Let me introduce you to Mawinch, - Shrapper, DJ and business man, affiliate of Nyege Nyege Festival and a reason for electrifying nights courtesy of his heavy DJ sets and events like Sharp Nite. To be quite candid, Shrap the movement has a substantial number of affiliates, associates and proteges; but only a specific few have been at the forefront, propelling the machine forward since its beginning until now. Among others, Mawinch is one of the very first people that comes to mind, and here’s why:

Is Mawinch your real name?

Mawinch in an alias given to me by my hood friends back in class 2007. 

How you describe your relationship with Shrap the movement and Shrap the music? 

Shrap is my everyday life. As we call it #shraplife. I'm the official deejay for the genre for I give the streets insight of new hiphop music and my support usually goes to the underground kids trying to make a name.

What about it keeps you inspired/motivated to continue? 

The feedback I get from my fans is the motivation that keeps me going. I do this for the culture.

When did you decide or how did you becoming the official Shrap Dj happen? I decided to take the role about 4 years ago when the phrase 'shrap' was coined by Jovie Jovv and no one was ready to take the sacrifice of playing our music. "Waliita Shrap Ujinga, Sa Hii Ujinga Ndio Imeshika”.

Do you miss Shrap Nite? How has COVID affected you guys? 

Yes I miss Shrap Nite! It’s about getting to see really mashed up performances from about 15 artists all in one night. COVID-19 has really slowed things down, so we really haven’t been able to do much. 

You have however managed to somehow host an even this year working with Nyege Nyege Festival. How did that come about to be?

Yeah, Nyege Nyege Festival really came through and asked us to curate a Kenyan version of it and so we had a Nyege Nyege x Shrapnite performance and we tried to fix in as many artists as we could on this platform. We’ve been affiliates of them and this was our 3rd time working together.

I understand that you also own an apparel brand called Renots that’s even been nominated for fashion awards. When did you start it and what inspired this business venture?

 I started Renots Apparel back in 2012 back then it was known as 'Team Stoner' and it wasn't much of a business idea back then. Within the years I learnt the rules of business and decided to rebrand and register it as a legit business. Everything I do for Renots is to expose my creative side as an artist and as an entrepreneur.

What’s your favourite song or album at the moment? 

To be honest the first thing I do when I wake up is look for new music haha so I really don't have a favourite song at the moment. Though my playlist has some Amapiano, Reggae, and a lot of Trap music. I woke up to Kid Cudi's new album this morning, and are still vibing to it as we speak.

Which artists/musicians/curators/personalities do you think are at the forefront of Kenyan culture as the year comes to a close, or which ones do you think have made the biggest impact despite the pandemic slowing us all down? 

I’d have to start that list off with Boutross. He has made himself a household name after releasing his mixtape ‘6viewsII8k' late last year. Breeder and Wakadinali have been coming in hard too. Drill music is now a big vibe in our music scene and Maandy is proving how hard she can go on a beat. Let’s also not forget Natty!

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs(s) that you listen to for uplifting your mood? 

Anything Amapiano puts me in a good mood. When I’m in a bad mood, that’s what I go for.  

2020 has proven to be a tough year for those of us who work in the entertainment business. Looking forward, what do you think 2021 is going to look like for us DJ’s and other entertainers who rely on crowds and the like? I think as a creative you shouldn't complain about how the pandemic has affected your work. Remember that you're a creative, don't box yourself in. Think beyond and use your creative mind to make money off your art. I believe 2021 will be a good year - I’m sure tumeweza kujua strength zetu ziko wapi na tumeweza ku adapt. No excuses. Just work.

Here's a link to my mixes. Enjoy and Thank you for your time.