"Local Legends" is a mix series introducing African musicians who are considered legends in their home country, without having reached the same level of recognition and success internationally.

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Jane Nyambura (1965 – 2010) was a Kenyan benga musician performing in Kikuyu language. She was born in Kangema (Murang'a County) and started her career in 1984 as a back-up vocalist for Mbiri Young Stars. She formed her own band Queenja Les Les and released her debut album "Ndorogonye" in 1991.

I have long been addicted to the catchy melodies of her songs, in awe of the minimalistic efficiency of the guitar and keyboard hooks. Her vocals, often doubled or tripled by herself to create an eerie wall of words, cut through any sets of speakers and bounce around in playful call-and-responses with the instruments.

African Studies teacher specialized in Kenyan popular culture Maina Radasafi wrote the following in her obituary for the Daily Nation:

"Wikipedia is not representative of the space that this fallen heroine of Kikuyu popular music has occupied in the Kenyan social imaginary and the cultural scene. Queen Jane will be remembered as the trendsetter of Kikuyu secular music by women. Apart from the Nyakinyua dancers in the ’50s and ’60s, the voices of Kikuyu women were largely muted.

When Queen Jane entered the fray, she fused the old and the new, in terms of lyrics and tunes. In her initial recordings, she would include the traditional folk form "mucungw’a "within contemporary benga. On her album covers, she was dressed in traditional Gikuyu community attire; in muthuuru, which was a skirt made of skin, and huge earrings, known as hang’i. 

Most of contemporary Kikuyu musicians have been products of Queen Jane’s magnanimity. Queen Jane also mentored her younger sisters, Lady Wanja and Princess Aggie, as well as her brother Dr. Michuki, who are now musicians in their own right. 

Her thematic concerns are expressed in the musician’s mastery of the Kikuyu language, and her choice of words clearly captures the idioms of everyday life among Kenyans. In most of her songs, she has directly attacked patriarchal hegemony. Her song "Arume Majini" ("Men are Ghosts") was inspired by an increase in the number of rape and defilement cases in Kenya. This is the same theme echoed in her hit song  "Guka Nindarega" ("I refused to be married to an old man"). In "Nyumburira", she laments that the friends of her lover are discouraging him from continuing with their relationship simply because she is a musician. Queen Jane was never apologetic about her feminist stance, as she once declared: “The fact that men are among my greatest fans simply means that I am telling the truth.”

However, her strong lyrics against men’s abuses have triggered a continuous dialogue in gender relations in the Kikuyu music. Some of her songs attest to the problems she has had to contend with in a career that is male-dominated, and where female musicians are easily mistaken for pros­titutes.

Her music has also been well known for carrying social messages. In her song "Tunua Baggy" ("Loose mouths"), she denounces gossips and rumour mongers. Her repertoire is notable in depicting class consciousness: she was the voice of the voiceless such as orphans, widows, matatu drivers and hawkers who were met with brutality from state officials at the onset of multi-party democracy the early 90's.

Queen Jane died of meningitis in Nairobi after a spell of illness. In death, her music still commands a huge following on YouTube. Her stature as the leading Kikuyu popular musician will remain etched in the memories of many a fan of her benga beat."

00:00 · Hodi Hodi
02:55 · Arata Kuna
06:14 · Ndorogonye
09:00 · Nyina Wa Hardcore
13:06 · Mukingo
16:21 · Murata
19:31 · Ningwendete
22:36 · Tunua Baggy
25:01 · Nyumba Kileleshwa
27:36 · Arûme Nî Njegeni

Local Legends · Queen Jane

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Mam J

latest 140 mix really aint that great but some heavy heavy tunes in ere 

140 mix absolutely pants

This was a wonderful journey talking through the history of East African Music, starting with the classics such as Mbaraka Mwinshehe and Joseph Kamaru and breaking into fresh talents such as Dj Travella bringing singeli into the mix. Also an explorarion into Colombian Sound System with a new release from Edna Martinez. Aired on 17.05.25

Matatu meets the Daladala @ Cashmere Radio

MAUMIVU KWENYE MOYO

140 DJ may dabble in dnb and garage tho but yeah hmu

French-born & Berlin-based Boris Paillard a.k.a. Mixanthrope has been shaking up dancefloors from Canada to Ghana since 2015 with African, Afro-diasporic and Afro-Caribbean songs & sounds. After working for the label "Akwaaba Music" in Accra, he created the monthly event series "African Beats & Pieces" in Berlin in 2017, inviting passionate DJs and underground live acts to explore specific musical themes.

► djmixanthrope@gmail.com

Resident DJ & organizer of regular Afro-centric music parties in Berlin since 2017: "African Beats & Pieces"
╚» https://www.facebook.com/AfricanBeatsAndPieces/

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France : Connexion Live | Intermédiaire | Bric à Brac
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Antananarivo: Chez Papa

New tracks tagged #Benga