Wondering what is Odi Pop? Kenya serves as a hub of unique stylistic origins of musical genres which tend to set the music industry ablaze with releases thereon.

Odi Pop is a Kenyan musical style which encompasses local Hip Hop with a blend of Reggae and Dancehall music to build on an African rhythm base which is performed in Swahili or Sheng.

This unique genre has served as roots for other subgenres in the worldwide musical artistry such as Gengeton, Dabonge, Debe, among others, and it originates from the music styles Genge, Boomba, Dancehall, Hip Hop, and Reggaeton. Mostly this is headed by youth in musical groups who later pursue solo careers.

Odi Pop emerged from the coining of the musician and music scholar “Dan Chizie Aceda “who is well known for Benga music stating clearly that Odi Pop is borrowed from K-Pop.

It is quite uneasy pointing out the actual date when it began however Odi Pop can be traced back to the early 2000 Kenyan gospel music which was faintly related to the church. Previously, it was driven by significance and meaning resulting to it’s high demand.

With it’s conversion, it was perceived by the elderly generation as immoral and unruly; as a threat to societal norms and ethics raising questions as rhetorical as How dare they?, Who are they?, Do they not have parents?, as it was seen to be filthy and unhealthy to be resonated with with the use of sexually appealing lyrics. It was later accepted as Gospel musicians such as Daddy Owen and Rufftone made a better image of it with messages that relate to the youth.

written by Ruth Ama Onumah