AM BACK...

Nimerudi na nikojuu mbaya sana!

Tulieni i will give you all the info you need to know about the next big thing that is ANTO!

CUT OFF MY TONGUE- POETRY BY SITAWA NAMWALIE.

Betty Wamalwa Muragori is an ideas enterprenuer........... shocked? Read this......
Betty Wamalwa paid a visit at the Storymoja offices one day with an idea. She was proposing to have a show for her poems...... i know Muthoni Garland was probably thinking........ 'poetry..... a show........... we don't do poetry........ " But then come to think of it Storymoja is a publishing house and poetry is cool and as much as poetry is normally listened to......... it is best read........... so reading is Cool and poetry is cool......... hah. Lets have a show.
We at Storymoja are like that. So cool. Get used to it..

Anyway, there I was calling up some amazing people .......oops ........... some amazing Divas.

The cast was to comprise and did comprise of the creme de la creme.

Valentine Njoroge (Amazing media personality - Read Nairobi Star on Fridays)
Hawa Essuman ( Film Maker)
Muthoni Garland ( Managing Editor- Storymoja)
Rose Lukalo - Owino ( Media Scene Icon)
Shan Bartley......... how could i forget her...... (Media Junkie)
Alice Karunditu.......... ( My mentor)
Betty Wamalwa Muragori (Sitawa Namwalie)

And obviously, the only male in the cast me, mimi, moi, nie............ Antony Mwangi

I dont want to bore you with all the nitty gritty............. actually there was no nitty gritty. We are broadway material and you should read the poem below............

A Mother’s Love - Sitawa Namwalie.

When I gave birth to my son,
I gave birth to my heart.
Full and streaming with love,
God gave him to me, you see,
As my very own gift
An unblemished soul to adore.

When my son came to be
My heart opened wide
Spewing love, all over the place

I took to wearing a bib
To wipe splatters of love
From the faces of strangers amazed.

When Macharia was born
I sizzled and sparked
Instantly burst into flames

I was sure to bestride with a bottle of red wine
Dousing love flames that set whole rooms ablaze!

When my son came to be
I grew wings
I fly off, now and then

To frolic and frisk with clouds
High above the boughs of tall trees.

When I gave birth to my son,
I gave birth to my heart
When Macharia was born
I sizzled and sparked
When my son came to be
I grew wings..................
Lovely isn't it............Well its copyright.

Check out for more poetry and get to know why Betty chose to have her poetry out at a very late age......... she is fifty something now and is the new Kenyan Maya Angelou.

Her poetry will leave you asking for more........

Martin Kimani

His Profile will be up A.S.A.P
Relax we will update you.................

Neo Soul Moja.........

Still Alive
I just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive. But, hey; here at Neo Soul Moja it's not about quantity, it's about quality. So, stay tuned. However, just to keep it fair and balanced, I have been formulating my next post. My hope is that it will be just as thought-provoking.

Since you've been so loyal, I'll let you know what I plan to title it: "Overall, Do Overseas Listeners Appreciate Neo Soul More?" I plan to incorporate some intriguing commentary from some listeners from around the globe to see if the question answers itself.Speaking of my last post, what's up? Where's the opinion? Agree, disagree? I want to hear your thoughts.In the meantime, my hobby hasn't waned. Whenever I've found a free moment, I have been trying to catch up on researching for new, underground neo soul artists or new upcoming albums. When you have time, check out these artists:
1. Debórah Bond (website - cdbaby)
2. Vanessa Freeman (website - iTunes)
3. Carol Riddick (website)

Finally, if you don't keep up with the world of underground music, you may have never heard of J Dilla. J Dilla was an outstanding Hip Hop producer whose sound has its own unique, underground signature. His reach and body of work includes contributions to projects by artists too numerous to list. Unfortunately, on Febrary 10, 2006 he gave way to an incurable blood disease and lupus leaving behind massive numbers of mourning underground artists and listeners worldwide.
posted by Neo Soul Moja.- Anto

Are Neo Soul Listeners "Elitists?"

