Public Project
Amboseli 46 (Longterm)
My curiosity grew bigger and bigger; the more I observed, the more I shot, and since the onset of my documentary/visual journey in region 46 of Nairobi City - that is Dagoretti North (where Amboseli is located) and/or Kawangware - I have been pleased and encouraged with my results as I keep going back to the drawing board. This documentation and cultural observation began in May 2020 - one of my silver linings during this pandemic period.
One fabric I have encountered is underground Kenyan hiphop. The bulk of the black and white images form the narrative of what a local show mtaa (in the hood) looks and feels like. Skilled and talented rappers, freestylers and singers alike bring their A game to the stage -- which in this case was a primary school playing field. I attended this show and on departure, my findings left me convicted. I am very much inspired to venture onward into this subject, to bear historical witness to the journey of underground performing and/or recording hiphop artistes in Kenya; an artiste(s) who would wish to graduate onto the mainstream platform, those content with underground as well as underground dynamics. This body of work will also serve as a commentary as hiphop is universal, and different geographies still exhibit the same or similar attributes as I continue to read and observe.
I appreciate the emotion displayed by these untapped, veiled artistes and strive to channel and portray what I saw, the way I saw it. For posterity.
Ultimately, I seek to honour my subjects through my pictures and remind each and every one of them that they too are worthy of attention.
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