build with people. Work with people who you're artistically like invested with I guess. So it depends. So Sam, this question actually comes from your brother. So your your brother Dee asks when are y'all dropping music together? And well, how can he rap on that essentially.
So yeah, some tell the mass, tell the masses when we are dropping music together. Put it on me. Actually, I was, I was, I was remaining alpha earlier. And like we were supposed to when we first met, we were supposed to work on a project. We're supposed to re re redo all the R&B songs and make them modern and then put out an EP of that. But four or five years later, here we are. At least we we are working on something different with the podcast. When are we working on? Yeah.
I mean, we did the ultimate collaboration. What was that? Oh yes, yeah. You're talking about the podcast? Yes. That's the ultimate collaboration. Release an album every week. Every week in terms of timing. Although some we did collaborate on a song, the only problem is it never came out. Oh. Yeah. Can we, can we talk about it? I mean, is it good to come out at this point? Yeah, no, it's not going to come out, but we can't talk about. So I included it.
I included a clip of us listening to the song on the video which we posted on our Instagram. Yeah, and me and some both Co produced a song for Boutros way back and well, I say that the song was called back-to-back, back-to-back. And yeah, that was such a nice session. Some when? Yeah, that was. The first time we ever we ever sat down to make a be together. We should do more of that I guess. AFAM is busy. AFAM is really busy, just getting the money, getting the
money. And so it has no time for me. What AFAM gets time? Don't even start that as another deal. What are you talking? About but he gets time and and he's he's able to give me like just 2020 minutes of of his, of his very, very busy money making schedule. Then we'll do it and D of course we'll we'll again jump in the DMS. Will rope you. Tell him, tell him my brother to jump in the DM. If we, if we think listen, if we, if we think we can, you know, have like some, some good
chemistry, that's you know. Man, no. We should. We should. Think about something we should think about being we. Should some we genuinely need to collab? Yeah. And it better be fire too. Can you make a song and it's not good? Oh my God, by the way, we have so much pressure. We have that too much pressure. The. Whole podcast like oh this too. They're always talking about music and calling other people's music like it could be better and here they are releasing some trash now.
It has to be great. That, that that would suck. Yeah. So if we release anything, it has to be astronomical. Yeah. Anyway. But yeah, we'll we'll definitely listen. That's an idea for the future. So we'll definitely put that in our list of ideas. OK, so I, I guess we have two more questions. This one comes from it's Masha who says if I've been listening to 30%, I see what he did there with the if I'm I'm listening to 30% episode 99. Shout out to both of you, by the
way, for the work and progress. Thank you so much. Also, thank you to everybody who's, you know, just shouted us out for or congratulated us for getting to episode 100. Thank you. Shout out to you guys. So anyway, he says, so I start. Yeah, so he says. So I started listening to the podcast on episode 64 and I liked the podcast so much I caught up and started again on episode 1. Oh my God. Currently on episode 50. Wow. He says the goal is to be caught up on all the episodes by the
time 100 drops. Only worry is now I won't have any more episodes to watch. Might do it all again just for the pure germs you drop. Oh my God, that's. So that's so nice and that's a lot of salmon from in your ear too. Thank you though. I appreciate it. But. Then he says enough glazing though. OK yes he's redeemed himself a little bit.
Enough glazing though. I'm about to officially launch my producer journey, been bedrooming since 2019 and I'd like to have a go at being professional like placement and ETC. Any tips you have would be grateful. Would be greatly helpful and hopefully you could talk about this on episode 100 Some take it
away. Oh man, my first advice would be find new when we talk placements, producers tend to, especially when you're starting, you know, you have very, very, very lofty high goals and you want to produce for the hit makers and everything, but it might be very intimate. I mean, either way, it's profitable depending on how you go about it, but it's it's a lot. For me personally, I found it more fulfilling. I didn't wish to say it like that.
I found it very fulfilling. I'm going to say more, but I found it very fulfilling working with smaller artists and just people around you who might not necessarily have the name, but you see something in them and then you can build with them and create and build a trust and a chemistry. I mean, we look at some of the biggest duos in terms of producer artists. If you look at like the States, Drake and 40 Boy Wanda and Drake, Drake has had a whole
bunch of them actually. Metro booming and future Metro booming and 21 S Timberlake. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's so many producers where you take them from when they're smaller, younger, not younger, but then smaller and just newer, I guess, and then you work with them and you both grow together.
