Coastal-based producer Jay Crak has expressed his desire to take the traditional Mijikenda sound of Mwanzele to the international music market.
Speaking to Baraka FM during the POZI 254 Show, Jay Crak shared that this is a well-thought-out idea and explained how he plans to make it a reality.
“In the past, people primarily listened to songs by artists from other countries,” Jay Crak said. “I sat down to think about what could bring about a change, and that’s when I created my EP. The traditional songs in the EP have done very well.”
Jay Crak, also known as Juma Mrima, further emphasized that artists should creatively blend traditional sounds with others, giving fans the chance to embrace them, which would ultimately help the songs reach international recognition.
Speaking about his ‘Kilifornia Love’ EP, the producer explained that it was God’s timing to release it on February 19th, after previously postponing the release twice.
The EP consists of 11 songs, featuring artists such as Susumila, Mr. Bado, Echo 254, Ricky Melodies, Hamsi Munga, Ali wa Leo, Morinta, Adasa, and Lonney Tz. He noted that the songs offer a diverse melodic sound influenced by close people in his life, and he also mentioned that another EP project is in the works.
“I went abroad and visited various studios to master some of the songs, but unfortunately, I forgot the hard drive in Europe when I returned home,” Jay Crak shared. “This song (‘Habibth’) is inspired by my wife, who has Mexican roots. As for ‘Duruma,’ my mother is of mixed Duruma descent, so when the artists recorded that song and the fans loved it, I was very happy.”
The music producer, who has over 20 years of experience in the industry, named his long-time friend and Kenyan music legend Susumila as one of the most outstanding artists he has worked with.
He explained that Susumila is always honest and rarely causes any inconvenience when it comes to music-related issues.
In response to claims of unprofessionalism among coastal Kenya’s music producers, Jay Crak explained that the work can be exhausting, and artists should understand this.
“Sometimes, I switch off my phone for a while to spend time with my family. I love my job, and you can almost draw a pattern of my routine — it’s home to studio and back. I’m committed to my work, but artists shouldn’t always blame us. If it works with other producers from different countries, then it’s fine,” he said.
Jay Crak jokingly added that after hearing President William Ruto melodically name Kenyan towns in his speeches, he believes the president is actually a very good musician and is now waiting for a call.