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Before Ben Githae, sung Kikuyu gospel music for Kenya and the rest of the world, his first audience as a young boy growing up in Nduthi-Ini Village, Gatundu South comprised of coffee pickers. Instead of picking coffee, he would be perched on a coffee tree and singing for those picking. “My passion for music started at an early age,” remembers Githae.
Growing Up
He attended Muthurumbi Primary School
and at that age knew he had a special gift among his peers of
memorizing songs. As he remembers once he heard a song, he needed to
hear it just once more, to be able to memorize it all, without
messing any word. “I think I loved singing more than I do today as
then I was a fan today other people are my fans,” Githae told
Kikuyu Musicians. At primary school, other children came so he could
copy songs lyrics for them. That led him to be nicknamed ‘Karendiu’
(small radio) for his love of anything singing.
Early Musical Influences
In the era of mid 70s the likes of John
Ndichu of ‘Cucu wa Gakunga’ fame and later Mary Wambui, Mary
Atieno, Shari Martin and the Kassangas in the 80s were musicians
Githae admired. In primary school he was the vocalist during school
festivals. He also at an early age was involved in Kikuyu children
radio programs at KBC hosted by Jemimah Mwaura like Nyihia Hwai.
Those programs used to tell stories of Wangombe wa Ihura and Githae
would also sing on them.
Afterwards he went to Ituro high school
where singing took a backseat to acting though he still sang
traditional songs. “I was a very good actor and well known in
Gatundu,” said Githae. After high school and getting a C+, his
grandmother employed him, in her Posho mill as Githae explored his
college options. Incidentally another now famed Kikuyu Gospel
Musician Jane Muthoni used to work with Githae in that Posho Mill.
Jane Muthoni, has actually composed a song “Ciugo Cia Kanua”
based on her experience working in that Posho Mill owned by Githae’s
grandparents.
Entry to recording
Working there, did not dim Githae’s
musical aspirations in the village he was known as Githae of Carry 1
who loves to sing and works in a Posho Mill. Carry 1 was his
grandfather’s nickname. Then in 1994 he got born again and with
Jane Muthoni they used to compose songs at the Posho Mill. They also
began leading praise and worship in churches around Gatundu and got
many invites. “But we were good according to village standards,”
recalls Githae laughing. In 1995, Githae composed ‘Mwiri Uyu’
while Jane also composed the famed hit ‘Giagai na hinya mwi thiini
wa Mwathani.’ He desired to record.
People advised him to tape himself in a
cassette then, approach a producer with recorded material. He
approached Joseph Kamaru in 1996 with samples and Kamaru felt Githae
could sing. As he had no money to record, all production expenses
were shouldered by Kamaru. His first album ‘Mwiri Uyu’ was
released that year. Githae remembers challenges for a budding
musician then, wishing to have music receive radio airplay on KBC was
that one had to go through known producers. Then it was the era of
producers like Kamaru, Kassangas, Kimani Thomas and Wamaitu
Productions.
Parental Resistance
The desire by Githae to be a musician
wasn’t shared by his mom. Among the college options explored for
Githae by his aunt was studying to be a teacher. There was also an
uncle who could have connected him to study in medical college as a
clinical officer. But Githae was adamant he wanted to be in music.
This irked her mother, to thinking he was crazy. She would challenge
Githae to be in a respectable dignified profession like a teacher or
clinical officer not a musician. He persisted on his stand and in
1996 released ‘Mwiri uyu’ produced by Kamaru.
“I didn’t earn much from the album,
the terms were awful but all the same I became a musician,” said
Githae. The agreement with Kamaru was that per cassette sold he would
earn Sh10. However for him to start earning the Sh10 per cassette,
Kamaru would first have to sell 2000 cassettes to offset his
production expenses. Still he managed to sell the 2000 copies and
started receiving the cash.
For his second album he approached
Peter Kigia who had better terms. Kigia gave him a down payment and
per cassette sold Githae would earn Sh20 since he perceived Githae
would sell and had talent. There he released a famed Swahili album
“Chunga Ulimi Wako.” In 2002 he decided to self produce and
around then Kameme FM had launched so for Githae who was a household
name taking his music there was easy. He released ‘Aganu no
Marithira’ he would sell it in crusades and churches and also
released ‘Ndathima’ album. In 2005 he released ‘Nigukwagira.’
