CELEB CONFESSIONS: Rapdamu on why he’s now Naiboi

Four years ago, Rapdamu made the switch from producer to musician. With the switch came a change of name to Naiboi. PHOTO| THOMAS MATIKO

What you need to know:

  • During this time, Nigerian songs were really getting massive airplay in our media.
  • Everyone kept talking about Nigeria, I got fed up and decided I would fight our sound and so I started referring to myself as Nairobi boy in short form Naiboi.

Four years ago, Rapdamu made the switch from producer to musician. With the switch came a change of name to Naiboi.
He featured in two hit collaborations  “Welle Welle” in 2014 featuring Timmy Tdat and “Daktari” 2015 featuring Frasha, projects which he produced and sung as well, that helped put his name out there before going on to do more similar collabos. 
Since then, Rapdamu who has rebranded to Naiboi hasn’t looked back and he is currently riding high with his latest hit “I Wanna Be” featuring DJ Crème de la Creme.

We caught up with Naiboi who also co owns Pacho Records with music producer Cedo, and he had a lot to share about his singing journey.

 

Naiboi, so what happened to Rapdamu?
Hahaha! Rapdamu died in 2013 or rather 2014. I have been in the game for so long as a producer since 2003 when I produced my first song and I have been going with that name and I felt I needed some fresh name that can surprise you, and that’s how I coined Naiboi.

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Why Naiboi and not any other stage name?
During this time, Nigerian songs were really getting massive airplay in our media. Everyone kept talking about Nigeria, I got fed up and decided I would fight our sound and so I started referring to myself as Nairobi boy in short form Naiboi.

Don’t you think you made your entry in to the music game so late yet you had all these years to do so?
To be honest even if I had wanted to come out early I wouldn’t have been able because back then I never had money to pay for my music and that’s how I ended up doing production.

Will you ever go back to production?
Honestly I don’t think so because I believe I gave my best in all those years that I did production. I’m convinced I have done my part in that department and that’s why am moving on to something different.

With your mind made up, so who does the production at your stable Pacho Records?

I got five producers on payroll and that’s the job they do. There is Jack On The Beat, the guy who produced  “Bazokizo” my  partner Cedo, there is Jegede who produced “Gudi Gudi” and we also got Illogos he has produced Fena Gitu’s recent songs plus Willy Pauls’ “Digiri”

 

In your latest jam “I Wanna Be” you are so romantic, what was that all about?
Hahaha! I had to come out in a different way because even the track itself is different. Besides, I grew up listening to RnB thus it was so natural for me to express myself that way. I also want people to notice some growth in every song that I release. I guess that’s what it was all about.

You featured DJ Crème de la Creme could you say he is the Kenyan version of DJ Khaleed. And by the way how does that work, a DJ featured in song yet he is not singing?
By the way it’s actually Dj Crème who featured me, he may be our DJ Khaleed as you put it (Laughs)! You also have to understand that you don’t have to be a singer to be featured in a track. You can produce a song be it by sponsoring it or creating beats and that  gets you featured on the given project. In this case, DJ Crème created the beats and even paid for the whole project and all I did was the vocals.