Khaligraph Jones: The Kenyan Rapper Making Waves and Paving the Way.
Meet Khaligraph Jones, an acclaimed rapper from Kenya who has remained true to his genre amidst the ever-changing musical landscape in Africa, and his dedication has paid off.
Born as Brian Ouko Omollo and raised in Nairobi’s Kayole neighborhood, Khaligraph was drawn to hip-hop music from a young age. However, his path to success wasn’t a smooth one.
Many questioned why he didn’t switch to creating “Kenyan music.” Khaligraph explains, “I don’t know what kind of sound they thought I was suited for, but I believe in the power of consistency. We persevered until they finally embraced me.”
His breakthrough moment came when he won a prestigious freestyle competition, catching the attention of music enthusiasts. Khaligraph’s growth as an artist has been a gradual process. He started by collaborating with other artists like Kristoff and Stella Mwangi, gradually building his reputation.
During this time, he also worked as a bouncer to support himself, unable to rely solely on music. In 2013, he decided to quit bouncing as his face became recognizable in the music scene.
In 2018, Khaligraph released his debut solo album, “Testimony 1990,” named after the year of his birth. That same year, he earned the title of Best Rap Act at the Afrimma Awards, and in 2020, he was crowned Best Hip Hop Artist.
His second album, “Invisible Currency,” was released in the past year and garnered one million streams within six days.
Khaligraph Jones now believes he has opened doors for other rappers to shine. He states, “After I achieved success, I witnessed numerous others rising and making their mark.”
Curious about his unique stage name, Khaligraph shares its origin: “Back in school, I used to do graffiti with calligraphy. Plus, I was a huge fan of WWE, and there was this big guy called The Great Khali from India. I admired him. So, combining graffiti with calligraphy, I came up with Khaligraph! I added Jones to complete it.”
Having accomplished phase one of his artistic journeys—capturing Kenya, and East Africa, and gaining continental recognition—Khaligraph Jones now sets his sights on cross-over collaborations. He and his team are diligently working towards this new mission.
