‘Funky Town’ (stylized FuNKYToWN) is the debut album released by renowned Kenyan alternative hip hop group Camp Mulla that came to prominence in 2012.
The now defunct group members are Kus Ma (formerly K’Cous), Shappaman, Karun, Taio and Mykie Tooni. They were a different pedigree of Kenyan artists. No one has really sounded like them or produced content similar to theirs. They emerged with so much defiance, top quality and an aesthetic only akin to themselves. This is what I wish for Kenyan artists and for our industry.
In the time I’ve been present and active in the industry; Kenya never experienced any other group or collective that brought Camp Mulla’s kind of energy, sound and vibe into the industry. Their force was so undeniable not just in Kenya but across the continent and beyond. They were in fact the first Kenyans to be nominated at BET Awards in 2012 for Best International Act (Africa) – Wizkid and Sarkodie won that same year. You can see the kind of artists they were being compared to then.
Anyhoo, since then life happened. The group drifted apart and eventually broke up. They were young and super talented with their lives ahead of them; so, I thank them for giving us this amazing group and album.
Funky Town
I think this song was a perfect title track. It’s funky – a hip hop song that’s more pop. At the point of release; Funky Town album must have represented a lot for this young group. It could have been a mash up of new cool sounds, or the fandom that they had created, or the burgeoning Nairobi sounds that they were leading, or an ode to Nairobi or even an ideal that it would forever be a funky town – where dreams would come true irrespective of age and your disposition. Shappa’s verse is powerful – “Camp Mulla taking off on some rocket sh*t. Not gone too long, but we make a trip”.
Papeyo (Don’t Ever Give Up)
I love the message in the song especially where they say, “Usikate tama utapata chapa.” They got so much flak for being bougie back then but just this line, shows me that their state of mind was crossing over to write for anyone out there hustling; plus I hate the attitude that just because you come from a well off family then you never earned anything for yourself or had to struggle. In fact, Taio’s verse says it all – “Ati we achieved what you see cus we know somebody. Misconception 100% I’ve been working for my reps … The critics think I am worthless, think my lyrics are naive but I’ll show em all …”
This sound is very reminiscent of what would become Camp Mulla’s signature sound that they termed 2-5-Flow or 254Low (Pronounced as two five flow, borrowing from Kenya’s area code 254). This sound was heavily influenced by Kus Ma’s production genius but I would add that without each of the group’s flow and unique verses / rap, paired with Karun’s soulful and R&B take – this sound would never be so distinct. “Addicted”, “Take It To The Floor”, “Low” feat Dave Ndegwa are very 25Flow.
“Feel No Pain”
This is one of my most favourite Camp Mulla songs because it’s the kind of song that I wanna hear on a road trip, at night in my bed or at the club. It just had something universal about it – maybe it was Karun’s catchy hook or how beautifully yet unexpected the rap fitted in a dance/electronic song.
Fresh All Day
This is a dope R&B meets Hip Hop track. I remember being so proud, seeing this Andrew Macharia- directed video play on BET and MTV severally. This was one of Camp Mulla’s first videos to go global. Funny that their K-Sous produced music had that “Fresh All Day” tag and till date – the music stays fresh all day. This was the one song that perfectly displayed K-Sous’ incredible talent as both producer and rapper (Kus Ma) as he comes in on the first verse with classic lines that has everyone (to-date) rapping to line to line. But all verses were legendary lol Taio’s line “Boys be looking at me, deserve a slappy slappy, Lucy Kibaki L.O.L ….” is witty but interestingly documents some Kenyan social-political issues of that time.
“Party Don’t Stop” feat Collo
This was such a fun track and still is! It’s so perfect for any party – in fact I see Diplo playing this at a Major Lazer party. Their choice of collaboration with Collo of Kleptomaniax (another legendary Kenyan group of the early 2000s) was a true show for how a young new group had a knack for greatness. They were ripe for greatness. Its part 2 “End of the Night” carries the same energy and groove.
