Know your artist-Octopizzo’s hype man – Lil Keen

Officially known as ALEX ADUNDO MIYUMO, Lil Keen is a Kenyan artist born in Nyanza province and bred in the slums of Kibra, otherwise popularly known as namba nane or 8 town.

Having risen to grace some of the biggest live events alongside 8town’s finest Octopizzo, Lil Keen painted a picture of his musical journey to the Nyanza Daily as decoded by Oguna Mamba.

1. Q. Who is Lil Keen?

Lil Keen: I am a song writer, recording artist, singer and a rapper.

1. What genre of music do you create?

Lil Keen: I am versatile, I mostly create music from inspiration since music I believe, is a universal language that can be interpreted in whichever manner, thus, I don’t conform to styles and trends for the mere sake of making music or seeking publicity.

1. Who inspires you and why?

Lil Keen: Octopizzo, because he is a perfect example to Lupita’s punchline that regardless of where you come from, your dreams are valid. I cannot for once underestimate the fact that he conquered the odds and proved it to us in the ghetto that we can all make it when we try. If he happens to read this piece, he should know that I still look up to him as a mentor and a figure of great influence.

1. What is your greatest motivation as an artist?

Lil Keen: Since music is therapeutic, my greatest motivation is to unleash content that resonates to who we are as a people and the things we go through. It is my earnest desire as an artist to make music that actually appeals to the needs of my listeners and to form a strong bond with them from a point of reality.

1. Speaking of reality, what would you attribute as a reason behind the rising levels of depression and suicide among celebrities?

Lil Keen: First of all I send my condolences to all artists and actors that we lost this year to social pressure, secondly, allow me say too much expectations from the public and the laxity by the government to regard arts as a key economic sector that can autonomously raise revenue to a country. Most artists end up faking lifestyles, living a lie and shy away from sharing their challenges for the fear of being publicly scolded.

1. Saying of which how do you survive?

Lil Keen : By being myself and not pleasing people, I came from the ghetto and now I have my cloth line with dedicated customers who have since become fans and friends, before that, I used to sell water, depending on my donkey to do the delivery, this is how I raised my capital to open up a cloth line.

1. Who is your role Model locally?

Lil Keen: I am not so politically observant but I look up to the Executive Director of the global peace foundation Mr. Daniel Juma Omondi who has done much to empower the youth through his office and from his individual initiatives, I hope to meet him someday so that I introduce him to Octopizzo someday. Anyone who supports innovation and creativity while incorporating technology is a default leader that needs to be needed.

1. Where do you project yourself as an artist in the next few years?

Lil Keen:  Hopefully, I would have got the peace of mind I so much need, I also wish that I would have amassed enough capital to make my music be heard in major outlets.

1. Any projects underway?

Lil Keen :  Yes, I will be among the artists creating history in a business Cypher organized by Autlyn.biz, I’m beyond elated to participate in a cypher that does not talk about alcohol, drugs and women but focusing on self –development.

1. Where can the fans find your Music?

Lil Keen: Log in to Autlyn.biz to find me, I also happen to be under the management of Brocom Entertainment founded by Advocate Collins Mango.

1. Which songs have you featured Octopizzo?

Lil Keen: Check out Tergat, noma ni na zingine kadhaa.

Compiled by Oguna Mamba, a poet, lexicographer and a knowledge gangster