Recently, Gufy released his fourth studio album, The Kids Are Alive, and over the weekend, he blessed his fans with a two-day live performance show.
Being very familiar with Gufy’s work, I arrived with high expectations and boy, I am yet to see another artist who connects with their audience as deeply as Gufy did. Let’s unpack!
I arrived at 6:00 p.m. for a show scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. This, however, gave me time to sit and jot down a few expectations for the night. First, I needed to laugh, cry, introspect, get angry, but above all, to experience a fulfilling show. Were these expectations met?
We were welcomed by the amazing Uba Wilson, the MC for the evening, what a choice! Choosing the right MC is preparing the audience for greatness. He started with a quick giveaway for the first ten people to arrive. Guess who got a bag?
He then led a fun Q&A about Gufy, where each correct answer earned the audience a tote bag courtesy of Spotify.
Then came the opening act by Dominion, the reigning Slam Africa Champion (Mr. 66th) and runner-up in the World Poetry Slam. His penmanship not only moves crowds but also deeply resonates with them. It was the perfect way to get into the poetry zone.
“You needed words, I had metaphors, but I gave you none.”
Dominion! Please apologise to that ex!
Then came the man of the night. In a well-curated yellow outfit, Gufy opened the first set with Soft Soul Girl, followed by All Metaphors for You and Cry About It.
After every poem, he paused to give a little backstory behind each piece. Whoever inspired All Metaphors for You, may your coffee always taste right! Gufy’s storytelling and humour here were unmatched; it felt like we were rewriting the piece with him in real time. Can you believe Cry About It has no muse? Unbelievable, right? But let’s trust Msanii.
Trigger Me carried the weight of real experience. It was inspired by two protests in Gufy’s life — Take Kenya Back (2016) and the Finance Bill protests (2024).
“I need to shoot one person, and I will be happy. Call your mother and tell her goodbye.”
Those were the words told to him that still trigger memories nine years later. Listening to this backstory gave new meaning to the lines:
“We who have seen things have seen things
We who have deep bruises have deep bruises
We who have death right next to us have death right next to us.”
This was followed by Love and How It Comes from his 2019 album, and to close the first set, Love Lives On– my second favourite from The Kids Are Alive album.
It carries a melancholy only known to those who grief’s weight has blistered. At the end of the poem, Gufy invited the audience to shout the names of those they’ve lost, and he mentioned each one. It reminded us that grief can be distinct yet collective. In that moment, Gufy mourned, the audience grieved, and we all felt embraced by Love Lives On.
The break featured The Babaz, Hornsphere, and Gugz Ngugi, whose musical blend brought pure joy. Our MC returned to keep the energy up, still giving out gifts and even recognising the legendary Njeri wa Migwi for her exemplary work with Usikimye.
Moments later, the second set began and Gufy appeared in a new fit. The crowd went wild!
“Toa shati! Toa shati!” They chanted.
For about ten minutes, Gufy playfully engaged with the audience over his shirt.
“Diana, niendelee ama nitoe shati?” He asked one lady.
“Do both,” she replied.
He turned to another and asked the same.
“I think I’d love to see your chest,” she said and chaos broke loose! It took a minute to calm the crowd, but what a moment that was.
Once the cheers settled, Gufy performed Mtukufu Rais, a bold political piece painting the state of governance.
He was later joined on stage by Coster Ojwang’, performing Wangu from Black Boy and their latest collaboration Freedom from The Kids Are Alive.
Finally, came Dreams, my absolute favourite. Written for his nieces, nephews, and the children in his life, it’s a peaceful, hopeful piece. A warm breeze of legacy and love, if you ask me.
Before closing, Gufy returned for one last surprise: Black Boy Joy. A poem that never gets old.
“Before I start this poem,
Make sure my skin glows,
My muscles pop, just in time for that crowd applause.”
The night ended with a powerful sing-along to Amen, written by Gufy and initially performed by Partraw.
Big shoutouts went to the incredible band, Ras Amor (music director), Gugs Ngugi, Hornsphere, The Babaz (Ras Amor, Mathai and Baraza), and the event partner, Spotify.
My biggest highlight? Every single expectation I had was met.
Gufy’s mastery of crowd engagement and performance is unmatched from start to finish; he held us in awe. The music, artistry, outfits, and transitions were thoughtfully curated and beautifully executed.
A quick one to Gufy: you are exactly who you think you are!
Wanja Writes.