Kenyan music group Matata which is based in Norway has released its anticipated debut album Super Morio.
The group is made up of Marcus Ojiambo, Ken Kimathi, Richie Mathu, Freddie Milanya and Festus Mwenda.
This follows their successful run with hit singles and videos. They have curated a hero-anchored body of work that echoes their Kenyan heritage, ingenuity and zeal while highlighting their victories and struggles in the pursuit of their dreams.
‘Super Morio’ is a Kenyan slang for ‘ghetto superhero’. The word "morio" translates to an ordinary youth from the hardship areas (ghetto). In this case, ‘super morio’ is in reference to the hero from the ghetto adversity who is everyday striving to better and bring change to their community.
While cutting across Afro-pop, Gengetone and a bit of contemporary music; the 15-track album portrays Matata’s unique and distinct sound that mixes English and Swahili with melodies and rhythms from different tribes of Kenya. Matata’s new album features collaborations from Afro-pop stars: Sauti Sol, Okello Max, Hip-Hop music group Wakadinali, R&B artist Phy, Reggae artist Liam Bailey from UK and Ghanaian / Norwegian artist, Akuvi.
“This is a dream come true; we never imagined one day featuring our mothers in one of our songs. On the track they take a trip down memory lane on each of our own journeys traversing from childhood to adulthood. Our mothers have truly been the rock of our lives," a member of the group said in a statement
"We would not be living our dreams if it weren't for their visions. When naysayers told us that making a living off as an artist was an unrealistic dream, our mothers saw the vision. Unbowed by physical boundaries, diverse in musicality and unified in art, we are doing what we love because of their reassurance.”
