Rocking in the streets

Nairobi, 

Friday, 5 July, 2024 

By McCreadie Andias 

Who said Country music rocks in Texas only? Who said country music is an old hat? I bet you need to take a walk somewhere.

When you are on your errands along the streets within Nairobi Central Business District during a warm afternoon, you are likely to come across a tall dark man dressed in a romantic smile. Holding a huge wooden jazz guitar. Dressed in Old fashion ranch boots, a half coat,probably jeans and a Spanish polbano like the Texas Cowboys or the Mexican horse ranchers.

You need to stop for a minute or five and listen to his funky performance then difinitely you are free to head your whereabouts in a smile. This man is Sam Kule. 

Born in Choha Village of Bweka just near the boarder of Uganda, this golden-voiced street musician and guitarist is just the new replica of Kenny Rogers and Michael Jackson in Town. For those who are married to country music, pop, soul, Rnb, jazz and blues probably know what is talked about here. It's Unarguable a relief that there is no oblivion for this sanctum of music in his hands. 

Kule says he grew up and fell in love with music but it never hit his mind that he would get inspired to perform in the streets. 

“I started singing in primary school” he explains. In 2015 he officially sunk into street music and decided it was the way to go. Singing from shop to shop wasn't efficient enough. The streets within Nairobi City were his next choice. 

Here space and massive audience was a sure bet for him and for sure all the glares and ears were mesmerized by his voice. By-passers stop to feel the funky music, drivers pull over to enjoy the full enchantment of his voice. 

But let's ask, how does Kule make his music? “The song writes itself.” He explains in his documentary ‘This is Sam Kule’. 

We all know performing in the streets is not a walk in the park especially doing music wich is struggling to fit in the 21st century in this predominant Afro and hip hop world. 

A handful would go for that as a profession,but Kule always wears a smile perhaps this adds more light to his performance as he says “Your not fully dressed without a smile.” And as his hopes for a light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter, it doesn't seem like Kule wants to give in to failure or stop “Our time will come we will appear on their screens.” He says in hope. 

Have you listened to his ‘Kachumbari song’? this is a romantic stunner among others of his own hits like ‘Beba beba’ ‘ Life is a choice’ ‘When leaders flight’ and his ‘hero’ cover by Enrique inglesias. Kule is also a proud man having sung former president Uhuru Kenyatta a song during his 59th birthday. 

Nothings come on a silver lining. Challenges are inevitable and as any other artist, Kule is exposed as much. He narrates of over-using his voice to create a nice flow,often hurting his fingers when beating the guitar for long and ofcourse the noisy cars in the Nairobi streets are nothing to easily avoid. 

Nevertheless this does not allow him to lower the tool “Sometimes I play music and forget that I am starving, I play music and forget that I am hungry, music is like everything to me.” He explains in his documentary. 

And what's his advice to other talented musicians out there “Music is like a raw material, a guitar is like a factory” we all know how this two lead to. 

“If you keep your music in the mind, if you keep your music in the house, it will rust just like a guitar can rust.” Kule concludes.And the look on his face proves that he is just on fire and nothing will put it out.