Sunday Swagg
This is one of my replay songs on this album in fact, I do have it on several of my curated playlists. I don’t know if they sampled anyone on this song but it’s giving me Isley Brothers vibes … Most of Taio’s raps were so clairvoyant; “Been gone for a minute had to leave for air, Say my teams unfair, but the dreams are there, Screaming YOLO all day …” This is exactly what the group would probably say today about being gone ‘for some air, but the dreams are still there’. I hate that we slept on Kus Ma – as a rapper. It’s a problem when a part of an artist gets swallowed by another. Kus Ma’s productions always were ahead of his own rap and that dimmed his rap shine more often than not. His verse on this song is just too swaggy. I would really love to have heard him in so many other songs rapping. Flowers to Karun and Shappaman on this one too.
Where Do You Come From feat. Just A Band
Oh this is a beautiful song and such a fresh jam that literally feels like it would have been released today. Love that a band collaborated with a group and too many cooks did not spoil the broth. This is a show of what happens when geniuses collide – only excellence can be displayed. This sound is soulful, neo-soul, R&B, hip hop, eclectic and very JAB. Wow! I wonder how they did this, this is honestly one of the best of the best from JAB and Camp Mulla. Between Karun and Chuchu’s vocal harmonies is just a sweet spot.
Hold It Down (254Low Tribute)
Music is very emotional. This is that one Camp Mulla song that takes you back to the very time it was released and you remember where you are, and how exactly it made you feel. In fact, I remember the first time I watched it’s video and how it made me feel. I was with Sauti Sol at their house in Buru Buru Phase 4, doing what we used to do – strategize on new releases and our dreams of greatness, until the internet broke that Friday evening (27 April 2012) when Camp Mulla released this video, without making any announcement. I remember our baraza upstairs in Sauti Sol’s makeshift studio to watch the video on a desktop computer.
Shot in the heart of Nairobi’s CBD at night and displaying Nairobi’s charm like no other video had done up to that point; I remember us all looking at it and then at each other like WTF these kids are the future! It was a beautiful moment to see how Camp Mulla inspired my friends – who at the moment also had a bright future with big dreams, like shooting dope videos with dope directors like Nigeria’s magic man – Clarence Peters. In fact, I think that was Clarence’s first time to shoot in Nairobi. So in short, Camp Mulla did represent the dreams Sauti Sol had for themselves and most certainly dreams I had for our industry and artists. If more artists were this original and produced as stellar quality, I believe Kenyan music and our industry would today be so much further ahead.
Shappaman and K’Cous best Camp Mulla verses – the flow, rhythm and intentionality of the lyrics can be felt to date. This song was an international showcase to say the least, and a summary of what Camp Mulla were trying to do then – what they ended up doing. Shappa’s lyrics, “Camp Mulla team holding down Africa from the East ….” Till date, I still hear their songs playing on radio in other African countries I visit. And that’s no mean feat after all these years after the emergence of so many other artists, sounds and trends.
Other important album collaborations that were epic include “Move On” featuring Bamboo African Bantu and “Prices” featuring Wizkid. Bamboo is a legend in Kenya’s and East African hip hop scene. He’s also Victoria Kimani’s brother who now makes gospel music. The message of “Move On” is ironic and again clairvoyant of its time. It goes, “See my future on the horizon, I ain’t living in the past no more, coz on these streets I’ve been surviving, had to really slow it down, coz I’ve got to move on ..” Of course Wizkid went on to become a global star. The fact that Camp Mulla were a bigger deal that Wizkid in Africa at the time of this collaboration shows you the potential Camp Mulla had.
We didn’t realize how special Camp Mulla was because we didn’t make enough noise about this album, so let’s pretend we’re back to 2012 and give Camp Mulla and Suzanne their flowers. Funky Town album is 11 years this year. And it’s just crazy how fresh it still is.
They have been teasing new music since 2017. I am still eagerly waiting …
Shouts to Boomplay for always having the album on; and Sub Sahara for adding Funky Town on Spotify and Apple Music in 2023.
Black Roses 