Simon Kimani popularly known as
Bamboo is said to make a comeback in Kenya in style this December.
The rap lyricist who currently resides in New York and was raised in Inglewood, Carlifonia until he was 17 years spoke to
Mambo Badd exclusively.
"I'll be arriving in Kenya around the begining of December for a few shows. I am currently finishing my album and working out some details for my distribution deal. My panafrican movement project is being strategized by a team of people who include
Cedric Muhammad who used to manage
Wu Tang when they were big," Bamboo told Mambo Badd.
Bamboo recently released a brand new mixtape video known as
Love Vs Hate which he featured international artist
Vicki Secret.
The artist who was known for Kenyan big hit
Compe, at the age of 17 was sent to Nairobi, by his parents to eschew the potentially dangerous life they feared he might have if he stayed in Inglewood. Bamboo transferred the success he was beginning to have in California to Nairobi, acquiring a record deal and producing his first album, Nairoberry, with his group K-South in 2001.He formed the record label Project 254 in Nairobi with Kenyan emcees
Tim Waindi and
Attitude. Bamboo is also a member of the record label The Grass Company, and he states that he intends to re-record a previously-released album "exactly the way [they] did it in Kenya but now with state of the art equipment" in Atlanta, Georgia..
Bamboo was featured in the film
Hip Hop Colony as one of the premiere rappers from Kenya, and in a clip featuring himself and emcees
Big Mike and Attitude rapping over live guitar chords, Bamboo's style combines American and Kenyan content while being delivered in a markedly American accent and flow.
When Mambo Badd asked him about the majority of his songs being in English, Bamboo stated, "Rapping in English is the only way to infiltrate the US rap game and get respect because without that respect no one will even bother with you."