BetweEn a rOCk aNd a hard plAcE

Picking up from where we left off on music videos, Kenyan rock band decided to take a trip down memory lane. Its 2010 and social media is abuzz with rumors of a new terror in town. Tall tales caught everyone’s attention. His description: tougher than Chuck Norris, too big to fit in Wikipedia the subject of the boogieman’s nightmares. If he were caught between a rock and a Hard place the latter would get hurt. Ringing any bells? It wasn’t a bird or plane. It was MAKMENDE. This bell bottom donning, afro combing, smile deprived badass took the Kenyan music scene by storm. An invention of the Kenyan band “just a band’, this Kenyan superhero was meant to promote their music video Hahe. It was online marketing at its finest. It took them from an unknown Kenyan band to recognizable brand.

The video itself is a poster child for Kenyan humor.   With colorful characters like Makmende, Abscordita, Wrong Number and taste of Daynja, the video left many in stitches. Makmende was such a hit he even got the attention of the Wall Street Journal.

This single instance underscored the power of the internet in marketing music. The video got more than 20000 views and gave the infamous #KOT(Kenyans On Twitter) something to talk about for a while. More than anything, it had a great effect on Kenyan pop culture. The Afro was once again back in style. And still is (we think lol). Makmende was also Kenya’s first truly viral meme. The jokes were also colorful (Kenyan rock band remembers something about using Viagra for eye drops?) It also showed the extent which a little grit, humor and creativity could do for a Kenyan Band. Anything is possible.