By Anto-Editor-in-Chief, Neo Soul Moja.
Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I ask myself if I'm a "music snob." I mean, really. Do I think I'm superior to others because I love music that a majority of the world's population doesn't even know exists; and am serious about it? Do I think I'm better than even those who listen to neo soul (or whatever you choose to call it), but are less serious about it?
There was a very good article by Renee Graham entitled "Neo Soul Movement Stirs Soul Feud." Graham's article discussed how neo soul artists -- for all of their original promise -- had not continued to make a major impact. It postulated that, at the end of 2003, the "neo soul movement" had retreated to the underground and was trying to regain mainstream attention with artists such as Anthony Hamilton.
Also, the article went into how artists, such as Hamilton and Lizz Fields, were (and still are) ambivalent toward the term "neo soul" -- virtually a requirement for any literary work on the subject. It reviewed how neo soul was all but on its way to the mainstream and was more than just a paradigm shift in music. Rather, it was a "movement and a mind-set;" out of which even a movie, "Love Jones" (1997), was born targeted toward this so-called "neo soul mind-set" market and thereby perpetuating the movement. Unsurprisingly, Ms. Graham goes on to propose that neo soul's initial failing was "the media-created label itself -- a term that the artists, whom it was meant to represent, generally rejected." This irony central to the music is not news to you. So what, then, makes this article so interesting? Consider, if you will, the following excerpt from Ms. Graham's article:
"Reveling in a music-first ethic, the neo-soul movement could seem a little sanctimonious. It was soul music for smart people, with a tangible elitism and self-importance that some may have found off-putting."
Wow. Is she right? Keep reading.
Late last year, I came across a blog named "The Soul Movement" with a well-written post entitled "Soul Music: A Serious Contender to Hip-Hop's Economic Throne?" by freelance writer and underground soul artist publicist Gabriel Rich. The post cites some astounding statistics about the so-called the "neo soul mindset" market from studies conducted by market research think tanks TMG and Edison Media Research. Ponder this from Rich's post:

It is estimated that "the (Neo) Soul mindset market represents 50 million consumers "The median age of the (Neo) Soul consumer is 32.2"
"60% of females list (Neo) Soul as their favorite music compared to 39% of males"
"African-Americans comprise over 60% of the Soul music’s listeners. Whites make up around 20%."
"4 out of 5 (Neo) Soul listeners have college experience or hold college degrees"

Based on these statistics, he concludes that "Soul is the music of the mature adult." I've always held that sentiment and these numbers simply quantify it. However, do these numbers also support Ms. Graham's claim that the neo soul movement is "sanctimonious," "for smart people" with a "tangible elitism" and sense of "self-importance?" Well, I can confidently infer that "the majority" of serious neo soul listeners are educated, established, affluent, predominantly black, and predominantly female.
Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Many marketing departments in corporate America appear convinced as well. You may have noticed this yourself when watching TV, reading a black magazine, or observing billboards in urban areas. For instance, in 2003, Coke launched its "Real" advertising campaign as part of a broader marketing strategy to reinvigorate the brand by increasing its share of the young adult market. This campaign is most notable for its TV ads featuring everyday people in everyday situations. The third TV ad to launch in the campaign featured Mya and Common performing a duet about staying "real and true to one's self." Subsequent spots featured both mainstream and undergroud artists including Angie Stone, Musiq, The Roots' Scratch and ?uestlove, Amel Larreiux, Aaries, and Donnie. A 2003 EURweb article quoted Hussein Warmack, Coke Classic brand manager, as saying "We’ve chosen to go with artists from the neo classic soul music genre" because "neo soul is about being true to yourself. Being real.
1.They write their own lyrics, sing their own music, dress how they want to dress and have an easily-identifiable trait in common -- a love for neo soul.

So clearly, more evidence is surfacing suggesting that many (not all) serious neo soul listeners have a common mindset supported by similarities in economic status (affluent), race (majority black), gender (more women than men), age (late-20s to late-30s), and education (mostly college-educated). Coincidentially, I obviously love neo soul and I match in every characteristic except for one -- gender (I'm 100% male).