That's honestly one of the best ways you can do it because then you've established a trust as you grow on and the more you do that, the more attention you would draw to yourself because you're not just sitting there shipping off work like you're actually building something. So that's the first aspect. Second aspect is listen, if you want, if you want placements and you want to work with some of the the whoever it is, big artist, small artist, you have to shoot your shot, you know,
just shoot your shot. Jump in the DMS, go talk to their managers, you know, go for their shows, be around the artist and and try and put yourself in their world. Not necessarily just sit down and send DMS off. It actually helps you. Like go for a show, it gives you his brownie points. There now. So I mean, I completely agree with you some I feel like for me, like in my producer journey, like when I started now, like being confident in enough to start sending beats to artists,
artists. I think that was like 2016. And bro, I just used to send a lot of DMS like on SoundCloud. Bro remember did you ever like message people on SoundCloud? I know like. That was my that was my bag. That was my bag. I used to mention message people directly on SoundCloud and then also just used to be in the DMS like shamelessly bro. I used to try and work with everyone under the sun. Anybody in the industry?
Wait, say that one more time. Yeah, so you try and work with everyone under the sun, just whoever, whoever is alive. Now for real bro, I'm pretty sure I even sent Adm to like Jay-Z like when I was starting I was like you. I'm trying to and I know that sounds like a joke but I'm not joking. But anyway, you're like, you just have to shoot your shot bro. And you I can't even lie. You're going to get rejected probably like 90% of. I was just about to say that.
Like, that's part of it. Don't take that personally. It's it's yeah. And it's hard. It's hard to not take it personally, especially when you associate yourself so deeply with the music, because the music sometimes becomes an extension of yourself. It's like, if that gets rejected, then you're being
rejected. And that's genuinely something that I've struggled with a lot because it's just like, it's hard because sometimes you work so hard on some stuff and you have genuine, like, dope intentions and you really want to, like, make it. And you want to work on this with an artist. And they just don't give you the same energy. But, you know, you just have to. You just have to move on and like Sam said, not take things
personally. But yeah, I think being outgoing, going to shows, meeting the managers, super important. Like for me, the song Coco Butter came along because I have a friendship with Steph, the rapper who manages Little Minor, and she was looking for beats. And I said I have beats, and I sent them to, to to Little Minor through her. And yeah, he came to the studio. Listen to them and boom. Also try and put yourself in
positions where things happen. So if there's a studio around you that you know about, try and get yourself in there. There are a bunch of producers who I know who are super, I wouldn't say their names are out here, but like who are super keen to just be in the studio all the time.
And they just take advantage of being there to like even if they have 15 minutes to do their thing outside of like what's actually happening in the studio, Like they take that opportunity and run with it. Like they'll record like something in this small time that they have. But most importantly, is what Sam said, if you want to really, really make it, look around you and forget about the people who are already established. Those people are gone.
Look around you and look at the people who are at your level. Like if you see somebody who's just starting out, maybe they're not so good. Don't even worry about that. But if you see an element of like, of like brilliance in them, and you know that like in two years this person can be really good, stick with that person because the people who you're at the same level with today are the people who will be, like big names in the future.
So just have that foresight and understand, yeah, OK, I wouldn't get the success right now, but it's going to come. So you just have to be open to the idea of working with building like, yeah, just like your peers. Yeah, that's true. That's true. That's true. And and. OK, Sam. And sorry, sorry.
Just to wrap that up, you, you, you gain more skills working with new artists because then like if if you're really keen into making the music work and it'd been successful, then you have to learn things like marketing and, and how to promotion. And if it just like working with an artist in the studio, you know, rather than just shipping
off beats. And so there's just more you can learn from working with a new artist and having one artist or two artists, however many that you are building with. Yeah, that helps a lot. Yeah, but. OK, Sam, you know the last question. Yeah, missions from Nash. Yeah. Nashege goes by Sayanka on Instagram and he says this is a bit of a loaded question though. Hey guys, I hope you're well. I have just listened to the podcast and I have a question. I'm a budding producer making EDM.
I will hopefully release a track in the next few months. Congratulations to him. I am not encouraged by everything that I hear about our CMOS. I would like to join a foreign 1 outside the American ones. They withhold 30%. I'm not sure about that, but okay. Would there be any ones that you recommend? Let let me just answer.
So I think the one that I know is really good, the the collective society I know that's really, really good is I believe the South African music rights organization, the Sambro. I believe they serve. They serve like other African artists who are just not in South Africa. So they are definitely worth doing research into.
