Before there was Samidoh , HSC , before mugithi,there was Daniel Kamau Mwai.Affectionately known by his fans as D.K.,this is the man who brought benga beat to Kikuyu popular music.
When the benga beat-born on the shimmering shores of Nam Lolwe( Lake Victoria) began crashing into the highlands of Central Kenya, DK rode on its wave,adopting the new style and forever changing Kikuyu popular music.
With their unmistakable plucked guitar licks and soul-bending climaxes, D.K.’s early ‘70s hits like ‘Kanini’ and ‘Mariana’ were pure benga gems that sold out in weeks.
At his peak, D.K. was so hot that his name was as popular in Luo Nyanza as it was in Central Kenya.Soon,his fame crossed borders, his hits booming from jukeboxes in far places-from Zambia to Zimbabwe to West Africa.
Fast forward to today, and D.K.’s tracks still sparkle with vintage fire- beloved, replayed, and revered like a rare vinyl in a collector’s vault.
And the man retains that sparkle that lit up the region back in the day.