So, although I always try to avoid generalizations, I can understand Ms. Graham's claim that the so-called "neo soul movement" consists of "smart people" with a "music-first ethic." However, I'm still struggling to understand where the claim that a "tangible" sense of "elitism" exists amongst neo soul listeners.
Recently, when doing a Google search on the phrase "neo soul," I ran across a bulletin board thread at digital-djs.com entitled "What's Wrong With the Term Neo Soul???" In fact, this thread was how I discovered Ms. Graham's article. The thread, begun by Digital DJs' DJ Melodic, reprised the article and posed the question, "Are we witnessing the downfall of this soul movement??? What can we do to make this music more mainstream???

" The thread began and peaked over a time period from June 2003 to October 2003 and consists of interesting intellectual analyses (some overly analytical, some tangential) of Ms. Graham's article. However, the first person (codenamed "SaSkWatch") to reply was also intrigued by the paragraph containing the "elitist" reference, in particular. I highly recommend reading DJ Melodic's thread in its entirety.

In a nutshell, the most intriguing and honest replies appear to come from serious neo soul listeners who candidly admit that their rare musical tastes bear on the side of elitism and "musical bigotry." While these particular posters' candidness about their elitist tendencies is admirable, they also appear to struggle internally with it. They appear to struggle with the fact that their exclusive tastes may, just may, be one of the reasons why the neo soul artists they dote over struggle (no pun intended) to manufacture but one album, struggle to break into the mainstream, struggle to fill the house for a single concert, or, frankly, struggle to make a decent living. Below are some quotes from the thread relevant to the "elitism" claim that I found to be the most telling:

"I personally think that two of Soul Artist's greatest enemies have been the artists and the fans themselves...I have to look at my own self in the mirror and admit I too presented an elitist attitude regarding music. I have been called everything including being a 'musical bigot'. I would go on these self-important rants about why...Jill Scott is better than Ashanti, etc. This self-importance is pertinent to who, the 10 people that bought the Bilal LP? It sure is not important to the million plus that buys Nelly records. We complain about why [our artists] don't reach mainstream success, but its not like we endear ourselves to the mass market. The Roots and Jaguar Wright [make] a Coke commercial and you scream bloody murder. Common stands next to Mya, and you are like WTF? If we don't re-evaluate our thinking then we might be witnessing the end of a great musical renassiance. How can our artists afford to live, raise families, etc., when they can only get small venue shows, and the chosen few are buying their CDs?"

"The common consensus is that in some way we have all been deemed elitists and bigots because of our very stringent opinions. I consider myself an intellectual, and I will admit that I like that I'm into music that [a] majority may not like or know about. It kind [of] confirms my belief that [my]mindset is different (like my third eye is wide open...). But at the same time, I love the artists and their musical innovation -- and I want them to succeed and get the recognition they so rightfully deserve."--SongByrd1"
Some of these posts, prompt me to ask if folks like the music they claim to listen to or rather are they just trying to be different/fashionable/hip or whatever by claiming they like certain artists?"--Jonathan
"You have people who have dedicated their lives to music...They study it, live it, breathe it, perform it, and collect it like it was the sweet nectar of life. Conversely, I think you have people that look at music as a simple distraction...Ya know, its not that serious for them. Maybe its that commitment level that drives people to Soul, creates that elitist atmosphere or thought process, and lead people to sites like these. Let's face it, Soul Music is special music. I personally think that music has a higher purpose in a person's life. It can make people get "happy" in church. It gives you the goosebumps and/or gives you a feeling of euphoria. It can control your mood and your mindstate. Something that powerful should be looked at seriously and that wisdom needs to be shared...BUT... Just because we listen to special music, that doesn't make us special people."--SaSkWatch
So what is my take on this proposal that serious neo soul listeners are essentially self-important elitists who think they are smarter than the masses? As of today, February 12, 2006, I identify the most with SaSkWatch's sentiments three years ago. I, too, am struggling with the underlying dichotomy of my passion for neo soul music and its artists. See, I still cannot go as far as to say I wish neo soul and its artists would go mainstream. It is the music's fundamental rareness, genuineness, and uniqueness that drives me to love it and the artists that make it. Yet, simultaneously, I'm pained by the fact that many of these artists have to struggle to live as a result of remaining independent and not going mainstream.
Nestled within my DNA is an appreciation for going against the grain and being somewhat different than the masses when it comes to certain preferences (e.g., rare music such as neo soul). I truly believe, without any direct evidence, that many people who love neo soul also share this desire to be different. See, everyone has a set of preferences. Of those preferences, I'm sure there are one or two that you believe you know more about than most people in the world. In my case, neo soul just happens to be one of them. However, I do not think I'm superior or elite because I think I know more about neo soul than most?
Perhaps the "elistist" reference is more about the assumed economic and educational position of those with the "neo soul mindset" and less about the music.
Please comment with your thoughts. What do you think? After digesting the information in this post, do you think serious neo soul listeners (or those with the "neo soul mindset") are elitists?
posted by Neo Soul Moja.

