Kenyan DJ out to conquer tricky US music market

 

He started it as a side hustle but he is now among the well-established deejays in Washington DC, USA.

Lenny Muthama, well known as DJ Cutts, says he wants to develop his talent to reach the level of DJ Puff, a native of Barbados, South America. 

In school, his interest was in volleyball and football. He later found himself gravitating towards music even without having recorded any song.

Lenny is a second year student at the University of California, USA studying Graphic Design. That aside, he owns an entertainment brand known as 'Sherehesheria,' which he founded in 2013.

He says the brand now works under the label known as 3 Division Music Room. 

"When I started my DJ Career, I used to produce mixtapes which I sold in matatus in Nairobi. It was not easy," he says.

Breakthrough in Somalia

In 2013, he started playing different types of music in popular joints in Nairobi. 

As a DJ, he performed at popular joints like Tajmall Sports Bar, Sizzling Grills and Black Diamond among many others.

He has also done contract work for government agencies including Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

"Apart from providing entertainment for different government departments, I have provided services to well established institutions like EABL, Barclays Bank (now Absa Bank) and Schweppes."

His star started rising in 2016 when one of his customers asked him if he would like to work for one of the radio stations in Somalia.

"It was like a miracle because it came soon after I talked to that customer at Tajmall Sports Bar. Thereafter, I joined Radio Dalsan in Mogadishu, where I worked for one and-a-half years," says Lenny.

Recruiting Kenyan DJs

At the expiry of his contract, doors were opened for him and he started performing outside Africa. In the US, he performs in different places including Washington DC, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Boston and Puerto Rico. He specialises in different types of music like hip hop and R&B, which he says are more popular and highly appreciated in that region.

He says his followers are music lovers from different parts of the world. 

Within five years, he wants to see many more DJs from Kenya relocate to United States.

"Under my brand, we have started recruiting Kenyan DJs to put things in order and ensure they are able to play their Kenyan music to the American audience," he says.

He advices upcoming DJs to stay disciplined and focused to attain international standards.