And sound exchange is another one that you can apply to and they service like the global stage, although I think they mostly work on other collect royalties for I believe is it called non terrestrial music? So so not music on radios. I think it's like music things like Pandora and SiriusXM and stuff like that. So they collect royalties from there. But it's still worth looking into sound exchange. Yeah, those are the ones that I
know. But Sam rule, like going down the Sam rule rabbit hole will definitely lead to some. I mean, yeah, you could. Lead to like some. Answers yeah, you could, you could still sign up with like BMI and ASCAP is that they don't close it off to to I don't know if they do distribution, but then they in terms of collecting royalties, it's it's possible to sign up from wherever you are and one of those is free. Is it BMI or ask up that's free to sign up? I think they're both free to
sign up now. But yeah, the only thing is I think their jurisdiction is gonna be limited to music. That's. I mean, yeah, well, that's that's the caveat is is probably only be able to collect from music that's played in the countries that they service. So. But yeah, there's a bunch. But you never know. There's a bunch in Europe. So there's a bunch. There's a. Just do about do research. I think there's one in like, I think there's one in like Ireland that people go to.
So yeah. Yeah. But some rule is a good place to start. Yeah, some. OK, well, I think that's all for the questions. Fun stuff. Yeah. That was, that was actually really fun. So shout out to you all for actually asking us questions and engaging with us. And yeah, man, I just wanted to say thank you for listening to this podcast for 100 episodes. You don't know how much that means to both Sam and I, man, it's been a roller coaster.
It's not been easy. Like Sam and I have like difficult conversations, like, you know, like it's we're creating a brand, we're working together. And but like, at the end of the day, I feel like it's, it's, it's a worthy, like cause and it's a worthy thing. And yeah, I think just like the way we said with the music stuff, like I think, I think it's, it's something that I am grateful that we started, you know what I mean?
So yeah. And shout out to everybody who said, who said congratulations, Donna said. Shout out to you, Sookie. Shout out to you as well. I've been there now with what's that on Guess of volume? Then I blanked out on Guess of volume. Go check that podcast out too. Yeah, yeah. Thank you, man. Thank you to everyone who has given us some time. I appreciate it, and we hope that this conversations actually do what we intend for them to do. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, let's let's so. I mean.
We usually review music. No, I just want to get, I mean, we usually review music we do, but this I guess this week just want to we'll just both play something that we we want to put on, I guess. Yeah, rather than go to Canyon, of course. Canyon still. Yeah, definitely Canyon. Definitely Canyon. So, Sam, what do you what do you want to play for? Oh my God, for the 100th episode, what song do you want to? What do you want to play?
I think I will go with there's a there's a band that a duo that I've been sort of following a little bit, Two young ladies and they go by We Are Nubia. They've dropped a couple of songs that I've enjoyed this week. They dropped a song called Aibo produced by Ward Omolo. So I just wanted to put that on. Here is We Are Nubia with the song AIBO. How did you wait? Pray for me? Did you ever pray for me that you need my love? Or did you have another Huyoni Nani? And now get above for young
Goebugani, yeah. The. The three times, two times play me like a fool, man, this guy's. None. Yep, we only be here with their latest release AIBO. I'm really interested in seeing what they do and how how their career progresses. I'll be keeping a keen and try. To use some for putting me on to we are newbie. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm definitely going to check them out. For me, I would like to end this podcast by playing the song Last One I Promise by Zoe Ken. Gotcha.
Love that song. I'll, Yeah, I, I I love. I love what she brings to the table. I think. I think she's supremely talented and. Yeah, man. So I think that's my song pick for the end of the episode. Last One I Promise by Zoe Ken. Gotcha. This before my heart is racing in the cold just because of favor I could so my feet are numbered. I'll go so low with my side to scream little inside outside
before too. I did you to be the inside near me, living in the entire outside to feel weak, baby, you'll still help me think. It's too slow to turn to touch and touch more homework is something speaking. My God is sleeping with God is sleeping. My soul can't take under the light. The red eyes gotta get out of this side. I'll be fine. If I don't look back, I'm going to remember seeing you on my side. The. That was last one, I promise, by Zoe Ken. Gotcha.
And yes, that's the last song we're playing today. So yeah, last one, I promise. OK, you know what? I need to be stopped. 100 episodes in and I'm still. Calling. Oh goodness, that's fine. It's your brand. I'll never change. Yeah, man. Yo, son, 100 episode 100 triple digits. Let's go. Triple digits, bro. Onward. Go. Let's go. Let's get this. It's the same. Onward and upward. Is that what people usually say? Upwards, Yeah, onwards and upwards. And again, just want to tell you guys.
Thank you. So it's been a long podcast so I wouldn't do the three CS as usual, but you'll know them by. Now the three CS. But yeah, just thank you guys so much. We have said it like we would not be anywhere without you guys and we're some and I are genuinely looking forward to the future or whatever the future holds for this podcast. And I'm excited, man, I'm excited. Me too, man bro, me too. Sam Yeah. All right, I guess we will see you guys in 101 episode 101.