Soul Album Review: Days Ahead's "Turning Point"
By Anto- Editor-in-Chief, Neo Soul Moja.
Typically, whenver I'm leisurely listening to Liquid Soul Radio via live365.com, I'm doing other things simultaneously. Every so often, I hear a good, new soul song, switch to the Live 365 music player window, and note the name of the artist and song. For years, this has been my primary method of ad hoc underground soul artist discovery.
Over a year ago, I heard an incredible, upbeat, jazzy song, led by gracefully strong female vocals and backed by a live band. I immediately stopped what I was doing and checked the name of the artist/group and song. The group's name was Days Ahead and the song title was "You Move Me." I proceeded with the process I normally follow whenever I find a lead. First, I went to my reliable source, dustygroove.com, to see if they had it. No luck. Next, I checked my secondary source, iTunes. No luck. Finally, I checked my third source, cdbaby.com. No luck. "Oh well," I said to myself. Liquid Soul did it again: hit me with a fresh new artist so far underground that I couldn't find them anywhere.
Not even a Google search yielded anything.About two months ago, I heard "You Move Me" again when listening to Liquid Soul Radio and did another Google search. This time, (to my surprise and after nearly a year) via another site, I arrived at the Days Ahead website, I was happy to discover that their debut album, Turning Point (2005, Nightingale60 Publishing (BMI), Stephen Wright (BMI)), is now available. It was at their website that I listened to extended-length track samples to confirm that it was worth a buy. I must say, this album is very good.
My Favorite 8 Tracks from Turning Point's 10 Tracks
1. You Move Me
2. Love Is Love
4. For the Love
5. Good Ole'
6. It's In Your Hands
7. Days Ahead
9. Don't Fall Too Fast
10. Courting a Fantasy

Out of my 8 favorite tracks above, I like You Move Me (track 1),
For the Love (track 4), and
It's In Your Hands (track 6; especially the chorus) the most.

Formally known as daysahead, the Atlanta-based band has such a unique sound. According to the band's website, they consider themselves an acid jazz band combining elements of jazz, soul, and rock. What caught my ear the most was the unmistakable soul interwoven in their jazzy music. What caught my interest the most was what they refer to as "maturity" and "diversity" in their sound.A Little About The BandDays Ahead is a 4-piece band consisting of guitar (electric and acoustic), lead vocals, bass, and drums. Amazingly, there are no keyboards. The band is led by the powerful vocals of Kim Leachman supported by Steve Wright (guitarist and producer), Brandon Gilliard (bassist), and James Barrett (drummer). There are also other contributing backup members for each of the different instruments.Buy it!I highly recommend buying "Turning Point" from iTunes or cdbaby.com.
Neo Soul Moja Album Rating
4 out of 5 stars.


Soul Album Review: Eric Roberson's "The Appetizer"
By Anto- Editor-in-Chief, Neo Soul Moja.

Ever since releasing his underground soul classic, "The Vault Vol. 1.5" (Steel Petal, 2004),
Eric Roberson has been on a very short list of my all-around favorite artists. Last week, I purchased the Rahway, New Jersey native's latest CD "The Appetizer" (2005, Blue Erro Soul). Let's just say that my expectations were dangerously high and my disappointment was satisfyingly low.Eric originally intended to make an E.P. of five new songs "to satisfy people's hunger, till [his] album came out next year."
However according to his CD insert, "I couldn't settle on what five to choose from so I did ten...A range of old and new songs that show my growth, my soul, and my love for honest music." And that he did."The Appetizer" takes the listener through a pleasant journey of different sounds, styles, and subject matter. The vibes range from a modern soulful freestyle with Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius (Track 1), works reminiscent of the best of DJ Jazzy Jeff and
Pete Rock (Tracks 2, 9 and 10),
a smooth ballad (Track 5),
early 90s-centric slow jams reminiscent of Aaron Hall and Guy (Track 8).
My Favourite Tracks from "The Appetizer"(NOTE: I've included the excerpts of Eric's liner notes for each track as they tell a story)1. N2U (feat. Marsha Ambrosius) - "If you've been to my show you know I like to freestyle. Well this song we sang completely off the head. One take each... No protocols, auto tune, etc... Marsha is my heart man. We did this the same night as 'She Ought To Know'. She heard it and the rest is history."

