Ogopa Flies In To Fire Up Kampala
Dec 12, 2002
You have often heard their songs blaring on your FM radio and danced to their music on the dance floors of the top night clubs:
You have often heard their songs blaring on your FM radio and danced to their music on the dance floors of the top night clubs: Wasee Wa Githurai by Mr Googz & Vini Banton; Ninanoki by Nameless; Tahidi by Amani; Julie by Red Sun,
Leoni Leo by E-sir, Monalisa by Deux Vultures, Mabibi na Mabwan, Maniacs Anthem by Kepto Maniax to mention but a few. Yes, they are the famous Ogopa DJs from Kenya. A group of 14 talented artists.
In less than a year, this group are set to perform today at the Nile Hotel Gardens in the first of their two concerts at the gate fee of sh15,000. Gates open at 5.00pm but the show begins at 7.30pm.
The second show will take place tomorrow at the Lugogo Cricket Oval Grounds for sh7,000. Gates open at 3.00pm but the show starts at 5.00pm. M2 promotions, the people promoting them in Uganda say that time will strictly be adhered to. This is the first time Ogopa DJs perform outside Kenya.
Six of them met the media last Tuesday at the Rock Bar Cafe and promised to give Ugandans their best. These included E-Sir, Red Sun and Amani, the only lady here for the show. She will team up with Nameless to send the crowd into a frenzy with their Ninanoki. Mr. Googz will also be performing his hits like Fed Up and Tumetoka off his album Straight From Githurai.
He put this album together with Vini Banton. Nasty Thomas will fully represent the Vultures. The group later that night ‘attacked’ Silk Royale where they sparked off a feverish frenzy.
The Ogopa DJs have had great performances in Nairobi, Kenya like at the Carnivore show last May where they launched Ogopa 1, the compilation album which contains all the aforementioned songs. But the biggest of their shows was the one at Mamba Village International Club, Mombasa. “It was a mammoth crowd that some people were still waiting to pay after our show. They had stood in the queue for hours,†Amani said as Mr. Googz nodded his head in approval.
But contrary to popular belief, Ogopa DJs are individual artists who come together under Ogopa DJs Production. This is a recording /production house or label just like Peter Sematimba’s Dungeon back in the day. Mr. Googz said Ugandan stars Chameleon and Bebe Cool are part of this staple and will perform individually on stage.
Furthermore, the group, whose members prefer to be known by single names consists of Francis (director), Lucas (director) and Banda (manager). It was formed in 1996, yet, because they preferred a low-profile, took long to emerge in the public limelight.
“We believe that recognition should come from what we can do as a production house and not who we really are,†Francis said. The group has also composed songs that were a remix of an old popular hit, Tabu and Ohh ndio ndio that turned out to be a great success receiving good air-play at the local radio station KBC.
Lucas now holds a BSc degree in design and Francis a BSc degree in physics and mathematics, have now moved to a different level in terms of great achievements and fame. Their first major song on radio as a production house was King of the Jungle by Bebe Cool. This was soon followed by Wasee Wa Githurai by Mr Googz & Vini Banton and Mama Mia by Chameleon.
The group now has a brand image that represents Ogopa - an image they describe as bold, conspicuous and daring: “And that is what Ogopa stands for, daring in our approach, conspicuous in quality, and bold in our style,†says Francis.
Leoni Leo by E-sir, Monalisa by Deux Vultures, Mabibi na Mabwan, Maniacs Anthem by Kepto Maniax to mention but a few. Yes, they are the famous Ogopa DJs from Kenya. A group of 14 talented artists.
In less than a year, this group are set to perform today at the Nile Hotel Gardens in the first of their two concerts at the gate fee of sh15,000. Gates open at 5.00pm but the show begins at 7.30pm.
The second show will take place tomorrow at the Lugogo Cricket Oval Grounds for sh7,000. Gates open at 3.00pm but the show starts at 5.00pm. M2 promotions, the people promoting them in Uganda say that time will strictly be adhered to. This is the first time Ogopa DJs perform outside Kenya.
Six of them met the media last Tuesday at the Rock Bar Cafe and promised to give Ugandans their best. These included E-Sir, Red Sun and Amani, the only lady here for the show. She will team up with Nameless to send the crowd into a frenzy with their Ninanoki. Mr. Googz will also be performing his hits like Fed Up and Tumetoka off his album Straight From Githurai.
He put this album together with Vini Banton. Nasty Thomas will fully represent the Vultures. The group later that night ‘attacked’ Silk Royale where they sparked off a feverish frenzy.
The Ogopa DJs have had great performances in Nairobi, Kenya like at the Carnivore show last May where they launched Ogopa 1, the compilation album which contains all the aforementioned songs. But the biggest of their shows was the one at Mamba Village International Club, Mombasa. “It was a mammoth crowd that some people were still waiting to pay after our show. They had stood in the queue for hours,†Amani said as Mr. Googz nodded his head in approval.
But contrary to popular belief, Ogopa DJs are individual artists who come together under Ogopa DJs Production. This is a recording /production house or label just like Peter Sematimba’s Dungeon back in the day. Mr. Googz said Ugandan stars Chameleon and Bebe Cool are part of this staple and will perform individually on stage.
Furthermore, the group, whose members prefer to be known by single names consists of Francis (director), Lucas (director) and Banda (manager). It was formed in 1996, yet, because they preferred a low-profile, took long to emerge in the public limelight.
“We believe that recognition should come from what we can do as a production house and not who we really are,†Francis said. The group has also composed songs that were a remix of an old popular hit, Tabu and Ohh ndio ndio that turned out to be a great success receiving good air-play at the local radio station KBC.
Lucas now holds a BSc degree in design and Francis a BSc degree in physics and mathematics, have now moved to a different level in terms of great achievements and fame. Their first major song on radio as a production house was King of the Jungle by Bebe Cool. This was soon followed by Wasee Wa Githurai by Mr Googz & Vini Banton and Mama Mia by Chameleon.
The group now has a brand image that represents Ogopa - an image they describe as bold, conspicuous and daring: “And that is what Ogopa stands for, daring in our approach, conspicuous in quality, and bold in our style,†says Francis.