Savour Diverse African Flavours On Waithaka’s Compilation Album BLK2541

Releasing an album is no mean feat. Releasing two in one year, now that’s one exceptional feat. And that’s what Kenyan diaspora artist Waithaka did in 2020.

First off was Odes by Queens - the first all-female Kenyan album in the history of Kenyan music. In this unique 10-track compilation, he showcased 10 Kenyan queens - including seasoned songstresses Serro and Meryl Paige and first-timers Zaituni Wambui and Wabi Sherie. Each song carried its own sound, ranging from R&B to Afro-Latin to American pop-rock. 

The Kenyan music producer has spent the last 20 years in the US, with a few trips back to the motherland scattered in between. On 20th November 2020, he released his second compilation album of the year. But how did he form connections with all these Kenyan musicians so away from home? 

The meaning of BLK2541

This new album has an unusual name. And BLK2541 comes with a coded meaning. According to Waithaka, BLK stands for block and black. 254 represents Kenya while 1 is the USA's country code. Asked why he chose that name, he explains: “Everyone involved in the project is Black as in African and most come from the block 254 - apart from Kaysha and Julian Gbaba.”

So who are the rest? This compilation album features alternative African artists he’s worked with before and new ones as well. The only one missing from the Waithaka Ent roster is Kenyan musician Kwame Rigii.

The features on BLK2541

This 14 track album is as versatile as its artists. Waithaka experiments with different sounds depending on which artist he works with, as he did with Odes.

The Intro sets the mood for the album with bright melodic keys and African percussive beats. He gives us a sneak peek into his production process and even does a little jig on camera.

The US-based Kenyan producer then paves the path for newcomer Wanjine who serenades the beautiful Wanja with his charming Kikuyu R&B. Representing the ladies is Meryl Paige with a kizomba love song Imia Mor. The Kenyan R&B diva stirs up a mix of Dholuo, Swahili, and English to create a savoury sauce that makes you want to dance - kizomba style. Another track that will make you do the shuffle is the aptly named Dance. Track 10 sounds like a bonafide 80s Europop record, minus the Europeans. It features Riki Gathariki and Sam Warui, the male voices of the Amazing Africa Voices winning group - Wanavokali.

Kenyan rapper/singer Steph Kapela dedicates his song to Girls, the album’s first single released in late 2019. This is way before he spilt Vikky Secrets in early 2020. And delivered the catchiest hook ever.

“Young girls want that old love

Young girls want that old love

Bad girls get that good love

Good girls, they get no love”

Get your healthy dose of Afropop in Tabasamu featuring Kenyan musician Kipsang. And Ibambe Katambe by Jivu Music and Sasabasi - another Kenyan diaspora artist in the US.

But the most surprising collaboration is Slow Motion or what I like to call Sio Lazima Niseme. It’s guaranteed to make you whine your waist in the club (Covid19 regulations observed) to that sultry hook by 125 Music. Sweet guitars punctuate seductive bars by Kenyan rapper Shukid and King in the North Thee MC Gzay - who you could call our own Biggie. 

This second single off the BLK2541 album was released on 13th November 2020, on Waithaka’s birthday. Barely 7 days before the album launch. “I’m all about surprises with my songs, pairing up the oddest folks.”

Way Out features Kaysha, the Congolese-French musician and longtime friend of Waithaka. It’s an upbeat breakup song whose ending keys remind you of the Intro. On the other hand, Alone by Julian Gbaba is the typical sad and slow breakup song. Waithaka met the Liberian artist during his American college band days in the early 2000s.

BLK2541 gives you a breather with an interlude. Take Me Back is a nostalgic spoken-word piece by Natumi, a Black British artist from Kenya. She asks, “Take me back to the place where happiness was a given and fear was a feeling so alien to me.” Far away from home, she misses the good old days as a child with her father in Rongai.  T.R.H, the second instrumental track of the album, features Benjamin Kabaseke on lead guitar and Mutindi Muasa on bass guitar. Waithaka lays the foundation beneath these master Kenyan guitarists and comes up with a smooth jazz song.

Just like in Odes by Queens, Kenyan female musician Ythera gets her own feature in Mwaki Ngoro. Ayrosh’s background vocals are distinct in the chorus. He helps her sing the cool Kikuyu chorus which loosely translates to “let’s go play with this fire in our hearts.” The urban Kikuyu musician could not miss out on this Waithaka Ent album. Standing on the opposite side of love in Horeria, Ayrosh pleads with his love interest to let his heart go because he belongs to no one. And he echoes the feeling in English at the bridge:

Ghosting everybody, can’t fall in love with nobody

Ghosting everybody, can’t find love in Nairobi

Can you relate? The final track of the album takes you down nice and slow. Enter Wendy Kay’s soft soulful voice and Kenyan duo Jivu Music bouncing off the bedroom energy in Swanglish. This sultry Kenyan R&B song is the perfect ending, where the wah-wah guitar comes out to play. And it leaves you wanting More.

The making of BLK2541

Even while working remotely from the US, the Waithaka Ent team keeps on growing. Some of his favourite music producers Dillie, Tawala Beats, and Festus (an African diaspora artist from Sierra Leone) co-produced the album. Waithaka also enlisted the help of recording engineers Yo Alex and Kaysha. The album was mixed and mastered by his good friend and longtime collaborator Giggz, who is also based in the States.

While he was away, Ivan Odie of Callivan Creatives shot and directed the two music videos. He also took care of translating Meryl Paige and Serro’s Odes into tasteful visuals. The trippy black and white album artwork is Zack Adell’s work, who designed Murasta EP, Odes by Queens, and even Blinky Bill’s album artwork. And every musician deserves a lawyer by his side. Waithaka’s right-hand man is Jay Mukasa of Tawala Entertainment, who moonlights as a music producer at night. During an insightful interview with Waithaka, he chronicled how he created all these artistic connections over the last two decades. 

How Waithaka managed to produce two compilation albums featuring all these amazing African artists, without having to meet all of them is a feat in itself. Doing it in only two years is unfathomable. One can only wonder what he’ll be up to in 2021.

Stream BLK2541 by Waithaka on your favourite streaming platform.