2. What I Gotta Do? - "Kev [Brown] and I are building an amazing musical partnership. Not only is he one of the craziest visionaries behind the MP, but the most humble cat you'll ever meet."

5. Just A Dream - "I wrote this song in college one lonely Saturday night sitting with my guitar. Years later when Larry Gold asked me to be on his album I dusted this baby off and gave it to him. One of my greatest musical memories was walking into the studio and hearing Larry's 18 piece orchestra playing to my song."
6. Softest Lips - "This song was one of the million we recorded during my years recording and developing myself at A Touch of Jazz Studios. Out of all the producers there at that time I bonded musically with Vidal the most."

8. The Moon - "I did this song when I was a sophomore at Howard University & an artist on Warner Brothers back in 93-94. I left school, shot a video, went on tour, moved to a big apartment, and thought I was a star... Well I also went broke, lost my deal, humbled myself, went back to school and GRADUATED, and became a much better preson than I thought I was then."
9. We Can't Pretend - "Another key joint that I wrote with my boy Pete. That's right a co-write with someone... I do that sometimes. Yo Pete has developed into a great writer and dope artist so keep a look out for Peter Hadar."

10. For Da Love Of Da Game (feat. Raheem DeVaughn and V) - "This song means so much to me because it involves two of my favorite singers & writers. V, who inspired me to follow the music in my heart and Raheem, who reminds me of me when I was younger."

Buy itfrom the Numetro Media Store- Junction!I highly recommend buying "The Appetizer" from dustygroove.com, cdbaby.com, or directly from Eric's website (http://www.ericrobersonmusic.com).

Neo Soul Moja Album Rating4 out of 5 stars


The "Neo Soul" Debate: Enough is Enough; Let's Just Move On
By SeanEditor-in-Chief, Neo Soul TodayEnough is enough.I don't disagree that the term "neo soul" was created by a marketing executive (Kedar Massenburg). So what. As a listener, I understand both sides' point. Nevertheless, I don't see what the big deal is. Since launching Neo Soul Moja, I have realized three truths:
1. That the term "neo soul" (as controversial as it may be) has stuck2. That this music (today's soul) is truly different than anything else that's out there (in sound and substance)3. That the split over the term "neo soul" will never go away and that both sides have a valid point. Quoted from Wikipedia:
"Many musicians who create what is considered "neo-soul" prefer to disassociate themselves from the tag, due to the term's buzzword-like usage. These artists argue that many record labels, hoping to cash in on the success of the "neo-soul" style, simply had A&R departments take R&B singers, give them a bohemian look, and have them state Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, or Marvin Gaye as their favorite artists. Instead of using the "neo-soul" tag, many artists simply refer to themselves as soul musicians."

