ALL CREWS INTERNATIONAL: KENYA
- adancecalledhardwe
- Jan 27
- 7 min read
Updated: Feb 17
In 2026 on the plains and in cities of Kenya, Jungle Drum & Bass is in effect!..
Balter Sensei
Please tell our All Crews readers about Jungle Culture Kenya.
Jungle Culture is a collective/community started in Nairobi, Kenya, by me and my Co-Founder, Nduta Mbogori. JCK was initially focused on making a home for Jungle/Drum & Bass music in the city and country as a whole, but has recently become a driving force behind genre-based alternative electronic bass nights in Nairobi. Throwing over 20 strictly Jungle/Drum & Bass nights since its inception about 3 years ago, and also having several collaborative gigs with fellow low-end outfits.
Tell us about the Jungle/Drum n' Bass scene in Kenya?
The scene is still quite young; before we started JCK, there was barely a scene to begin with. We probably had countable DNB nights before doing it ourselves. I think I'd personally only been to one gig in my whole life that played mostly Jungle/DNB, and that was like 3 years before JCK's inception. So, we've been personally pushing the scene, and the reception has been slow, but also amazing. In our 3 years of existence, we're seeing more converts every day, especially from the House scene, which is Nairobi's most popular EDM genre and also in the Reggae scene, especially with Jungle music.
We're also seeing more & more other DJ's finding the courage to play Jungle/DNB in their sets at events, which is quite exciting. Events and Festivals are also booking these DJ's to play the genres.
Give us some background about how you first became involved in Jungle and Drum n' Bass.
I actually just fell in love with the sound and its sense of release. I think the first time I came across the sound was either through Rudimental/Naughty Boy or I think Chase & Status' album "No More Idols", it was around the time I had just joined University and I was obsessed with EDM and dreaming of DJing at Tomorrowland, haha. So my love for the Electronic spectrum & finding newer, deeper sounds just threw me deep into Jungle music, and I never looked back. For years, all I wanted to do was either play or hear the sound here at home in the spaces I'd go to, who knew I'd be part of the movement. It's an absolute honour.
Social Media Links:
Nduta Mbogori
Please tell our readers how you first encountered Jungle/Drum and Bass.
Well, I was born in 1991 and growing up, I was privileged enough to attend a British Curriculum school and a lot of the students were from the UK, so there was definitely that as an influence. Aside from that, on TV back in the day, shows and stations like Channel O and MTV would play the genre and feature artists such as Rudimental and so on. And then there was the influence of my older brothers and the video games they would play. Back then it wasn't out of the ordinary to hear DNB or more generally breakbeat as a soundtrack in a movie or in a video game (or as the theme song for the Powerpuff girls!)
What are some of your passions outside of Jungle/Drum n Bass?
Love this question! I’m an advocate for people living with Parkinson’s in Kenya and an active member of the Parkinson’s Support Group of Kenya. Having lived with the condition for over 17 years, I’m deeply passionate about raising awareness and supporting families and caregivers affected by it. Beyond advocacy, I’m trained in marketing and advertising, which I love by default. I’m a voice-over artist, a food lover, and I’m also passionate about meditation and spirituality.
Who are in your top 5 Jungle/ Drum n Bass producers of all time and why?
This is a tough one, 5 are too few! I’m also not very technical when it comes to the music so, in no particular order, here goes ....
1. Chase and Status - always cooking, all hits and no misses!
2. Shy FX - love the sound they create
3. Nia Archives - really fun tunes and she knows how to oscillate within the sub genres of DnB
4. Pola and Bryson - incredible duo
5. Etherwood - timeless!
Social Media Links:
[MONRHEA]
Please tell our All Crews Readers about [MONRHEA].
[MONRHEA] is an embodiment of depth, dark, and mystery :) My journey with Bass as a genre was around 2019–2020 and I love DJing across the bass continuum, Bass, Drum & Bass, Dubstep, Jungle, and Dub. Under my alias RHEINA, I perform and produce techno music. And as a performing experimental artist, I work as a creative technologist, blending experimental music, creative coding, and live audio manipulation with movement to create immersive, hybrid performance experiences.
