“Arbantone” Explained: Meaning, Origin, Artists, Producers and Songs
Arbantone is a new Kenyan music sound that is evolving and being created by producers and Gen Z artists as part of the popular Gengetone music genre. Arbantone is slowly taking over the Kenyan music industry by storm, thanks to TikTok challenges. Arbantone involves creatively remixing previously released songs’ beats, lyrics, and sounds inspired by specific music genres or other musical genres.
Over the past few months, if you have been keenly following Kenyan musical trends, you will notice new artists are on the rise. Just like we had a new wave of Gengetone in 2018, we can say artists and producers are re-investing and creating a new sound that targets Gen Z and millennials. The “arbantone” music is all about good vibes.
In this article, we are going to define Arbantone music and explain its origin, meaning, artists, and everything you need to know.
Arbantone Origin
Arbantone originated on social media in 2023 and was pioneered by Kenyan producers such as Soundkraft and Motif Di Don, artists such as Gody Tennor, and their fans. The name “Arbantone” is inspired by viral songs that found their way on social media as part of content creation.
Content creation has become a daily lifestyle for many, especially on TikTok, and there is a high demand for musical content on the platform. Furthermore, content creators are discovering new sounds to use in their content every day, creating viral content on the platform. When a sound goes viral, it inspires other creators to jump into dance challenges. These dance challenges make a song go viral, and fans discover the artists behind the song.
This need has pushed the entertainment industry, especially artists and producers, and there was a need to create a new movement, hence the birth of “Arbantone” to represent the new viral music. We can say now that Arbantone means urban Kenyan music, loved by Gen Z and millennials.
“Arbantone” music is a vibe, and everyone is loving it. “Arbantone” gives freedom of expression, as we can see in the dance challenges created using “Arbantone” songs. Content creators enjoy the new sound the same way artists and producers do.
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For example, Motif Di Don created a platform called Elev8 Africa that promotes the sound. Artists come to do live sessions and post them on digital platforms. On the other hand, Kenyan producer SoundKraft, under the “Like a Boss” movement, has also produced several viral “arbantone” hit songs such as “Tiktoker”, “Kuja ivo” and more.
Arbantone Criticism
Arbantone is mainly being pushed by the artists and the producers themselves. Even though it is still evolving, it has faced criticism from fans. Some feel that “arbantone” is still the same as Gengetone. When the popular Nairobi Gossip Club posted about renaming Gengetone to arbantone, people had different opinions. Check out the post below.
Also, established artists such as Femi One have questioned new artists downplaying Gengetone on national television. Femi One is best known for her 2020 viral Gengetone song “Utawezana ft. Mejja,” which put Kenyan music on an international level. Check out the post below.
Top Arbantone Artists
Here is a list of the top Arbantone artists who are taking over the Kenyan music industry.
- Gody Tennor – Gody Tennor real name Godfrey Masambu (born 2001), is a Kenyan musician, artist, and the self-proclaimed “King of Arbantone”. He is best known for several arbantone hit songs such as “Tiktoker”, “Kuja Ivo” and “Hii Ndo Inabamba”.
- Tipsy Gee – Tipsy Gee is an artist from Kenya based in Nairobi
- Ranzscooby – Ranzscooby is a Kenyan dancehall artist. He is best known for his song “Tic Tac“.
- YBW Smith – YBW Smith is a Kenyan artist best known for his viral hits “Lele”, “Niko na Dem” and “Anapiga Pic”.
- Lil Maina – Lil Maina is a Kenyan artist best known for his viral songs “Get Busy”, “Kishash” and “Ma G Kwenye Klabu”.
- Sean MMG – Sean real name Sean Mwaniki is a Kenyan artist and dancer best known for his song “Mi Amor” which was released in 2023.
- Fidel Rayd – Fidel Rayd is a multi-talented Kenyan artist. He is also a producer and is best known for his song “Sitamake”
- Kappy – Kappy is a Kenyan artist best known for his arbantone song “Shiro Remix”.
- TMS Garvey – TMS Garvey is a Kenyan artist best known for his hit song “Kanisa Heathen”. “Kanisa Heathen” is inspired by Shaggy’s “Church Heathen” released in 2009.
- Spoiler – Spoiler is a Kenyan artist best known for his song “Party Alone”.
- Ebola Mkuu – Ebola Mkuu is a Kenyan artist best known for his song “Luku”.
Top Arbantone Songs 2023
Here is a list of the top arbantone songs released in 2023.
- “Tiktoker” by Soundkraft featuring Gody Tennor, Tipsy Gee and Kappy.
- “Kuja Ivo” by Gody Tennor featuring Sean MMG, YBW Smith and Tipsy Gee.
- “Hii ndo Inabamba (Ramsha)” by Gody Tennor featuring Kappy, Kushman and Tipsy Gee.
- “Baki Home” by Gody Tennor, Tipsy Gee.
- “Usini advise” by Kappy featuring Gody Tennor, Tipsy Gee and Motif Di Don.
- “Lele Remix” by YBW Smith featuring Lil Maina and SosaTheeProdigy.
- “Ngwai”, by Lil Maina featuring Danski.
- “Anapiga Pic” , “Lele” and “Niko na Dem” by YBW Smith.
- “Ma G Kwenye Klabu” by Lil Maina featuring Scar Mkadinali.
- “Namdai” by Kappy featuring Kushman and Gody Tennor.
- “Bubu” by Lessi Sting, Fathermoh and UncoJingJong
- “Kwa Bar” by Odi wa Murang’a, Fathermoh and Harry Craze.
Conclusion
Music connects people, creates good memories, and brings happiness and joy to the world. At Kelxfy, we help fans connect with their favorite artists and discover new music. We continue to inspire, educate, and inform through our digital platform.
We continue to support artists, creators, and entrepreneurs who keep the entertainment industry moving forward. We believe that we have the power to change our future. Let’s keep the culture and preserve it for future generations.
- Kelx is a music enthusiast and has been documenting music since 2018. Previously, Kelx worked with Afrika Lyrics, documenting and publishing Gengetone song lyrics. Kelx has also been creating lyrical videos on his channel, Gengeton.