I've also learned since launching this blog that music artists and marketing go together like oil and water. Nevertheless, the harsh reality is that both need each other and I believe most artists understand this. Here's why I believe this to be the case.Consider two 2002 interviews with Rapheal Saadiq. In one interview with Sacramento News and Review, Saadiq said, "I don’t believe neo-soul really fully describes my music. I prefer to call it 'gospeldelic’--that term seems much more encompassing, particularly since I come from a gospel background." In the other interview with VH1, Raphael Saadiq said he thinks the term [neo soul] is 'wack.'" However, he also went on to say "I understand why they do it for marketing reasons." I found that last statement enlightening.Consider another example from a Honey Soul audio interview with one of my favorite artists, Julie Dexter. When discussing being mentioned in the same sentence as artists such as Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, she used the term "neo soul." She said, "...that term is quite redundant. You know, I don't consider any of us neo soul. You know, you write soul or jazz or whatever you are. It's not necessarily new." However, she went on to say, "But people have to put a name on our music, I guess, at least to categorize what we do so when you go to a store looking through a thousand CDs, you can go to that section to find what you want to find." That's all I'm saying. Julie and I think exactly the same way. I'm not the greatest fan of the term "neo soul" either and soul definitely is not new. Yet, today's flavor of soul (and all of its sound variants) is clearly different than anything out there and without some way to isolate it, how will listeners be able to find it in the record store when they don't have a particular artist in mind? A "soul" section would be too broad. I don't care what you call it. Just call it something.With all of that said, my September 5 opinion on Raheem DeVaughn not being what I originally considered to be a neo soul artist has been my most controversial post to date. However, it was taken totally out of context by a few. If you've consistently read the content at Neo Soul Today, all opinion pieces are presented in a respectful manner and focus on the music and the artists that make it. Contrary to what some may believe, I love DeVaughn's music. I bought his album and will likely buy his next. I just learned that his music is more diverse than I, at first, thought. The post was neither a diss nor criticism. His diversity is to his credit. I just had the wrong expectation (that he was a neo soul artist) when I purchased the album (and I know for a fact that I'm not alone from my personal circles). My next purchase will just come with a different level of expectation as to the brother's sound.Let's Just Move OnAdmittedly, I'm exhausted with the debate over the term itself. I say let's just get on with enjoying the music. I would even rename Neo Soul Today to "Soul Today" (http://soultoday.blogspot.com), but it's just not worth the time and effort (similar to trying to undo calling "neo soul" "neo soul").
Get in where you fit in. If you want to call it "soul," call it soul (because it is soul). If you want to call it "neo soul," then call it "neo soul".

We all know what music I'm talking about; so let's stop kidding each other and being so sensitive about the subject. If you find my thoughts and analyses to be nonsensical and unintelligible, then I'm sure there are other blogs out there that are a better use of your time. I created this blog to connect with others who like this music (whatever you want to call it).


Neo Soul Sound Session: The Alternative Rock Sound - Vol. 1
By Anto-Editor-in-Chief, Neo Soul Moja.

This Neo Soul Sound Session introduces a series of exclusive Neo Soul Today mixes containing songs that have what I refer to as the alternative rock sound.Many are unaware that a handful neo soul songs have an alternative rock flavor rich with elements of acoustic or electric guitar, the treble of cymbals, all uniquely combined with modern soul. Some may even question it. That's understandable since the sound is fairly abstract and difficult to articulate in words as I've attempted to do in earlier posts on the different sounds of neo soul. Well, now with Neo Soul Sound Sessions @ Neo Soul Moja, you can let your ears be the judge. Give these tracks a listen and then let me know if you see where I'm coming from now.
(For more background on my perspective on the different sounds of neo soul,
see "Neo Soul Lexicon: Sound.")I love this rare aspect of neo soul.
I wish more artists would make some songs that delve into this sound.
Among these seven tracks, my favorite is track
1, Rise, by Ian featuring Robin McElhatten from the 2002 compilation album Organic Soul Vol. 1 (Soul Brother Records).I hope you enjoy it and I welcome your feedback via comments.
Listen to

"The Alternative Rock Sound - Vol. 1" Track Listing
1. Rise - Ian (feat. Robin McElhatten), Organic Soul Vol. 12.
Voyager - Les Nubians, Princesses Nubiennes
3. Don't Disturb the Peace - Ladybug Mecca, Trip the Light Fantastic
4. They-Say Vision - RES, How I Do
5. Dust - Van Hunt, Van Hunt
6. Golden Boys - RES, How Do I
7. You Never Get Over It - Ladybug Mecca, Trip the Light Fantastic
posted by Neo Soul Moja

Sound Off: What Do YOU Think of the Term "Neo Soul?"