Beyond performing, I’m a community builder/curator specifically through outfits such as TCHNO, where we are cultivating a techno culture of inclusivity in Kenya through education, supporting diverse artists and building community. And BYTE, a collective for creative technologists. I also contribute as part of Kilele Music Summit Programming committee. I am a proud resident of Jungle Culture, a crew that has given Drum and Bass a voice here and not just in Nairobi, but also to me personally. For years, I pursued this sound knowing less than a handful of people in it such as rPH and Lasta . Everything now feels full-circle also as different collectives represent bass heavy music including Umojah Sound System supporting Dub music.
Musically, who are some of your biggest influences?
The Untouchables have been huge for me this past year, I was psyched to see them on this blog.
Last Life, Lemna and Sam KDC and the whole HORO crew always bring that experimental, immersive touch, same with Samurai Music. I’ve always loved DJing the darker side of Drum and Bass, and their sound really defines where the future of bass is heading. That vibe is a big influence on the album I’m working on for next year, also pulling inspiration from Slikback, who’s carved his own lane in bass-heavy, club-oriented music.
I’d love to shout out Outrage/Nomine with his education platform; Education and bass. I took a production course and was tutored by him and Nurve (Eleven One One Music) and loved my experience.
This track, Erotic Cafe & Syndel - Sharp Edges (my recent obsession.) Straight goals!
Some artists I would love to mention: QZB, Invadhertz, Dub Fx, Shy Fx who’ve touched me along the way and still play their music. Stain too, has a more dubstep take with his recent project, and Smokey! I saw her featured here.
And a quick local plug: Mr. Raphimus — has a powerful voice for Jungle/Drum and Bass energy (wink wink to DnB/Jungle producers out there). When it comes to Bass, Abelation was my first obsession back in the day and the Lost Dogz Label from the US.
How do you see the electronic music scene evolving in Kenya over the next 5-10 years?
I see a self-sustaining, financially supportive ecosystem that values artists as cultural entrepreneurs, not just performers. The audience also plays a crucial role, and soon they will embrace the full spectrum of electronic music. Their support will fuel the system and, in turn, the artists working in niche genres.
This vision thrives on diversity, inclusivity, and cross-pollination. Recently, TCHNO and Jungle Culture brought the Techno and Drum & Bass scenes together under one roof, two rooms, two energies, one community. It was more than an event; it was proof that collectives, curators, producers, and audiences can build something bigger together. We also reimagined a new approach to curation, where DJ's active in both collectives, playing across Techno and Drum & Bass performed two sets, one in each room.
This approach recognized the importance of the artists’ expression, allowing them to showcase the genres they love in a single event rather than separating them every time.
Finding creative ways to thrive through collaborations that keep resources flowing within the community.
Across Kenya, artists and collectives are carving out their spaces and sounds. These efforts are the seeds of a thriving ecosystem. As each niche matures, Kenya’s sonic landscape grows richer and world-class music experiences and exports will soon become the norm. Artists from the first wave of the underground scene are already on the global radar, and soon more will join. Nairobi will definitely become part of the global electronic map.
Social Media Links:
Coco Kahi
You have so many different talents, DJ, Producer, MC, Rapper, if you had to pick one, which one has your heart and why?
All my talents share the same heartbeat which is sound. If I had to choose right now DJing has my heart because I feel most alive in that moment. I get instant feedback, energy, and emotion from the crowd; it feels like a communion, translating energy into motion with pure vibes. Rap will always be my first love and truest form of expression, and production gave me the ability to create my own soundscape. DJing is my latest skill, but it feels more fulfilling at the moment.
You have so many different talents, DJ, Producer, MC, Rapper, if you had to pick one, which one has your heart and why?
My top five Jungle and Drum & Bass tunes right now are:
Superstyling by Danny Byrd, Sigma, Basslayers
Shoot by Friction, Basslayers
Overload by Tantron, Grace Barton
I Like It by Sless, Loboski
Ozeba Jungle Remix by Ethan Thomas
Each of these tracks carries that perfect mix of rhythm, emotion, and movement that keeps the energy flowing.
Take us through the process of how you put together tracks as a producer.
For me, production begins with a feeling or a vibe I want to create or fuse. I sit in that energy until it shapes into rhythm, and I usually start with the drums because that is where the emotion lives. From there, I build melodies and bass together, layering sounds as the track comes alive. Vocals usually come last, like the final color that completes the picture. I always leave space for imperfections because they make the music more real. It is part science and part prayer, a conversation between intuition and frequency.
Social Media Links:
Comments