So, what happens when you take two unlikely duos and pair them up? Hope/Currency. This project is close to home for me, having grown up in a religious household and attended Christian schools. After witnessing the issues within the church and how gullible the church-going community can be, I decided, under my pseudonym Kins of Spade, to collaborate with rPh on creating an EP. We used some of the sounds available on YouTube featuring real pastors saying the most ridiculous things. We worked on this project over the course of a year, and the creative process was amazing.
Hope/Currency – New EP rPH and Kins of Spade
“Hope/Currency” is a collaboration between rPH, electronic music producer/Dj and
poet/spoken word artist Kins of Spade, both from Nairobi, Kenya. The project is a comment on Kenya’s evangelical Christian culture, a force that exerts immense influence on the society and one that they have both experienced quite intimately, having grown up in religious families. Sampling publicly available utterances by popular evangelical figures as well as some bizarre but increasingly outspoken characters from the more extreme fringes of the church, the duo add critical, forthright words by Kins and gritty, off-beat production by rPh to make their statement.
The result is a 5-track compilation covering the subjects of personality cults, sexual and financial exploitation, political ambition and power. It is set for digital-only release in May 2023 by the Berlin-based independent label Noland (noland.fm). The team has released two previous works by rPH under his original moniker Dj Raph – Sacred Groves, his full-length debut album (digital, CD and vinyl) and Citysynthesis (digital only), an experimental project in collaboration with sound artist Sophia Bauer.
poet/spoken word artist Kins of Spade, both from Nairobi, Kenya. The project is a comment on Kenya’s evangelical Christian culture, a force that exerts immense influence on the society and one that they have both experienced quite intimately, having grown up in religious families. Sampling publicly available utterances by popular evangelical figures as well as some bizarre but increasingly outspoken characters from the more extreme fringes of the church, the duo add critical, forthright words by Kins and gritty, off-beat production by rPh to make their statement.
The result is a 5-track compilation covering the subjects of personality cults, sexual and financial exploitation, political ambition and power. It is set for digital-only release in May 2023 by the Berlin-based independent label Noland (noland.fm). The team has released two previous works by rPH under his original moniker Dj Raph – Sacred Groves, his full-length debut album (digital, CD and vinyl) and Citysynthesis (digital only), an experimental project in collaboration with sound artist Sophia Bauer.
Kins of Spade is a poet, entrepreneur and activist based in Nairobi. She is active in grassroots media production and is a prominent cultural events organizer in the city. rPH is an electronic musician and Dj based in Nairobi. He is a co-founder and resident at the Mist, the first venue in Nairobi dedicated to experimental and underground music. He previously worked as Dj Raph.
Credits:
Spoken word & poetry by Kins of Spade (Thayù)
Music produced by rPH (Raphael Kariuki)
Mixed by rPH
Maybedjraph@gmail.com
Spoken word & poetry by Kins of Spade (Thayù)
Music produced by rPH (Raphael Kariuki)
Mixed by rPH
Maybedjraph@gmail.com
Mastered by Andre Castro Mastering
info@andrecastromastering.com
(+351) 917473555
info@andrecastromastering.com
(+351) 917473555
Lisboa, Portugal
Marketed and Published by Noland,
NOLAND GbR
Muskauerstrasse 49
10997 Berlin
NOLAND GbR
Muskauerstrasse 49
10997 Berlin
Charisma
kitu moja, Wafuasi na kondoo
funga fungu Ukitaka doo
malugha hatuskii
zinatuingisha box
ka mafala hawashikii rada
tutatoa kila kitu hadi viatu
ndio msee aroll na Royce
ukikula rolex akivaa rolex
akishout glory, kinii macho
inahappen kwa mfuko ya mfuasi
Creep
One hand on breast
One hand lifted up
Him shouting glory
As other parts raise
In abundance he strokes my shame
In abundance he inserts the spirit
In shame he multiplies the abundance
Praise his name! he stands shouting
As he preys on his next
Faith Money
Ni ya leo! ni ya leo!
Step right up and get your miracles!
Your faith depends on your pocket
Renewing subscriptions of faith
Highest bidder gets the most
The poor’s faith haitoshi mboga
The pastor walks into the sunset
With bae and your money in tow
This promised land we finally settled on
Is nothing short of a smoke screen
Political Mechanism
Thugs!
The church and politics mixing
Like your favourite cocktail
Just like colonialism
Holding a gun in one and a bible in another
Selling hopes and dreams like hawkers
On the street while tearing down
The lives for the people they serve
Archvillain