By Anto-Editor-in-Chief, Neo Soul Moja
"Sound Off" is a series of posts specifically designed to allow our readers to sound off on a controversial topic.
The intention is to guage the overall sentiment about a topic and to put readers' opinions and thoughts on center stage. "Sound Off" posts are of no value without you, the reader, voicing your opinion by posting a comment. As the number of comments grows, I will highlight a number of hard-hitting ones that are characteristic of the overall sentiment (which can range from vastly one-sided to split down the middle).
Thus, please post a comment with your thoughts on the topic at hand.Topic: I knew the term "neo soul" was controversial. However, since starting Neo Soul Moja in May 2005, I've learned that it is much more controversial than I once thought.
I knew a sizeable population of artists were not too fond the term. However, I didn't know how strongly they detest the term until now.
Merely from conversations within my social circles, it was clear to me that listeners didn't care either way what it was called; so long as they can easily identify it and know where to go to find it (e.g., in brick-and-mortar or online record stores).
Obviously, my current sentiment is that although "neo soul" (or whatever you want to call it) is indeed "soul," its sound is distinct enough for it to be classified (or sub-classified) differently just for the sake of isolating the artists whose sounds and vibes are characterized by this style.

However, am I wrong? Neo Soul Today was founded with the intention of connecting and sharing with people who hold this sentiment. Nevertheless, some comments have led me to believe that there is even a sizeable population of listeners who detest the term "neo soul" just as or more passionately than many artists do.
Sound off: Who's right? Is "neo soul" a misused marketing term for what is really just good soul music that does not conform to mainstream standards? Or is it an ancestor of soul that is distinct enough to be called something else (i.e., "neo soul") so listeners can easily identify it when they hear the term or see it on the music racks?The power is in your voice. Please post a comment now to sound off on this topic. Your comment may just be featured!

posted by Neo Soul Moja.

No wonder we dont read- Too much Radio...

A Classic Case Of Kissing The Audience For Too Long

Nairobi’s radio scene does not seem to change; still raking in audience ratings after almost five years.
Caroline Mutoko still reigns as the queen of morning talk and her breakfast show with sidekick Baby-J Nyambs is still raking in audience ratings after almost five years.

According to the Steadman audience survey for the first quarter of 2007, Kiss 100 dominated overall listenership with 57% followed by Classic with 44% and Metro FM’s 41%. Easy FM, Radio Citizen, KBC Swahili service, Capital FM and Kameme also managed to make it into the overall top eight following in that order.

Radio is the most popular medium in the country, with up to 97% of people in Kenya listening everyday.

The survey was conducted among a representative sample of respondents across Kenya’s main urban centers including Nairobi, Mombasa, Meru, Nyeri, Nakuru, Kisumu, Bungoma and Eldoret.

Women listeners in Nairobi prefer Kiss FM and Classic FM, both under the tight control of media mogul Patrick Quarco. Nation Media Group’s Easy FM was third. Men in Nairobi also liked Kiss FM most but Metro FM came in second followed by Classic FM, here differing from women. Metro Fm’s popularity among men can be explained by the reggae music which it plays fulltime.

Kiss and Classic on the other hand are fairly light, easy and mellow music that appeals to all. Kiss FM again distinguishes itself by its massive teen appeal; over three quarters of teenagers between ages 15 and 17 tune in. It is also the most favored by the college going 18-24 year olds and the financially-independent 25-34 age group. The 25-34 year old yuppies comprise the largest audience in urban areas.

Nairobi’s upper class is also under Kiss FM’s spell with 66% of the audience tuning in although Capital FM makes a strong impression, coming a close second with 64%. The taste among the rich also varies - the young prefer Kiss FM while the mature lean towards Classic FM.

This bracket is highly targeted by advertisers on account of its high-disposable income. The middle class listeners in Nairobi and other urban centers prefer Kiss, Classic and Easy FM in that order. Faith-based radio stations are more popular among the older than the age groups with Hope FM coming fourth among the mature and rich and Family FM coming eighth.

Kiss and Classic literally own the morning audience (6-10am) in Nairobi, when attention is highest. Kiss also controls the afternoon and evening shows with its Afternoon Jam (1-3pm) and Drive Time (4-8pm).

TV REVIEW
KTN regained leadership in TV viewership in the first quarter of the year (prior to the massive migration of key staff in April) pipping NTV 84-81 per cent.

