Kenya Music legend E-sir Umar, Photo courtesy
By Mukurima Muriuki
On this day in 2003, we lost arguably then Kenya’s fastest rising music superstar: E-Sir. His death was felt in every corner of Kenya, and even the forgetful politicians remembered to honor the departed E-Sir. For the first time, in the history of Kenya’s parliament, a moment of silence was observed for a fallen musician.
Three years prior, Kenya had been stunned by the death of Les Wanyika’s John Ngereza. A few years earlier, we had accepted the will of God with the death of Watailor, he of the “Janet Darli” fame. Kenya was still reeling from death of Professor Naaman, the voice behind “Mama Kambo na baba Kambo nani aliye mbaya.” But E-Sir’s death stung. He was just getting warmed up. He was already creating and making music that his rivals had no answer to. He was, in a unique way, designing the motif of a new era for Kenyan music.
The old and the not so young danced to Boomba Train. The youthful gyrated to Mos Mos. The professionals found something in Hamnitishi. With E-Sir, there was something, for everyone. And he knew it. Perhaps reason he told us:
“Navuta more crowds than Rainbow alliance.”
I wonder where a collabo between Nyanshinski and E-Sir would have taken us.
Silas Nyanchwani adds:
E-SIR’s voice was so mature in Moss Moss. It is a song to last us our entire lifetime. I loved the intro with sweet Brenda.
“Jasho yatiririka
Moyo wapiga
Kila mtu anawika
Hajui vile ya kusema
Mahewa tunapewa
Yatiririka
Moyo wapiga
Kila mtu anawika
Hajui vile ya kusema
Mahewa tunapewa
…
Ogopa DJs deserve a national monument.
