| Wakadinali | |
| Origin: | Eastlands, Nairobi, Kenya |
| Genre: | Kenyan Hiphop. Kenyan Drill. Kenyan rap |
| Label: | Zoza Nation |
| Current Members: | Domani MungaScar MkadinaliSewersydaa |
Wakadinali is a Kenyan hip hop group with three members, David Munga Ramadhan professionally known as Domani Munga, Churchill Mandela professionally known as Scar Mkadinali and Salim Ali Tangut professionally known as Sewer Sydaa.[1] The group is also known as Rong Rende.[2] Wakadinali who are from the Eastlands area in Nairobi started out as an underground hiphop group and broke into the mainstream in 2020.[3]
Tela Wangeci writing on The Native linked the group to a "hiphop renaissance" in Nairobi, which she attributed to their ability to make music that represents the ordinary Kenyan youth.[4]
In 2022, Rolling Stone listed their song "Mc Mca" as one of the top 40 Afropop songs of 2022.[5] Their song "Sikutambui" was also listed Rolling Stone's The 40 Best Afropop Songs of 2023 list.[6]
In 2022, Wakadinali were the second most streamed local artists in Kenya on Spotify.[7] In 2023, Wakadinali were the most streamed artists in Kenya on Spotify. They were also was the fifth most streamed hip-hop artists in Kenya.[2]
Ndani ya Cockpit 1 was their debut album in 2017. It was then followed by a second album in 2018, Ndani ya Cockpit 2. The album uses a lot of trap sound.[8]
In 2019, they collaborated with Kenyan rapper Dyana Cods to release the single Morio Anzenza, a Sheng phrase that translates to 'day ones'.[9]
In 2020, Wakadinali released the Victims of Madness album which catapulted them into the mainstream. The 15-track album heavily relied on drill sounds and included hit songs like XL, Extra Pressure and Morio Anzenza.[10] Tangaza Magazine writes that the name of the album "invites the audience to look at crime and criminals in a different way. What if we put ourselves in their shoes and saw their state of victimhood?".[11] A common theme of the album is gun violence with songs such as XXL entirely focusing on the topic. In the album, Wakadinali frequently hint that gun violence is not always originating from the gangsters, but rather from police officers. Police brutality is a common theme in songs such as Njege Sanse and Kim Jong Un.
In 2021, in collaboration with Sir Bwoy, they released Geri inengi, a single that gained them more mainstream recognition. The song popularized the Sheng phrase "Subaru ya Mambaru" which refers to a Subaru car full of detectives.[12]
In 2022, Wakadinali released three albums. Easy and Haitaki Hasira were released in January 2022, while Ndani ya Cockpit 3 was released in December of the same year.[13] Ndani ya Cockpit 3 was the 10th most streamed album of 2023 in Kenya.[14]
Ndani ya Cockpit 1 (2017)
Ndani ya Cockpit 2 (2018)
Victims of madness (2020)
Easy (2022)
Haitaki hasira (2022)
Ndani ya Cockpit 3 (2022)
| Unkut HipHop Awards | 2019 | Wakadinali | Best Rap Group | [15] | ||
| Mario Anzeza-Wakadinali ft Dyana Cods | Song of the year | |||||
| Ndani ya cockpit-Wakadinali | Album of the year | |||||
| Unkut HipHop Awards | 2020 | Extra pressure-Wakadinali | Video of the year | [16] | ||
| XXXL -Wakadinali | Song of the year | |||||
| Wakadinali | Best Rap Group | |||||
| Pulse Music Video Awards | 2021 | Avoid those people- Wakadinali ft. All Stars | Best collaboration of the year | [17] | ||
| Wakadinali | Best Group Video of the year | |||||
| Pulse Music Video Awards | 2022 | Wakadinali | Best Group of the year | [18] | ||
| Pulse Music Video Awards | 2023 | Wakadinali | Best group of the year | [19] |