KBC was third with 68 per cent ahead of Citizen TV (41%), before its relaunch in May. Eldoret based Sayare TV enjoyed 36% of the total viewership in the area it covered.

Others surveyed include East Africa TV, Family TV, Metro TV (which changed in April to Channel 2) and DSTV but their collective audience is dismal countrywide.

KTN was ranked as the most-preferred station in Nairobi on a day to day basis (80%) followed by NTV (76%) and KBC 1 (60%).

Ranked according to brand loyalty though, NTV has the most loyal watchers in urban areas (39%) to KTN’s (35%) except Nairobi where KTN leads NTV 31-30%.

Both stations enjoy the similar loyalty and following between female and male viewers, with NTV’s being 30-31% while KTN scores 28-27% in urban areas.

Overall, more men watch television than women, the study shows, with evenings (7pm news) being the peak time and most people turning off between 9.30 pm and 10.44 pm.

Sayare TV and EATV scored favorably as the stations of choice for young people aged between 15-17 with EATV commanding the largest number of viewership of those aged between 18 and 24 relative to its share of the audience. DSTV was the most favored by the rich while the vast majority of the middle class preferred KTN and NTV.

PRINT MEDIA REVIEW
The Daily Nation is the most known newspaper in the country, with 100% of interviewed respondents aware of its existence and 87% having ever read it, according to the quarterly report.

By comparison, while nearly all respondents (99%) are also aware of the existence of the Standard, only 67% of people admit to ever having read it.

Fewer respondents have ever read The Kenya Times and The People Daily even though a similarly high number people are aware of their existence.

The Daily Nation’s daily readership frequency in select urban areas is the highest of the newspapers (40%) compared to Standard’s 23%, Taifa Leo’s 2% and 1% of the Times and the People.

Frequency shows the number of times a reader reads a paper daily. The latter three registered low readership habits with up to 90% of interviewees saying they’d last read the publications a long time ago.

The weeklies fared even worse with the Financial Post, Coast Express, Coast Week, the Herald and Nation Coast each having less than 10% of reader awareness and readership.

Magazines/pull-out
Buzz leads in both readership and awareness of newspaper pullouts -75% awareness and read by 31% of people surveyed over a period of four weeks. It was followed by the Saturday Magazine and Lifestyle — all inserts of the Nation newspapers.

Standard teenage magazine, Pulse, a competitor to Nation’s Buzz comes fourth to break the monopoly of Nation publications. The Standard’s magazines, Style & substance, Biz Bytes, Fever Pitch, School and Career and the Executive, some of which have since folded, trail behind.

The most read sections in newspapers are, in order, local news followed by sports, international news, finance, cross word puzzles, the editorial, jobs, magazine inserts, TV and radio program guides, the classifieds and then the obituaries.

Viewed in terms of class, The Standard, Kenya Times and the People appeal to the rich upper-class, while the majority of the middle class read the Nation.

Interestingly, few women read newspapers. In urban areas, only 26% and 32% of the newspaper readers of the Standard and the Nation are women compared to 74% and 68% men. Women are the overwhelming majority of magazine readers, among them Parents (70% women compared to 30% men.)

Almost similar figures are registered for the readership of Drum, Eve, Cosmopolitan, Buzz and Pulse.

Readership of the adolescent magazine, Insyder, is almost 50-50 by gender.
The most read magazines overall are Parents, Drum, True Love, Eve, Insyder and Readers Digest.

4 StoryMoja blog.

Ivy Mwai

Ivy Mwai has been in the communications industry for over 10 years, and has worked in Advertising and Public Relations in Kenya and in South Africa.
She co-founded and published Maneno magazine for Children in East Africa, and as its Managing Editor, was responsible for all content in the publication.
Ivy currently manages admissions for the East and Central Africa region in an institution that selects young future leaders across the continent to attend a two-year leadership course in a special academy in South Africa .
In the community has a passion for furthering the education of girl-children through association with The Old Limuru Girls Association and Starehe Girls School.

Dayo Foster

Dayo Foster is from the Gambia . Her first novel, Reading the Ceiling, was published in April this year by Simon and Shuster in the UK . Her work has also appeared in Kwani? She has a PhD in statistics and works for an NGO in Microfinance based in Nairobi .