At the outset of the neo-Kenyan rap scene, Kevin Ambalwa, better known by his stage name Kayvo Kforce, was an obvious pick. He existed
and did so with an aim of solidifying his place in the hip hop scene.
He was a big deal back in the day, and artistes like Octopizzo and Khaligraph Jones looked up to him and wanted to feature on projects with him. In theory, it made a lot of sense, as artistes will always operate on a simple formula: Surround yourself with a big artiste, produce a track and wait for your moment to shine.
The reality today is that his "mentees" have way advanced careers than he has ever imagined. Up until today, Kayvo Kforce could be considered a good rapper who's never really tapped into the market where it matters. On one side of the coin is a conscious rapper with brilliant bars and delivery. The other side is a creative who has never really mastered the art of selling his music to the masses.
Most of his music fades into obscurity immediately upon arrival. Ask around. Find hip hop heads and ask them to give you their top 10 list of Kenyan rappers. Chances are Kayvo Kforce will not be mentioned or will come up as an afterthought. As much as he is part of the game, he hardly seems to raise eyebrows.
In 2018 alone, he has released quite a number of tracks, including "Wananipima", featuring Mr Ke4, "Stamina" and "Underrated", featuring Kaa La Moto, Lon Jon and Nanoiya. While some of these tracks bring out his true element and are actual bangers, none acts like a defining moment for the rapper.
In an era where hip hop is dominating airwaves, you'd actually think that it would be quite easy for rappers to dominate. What presumably keeps Kayvo going is his is adoration for the genre. But maybe he needs to understand that it goes beyond that. Other top artistes have carved out their niche, mastered their sound, refined their presence and made the effort to create good music for their fanbases. At his best it can be utterly startling, but so far Kayvo needs to borrow a leaf.