- Young rapper Original Stinger has been declared the winner of the Gorilla Academy rap competition.
- Kenyan hip-hop veteran King Kaka announced him as the winner on Friday via his Instagram handle.
- Masterminded by Kaka, Gorilla Academy is a mentorship program for young upcoming rappers.
- The program is fashioned as a YouTube series with multiple elimination rounds to arrive at a winner.
- Having won cycle 1 of the Gorilla Academy, Original Stinger will receive a 200,000 Kenya-shilling cash prize, a fully recorded extended play (EP) with the skillful Vinc on the Beat.
Inside the Fierce Battle For the Gorilla Academy Crown
Kennedy Ombima, popular as King Kaka assembled what appeared to be the most potent group of upcoming rappers for his Gorilla Academy series.
Young talents from Lamu to Nairobi displayed their lyrical skills in bars, wordplay, and delivery on a unique stage, in front of an enthusiastic audience.
The Judge Bench
Original Stinger and his colleague rappers performed inside a music studio with competent judges led by Kaka who also presided over the show.
King Kaka is a seasoned Kenyan rapper who has been in the game for decades. The rapper is also the chief executive officer of Kaka Empire, one of the best record labels in Kenya.
Also seated on the judge’s bench was producer Vinc on the Beat, a self-proclaimed beat killer behind numerous hit songs on Kenya’s airwaves.
Voice-over artist and media personality Mariah Mariah was the third judge of the Gorilla Academy Cycle 1 series.
Later on, King Kaka brought in Amisi Francis (Frasha) as a guest judge. Frasha is a member of the popular P-Unit music group alongside Gabu (Buganya) and Bon’eye Bogibenda.
Originally featuring the seasoned rapper Nonini, P-Unit is a prominent rap group known for several hit tracks in Kenya’s trademark Genge music genre:
- Kare
- Hapa Kule
- Kushoto Kulia
- Si Lazima
- You Guy (Dat Dendai)
- Weka Weka
- Mobimba
With the judge bench fully assembled and the freestyle beats ready, it was all systems go for the ambitious artists to hit the stage.
The intense rap battle ran for over two weeks involving a series of elimination rounds leading up to the winner.
Contestants appeared before the judges before taking positions behind the microphone. Vinc would then hand over a set of headphones before playing classic hip-hop beats.
Encountering the beat for the first time, a contestant begins to freestyle, showcasing their flow, lyrical skill, and delivery.
After a performance, Kaka and his 2 colleagues awarded points and gave brief comments based on the 60-second cameo.
Many upcoming artists appeared on Gorilla Academy episode 1 (Round of 16) up to the final 2 including; Swahili Jangili, Slinger Triple One, and Mitchy the Rapper.
Gorilla Academy Final 2 (Original Stinger and Slinger Tripple One)
Despite their passionate performances, only two made it to the grand finale.
Original Stinger and Slinger Tripple One emerged as the two men to face the ultimate test for the winner’s spot.
A composed and studious Stinger first took to the stage to be assessed on three key areas:
- Love/romance freestyle performance
- Bars (Lyrical prowess)
- Bonus performance.
Original Stinger excellently rapped on 3 different beats demonstrating why he was the judges’ favorite on both ‘Round of 16’ and ‘Round of 8’ editions of the show.
Having scooped the highest points in previous rounds, Stinger took the bar even higher by delivering what appeared to be the performance of his life.
Slinger Original Tripple One went next in a bid to turn the tables and swing the judges in his favor. While he appeared a bit sloppy on the romantic verses, Tripple one particularly ‘massacred’ the Bars part of the contest.
The Kasarani-based rapper delivered his lines in perfect sync with the beat, earning well-deserved accolades from the judges.
Despite Triple One’s spirited effort to redeem himself in the other two sections, Original Stinger was crowned the overall winner of the music mentorship program. The two young guns, however, displayed remarkable sportsmanship by showing respect and wishing each other the best.
Original Stinger bags the designated cash prize of 200,000 Kenya shillings following his victory. Other perks lined up on his way include:
- A 3-track recorded EP
- Visualizer
- Mentorship from the best in the business
Gorilla Academy’s presiding officer, King Kaka, has announced Cycle 2, which will showcase another group of emerging young talents. The second edition is set to air in the coming days.
