Another verse from KINDO

Isn’t so easy Living Homeless
I got nothing to be proud off
On this supple race with angry pigs,
But only my breath
I wish I gonna make it cos I’m sage
For my heart’s full of cupidity,
Yes, I WILL, I CAN and I MUST!
My mom told me that I gotta be tolerant
Like that Canadian Huskys.
I’m waiting for the gleeful days
Hustlers in paradise when Jesus returns
We’ll shed no tears anymore.
Who’s gonna accommodate the wanderers and forgotten guys
on the streets of ‘Bongo’ city?,
Who’s gonna lit on the’r way?
If whoever sees ‘em hurries to dials 911!
Others makes funny to ‘em
Saying the’r dirty ‘n stinky,
Listen to the’r Ice- Scream.
Even they dunno the’r birthday,
The’r Just waiting for the’r death- day.
I could help ‘em,
BUT I’M ONE OF THEM!!!

We’re about as excited as Ninja was in this photo when we surprised him and the other msela with a bag of CDs of their album. We gave them 50 CDs to use to promote themselves and give to radio stations, all part of Urban Project’s intention to empower them to take this music and turn it into a sustainable source of income for themselves. We just printed 500 (and put the album online for download of course).

When we look at these boxes of CDs, we don’t really see albums full of seriously awesome Bongo Flava hip hop (although they are), we see each CD representing the guys story contained in a little plastic case and feel a huge responsibility to find the right way to tell it. We’re also really excited because each one of these plastic cases represents multiples of 10 (dollars) and that 200 of them represent these guys being able to rent their house again for another year. A year.

You can purchase the album by clicking the link above. The CD is available for $15 or $6 to download. $4 goes to site, $11 goes into Urban Project paypal and directly back to the artists in the form of safe housing, school fees etc.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

Jay, Leah and the Urban Project Team. xo

After receiving the email and verse from Kindo last month, I wrote to him, telling him how much I liked it and to send more. As I mentioned before, Kindo is very clever and very thoughtful. All the msela in fact, are very curious about Canada, asking us what Canadian “msela” (street youth) are like, what Canadian food is like and about our government, no doubt comparing it to their own. I thought it was funny and kinda cute, but also very interesting to see that he had included our PM into the verse! Can’t say I’ve ever heard a Canadian rapper throw in a verse about Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete but maybe soon, as the world shrinks and we become more aware. Here is Kindo’s verse:

I’m bobbing up n’ down
Like a little girl at the peekaboo line
I’m throwin’ my arrows
You snitches should bend down
Call me ‘mkali’ of Downtown
A president of Shaban Robert street
I’m forgotten sana*
But wealthy tha golden rain
Hey! Where’s my fanc,
Chicks n’ fellas?
I know that u like my rhymes
‘cos I see your swinging heads
Right!, just keep banging
Party it n’ feel no pain
I’ve got no beat n’ M.I.C
But still sounding like real M.C
I respect ya’ll
As I do to Hon. Stephen Harper.
Whe ar%*¤¥¿€=#§¥ OOPS! SORRY, BATTERY’S UP!
Au’voir

*sana means “a lot” in kiswahili.