The Raising Wave Of Arbantone Music.

Arbantone comes from the word urban and is an attempt to represent the country’s youths. The artists gave it the name in an attempt to distance the sound from gengetone.
Before Arbantone was born there used to be another genre of music known as Gengetone.
Gengetone is a popular music genre from Kenya that emerged in the early 2010s. It is a fusion of traditional Kenyan music, hip hop, and electronic dance music. It is characterized by its fast-paced beats, heavy bass, and catchy melodies. The lyrics often focus on topics such as partying, love, and social issues..“Lamba Lolo and Position” by Ethic Entertainment and  was the first song under the flagship genre, inspired by Kenyan favorites dancehall and genge. What followed was the emergence of a local youth movement that was missing in the Kenyan entertainment scene.
Kenyan music evolved, birthing in new sounds and vibrations that are merely a mutation of an established sound known as Arbantone.
Arbantone music in Kenya has allowed artists to express their creativity and individuality, giving them room to connect with audiences on a deeper level.
The first crop of Arbantone songs such as “Lele” by YBW smith and Sosa The Prodigy featuring Lil Maina, “Pic” by YBW smith and “Nakudai” by Sean MMG had the rappers laying verses on previously performed beats.
The rise of Arbantone is also attributed to social media trends, with artists leveraging dance challenges on platforms like TikTok to promote their music. Songs like Dyana Cods’ “Set It” became popular through these challenges, demonstrating the genre’s ability to connect with audiences online and offline. 
The pool is currently congested with many fast-rising players including Maandy, YBW Smith, Soundkraft, Sean MMG, Lil Maina, Ebola Mkuu, Gody Tennor, Kappy and Tipsy Gee. These rising stars have dropped some of the biggest social media songs in the country over the last several months – Usiniadvice, Lele, Anapiga Pic, Tiktoker, Niko na Dem, Hii Ndio Inabamba, Dem Mauru, Mbichi and Kinare.
“Arbantone is a more polished version of gengetone.
While new sounds continually emerge in the Kenyan music scene, arbantone has proved that, unlike  many, it is here to stay.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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