Wakadinali Tops Hip-Hop Charts on Spotify

By Jackson OKOTH

Wakadinali, a Kenyan urban rap trio topped the list of most streamed hip-hop artists last year on Spotify, a world leading audio subscription service that has a presence in over 180 markets with 626 million users.

The hip hop group exploded on Spotify, which has over 100 million songs in the catalogue, with tracks like Hizi Stance, Sikutambui and Kichwa mbaya, leading performances on Spotify’s playlist.

Its streams more than doubled from 170 million in 2022 to over 430 million in 2024, an annual growth of close to 60%.

Wakadinali, a Kenyan hip hop group made in the early 2010s, consists of three members, David Munga Ramadhan professionally known as Domani Munga, Churchill Mandela or Scar Mkadinali and Salim Ali Tangut also known as Sewersydaa.

The group, known as Rong Rende, began as an underground hiphop group and broke into the mainstream in 2020.

Known for their gritty lyrics, street-oriented narratives, and fusion of gengetone, drill, and hardcore hip hop, Wakadinali have become one of the most dominant rappers in Kenya today.

The hip hop genre in Kenya continues to draw in younger and more diverse listeners, driven by the appetite of Kenyan youth with 61% of all hip-hop plays coming from 18-24 year olds, cementing the genre as Gen Z’s unquestionable tune.

While early streaming audiences of hip hop in Kenya were skewed overwhelmingly male, women now make up 27% of all Kenyan hip-hop listeners, estimated at over 28 million total streams on Spotify last year alone.

While Nairobi still drives the scene, hitting close to 98 million streams in 2024, more hip hop listeners are emerging in urban centres such as Mombasa, Nakuru, Thika, Meru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri, Muranga, Nanyuki and beyond.

This genre is gathering audiences far beyond its early strongholds as fans, artists and scenes are bursting beyond the capital city to smaller rural and pre-urban centres.

Wakadinali dominated the Spotify platform in 2024 with its deep rooted street tunes, hitting around 46 million live streams on Spotify.

The gang is known for its signature raw lyrics that continues to define the evolution of Kenyan hip hop from a niche subculture into a national tune.

Nyashinski, the second most streamed hip-hop act had 28 million streams, and has continued to attract listeners with tracks such as Shots and Under the influence. Octopizzo was third with 23 million streams on Spotify in 2024.

Khaligraph Jones, Buruklyn Boyz and Boutross define the sound’s grittier, street borne voices, also shaking up Kenya’s hip hop scene too.

Toxic-Lyrikali, a freshly minted teen, bred in Nairobi’s ghetto Kayole estate in Eastlands, is also furiously gathering a wildfire fan base with his grassroot lyrics and fiery momentum.

His leading track Chinje, earned a place on Spotify’s top streamed songs-a major feat for an artist with no major featuring, media support or financial backup.

Spotify has meanwhile named Ghananian trailblazer Ammarae as the Equal Africa artist for August, picking her as one of the continent’s artists who continue to push creative and cultural boundaries with every beat, lyric and look.

Amaarae, born Ama Serwah Genfi, raised between Ghana and the USA, draws her music inspiration from the cultures and genres she grew up with.

Top 10 most streamed Kenyan Hip Hop Artists on Spotify-2024

1. Wakadinali
2. Nyashinski
3. Octopizzo
4. Buruklyn Boys
5. Boutross
6. Khaligraph Jones
7. Scar Mkadinali
8. Stella Mwangi
9. Breeder LW
10. Ajay