The Nairobi “Oontz” Culture
The electronic dance music scene in Kenya is officially undergoing a massive awakening. Once heavily dominated by mainstream Afrobeats and Bongo Flava, dance floors across Nairobi are now surrendering to the hypnotic sound of house music.
What was once classified as an underground movement has quickly grown into a mainstream sound. Fueled by viral internet culture, ambitious local curators and history-making vocalists, Kenya has established itself as an electronic music capital on the continent.
The foundation of Kenya’s live Afro House scene was laid brick by brick by the “Gondwana Boys” – Suraj and Euggy. Recognizing a severe lack of African representation in Nairobi’s electronic music scene back in 2016, the duo launched Gondwana KE. What began as a Sunday pop-up event quickly grew into East Africa’s largest Afro House festival and a powerhouse record label.
The scene is too vibrant, too fast-paced and too vital to be ignored. The ‘Oontz’ is loud, it’s proud and it’s Kenyan.