But in 2006 Githae decided to modernize his recording from the River
Road style.
Kisima Award
The next album was produced at an up
market studio in Westlands. It produced a monster of Swahili hit
‘Mulianza na Roho’ that won Githae a Kisima Award. In 2007 he
released ‘ona ageria niekuremwo’ album that had hits like ‘niwe
unjikite uu Mwathani’ and ‘irathimo Ciakwa.’ The following year
he released ‘Timiza Maono’ a Swahili album. In 2010 he released
the famed ‘Mabataro Makwa’ album which was a crossover hit among
various tribes in Kenya. In 2011 he released ‘kaba kwiyaria’ and
‘witue mundu’ albums the latter a wisdom for living hit. In 2012
he released ‘Tabia Mbaya’ album and his latest in 2013 is ‘Guthii
ni Guthii’ with hits like jubilee.
Composing Style and Mabataro Makwa
Influence
Being such a prolific musician, when
composing Githae draws song writing inspiration from situations he
observes and the Bible. He also strives to make his songs relatable
to everyday living. “Ultimately it’s GOD who gives me
revelation,” said Githae. For his cross over hit ‘Mabataro
Makwa’ he composed the song while on a plane from US to London
seated near an old white grandma from UK. As he assisted her buckle
and open a can of soda, the grandma would narrate to Githae of how
rich she was, and properties she owned but not in a prideful manner.
She told Githae, all she does nowadays is travel around the world to
see her children and grandchildren.
As he flew from UK to Nairobi
inspiration for ‘Mabataro Makwa’ hit Githae and the song about
him desiring to be blessed by GOD abundantly occupied him. In the
song there is a phrase if GOD created the earth and heavens by his
Word, fulfilling Githae’s needs is no big deal to him. When he
landed in Nairobi he polished the song that subsequently became a de
facto spiritual anthem to every Kenyan, with needs waiting on GOD to
fulfill them.
For Githae, composing comes
chronologically like a story with melodies in tow. But there are
songs that are problematic that he at times has to rest when
composing and resume later with a fresh outlook. “ But others take
20 minutes,” he said. He attributes the longevity of his songs to
GOD’s favor and also writing messages that relate to people and are
Biblical. He points to a song like ‘Mulianza na Roho’ to
illustrate how that Biblical message he based the song on, as still
relevant today.
Humility amidst fame
Regardless of the fame he has received,
Githae regards humility as key to exaltation. “Don’t let the
celebrity mentality get into your head you will become prideful,”
he said. “Let your songs go up in fame and leave you down here as
Ben Githae,” he adds. According to him songs are the hit not the
musicians. Though piracy he admits has hit him, he says advances in
technology have opened other avenues for earning through music like
Safaricom’s Skiza tunes and ringtones. “Concerts and shows I
perform in can’t be pirated and I can’t complain, GOD has blessed
me,” he adds.
Memorable Performances
To date Githae cites 3 shows as his
most memorable performances. The first was in Nyayo Stadium hosted
by Kameme FM where on taking the stage, people left the stands and
run to the pitch to sing. The other was in Nyeri during the launch
of Kikuyu Bible where Kenya’s former president Mwai Kibaki was
attending. As Githae recalls, the former president even stood to sing
and sway to the music which is uncharacteristic of him. The last
event was by Safaricom in Meru, where he was a supposed to be a
curtain raiser to the likes of Jaguar but he instead eclipsed them.
“I went to that stage and the crowd atmosphere changed it gave me
lots of joy,” Githae remembers.
Advice to Upcoming Artistes
His advice to upcoming musicians
wishing to make it into the industry is to have their music
professionally produced and aggressively push it to radio and TV.
“Still it’s all about GOD’s favor and timing when it’s your
time HE will make a way,” says Githae. Besides singing, Githae
plays drums and by his humorous admission, is an amateur keyboard
player who plays at events when no one else is available to play. He
also prefers to sing live if instrumentalists are available than with
playback.
For this father of two daughters, His
faith in Christ guides him and has to coincide with his music to
avoid misleading people. This year 2013 he turns 40 and is not
ashamed to admit it.
Kikuyu Musicians Copyrights
Kikuyumusicians@gmail.com
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