Rajville

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Rajville

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Birth name Rajiv Okemwa
Born
Origin Nairobi, Kenya
Genres
Occupation Template:Hlist
Instruments
Years active 2013–2026
Labels
Website Official website

Rajville (born Rajiv Okemwa; c. 1993), formerly known as Raj or Raj Kenya, is a Kenyan executive producer, entrepreneur, and retired recording artist. He is widely recognized as a pioneer of blending Ekegusii, Swahili, and English within hip-hop, a style often referred to as "Ndizi Flow" or Gusii rap.[1][2] Beyond his performing career, he is the founder and CEO of the independent label MusicBank and the creative production lab LaiinLabs.

Early life and education

Rajiv Okemwa was born and raised in Kenya. He attended Friends School Kamusinga, a national school in Bungoma County. He later enrolled at the University of Nairobi, where he graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics.[3] His educational background informed his transition from a recording artist to a creative entrepreneur handling the business operations of his own label.[4]

Career

Rise to prominence and "Ndizi Flow"

Rajville began his music career in the early 2010s under the stage name Raj. He gained national recognition with the release of the single "Obe Baba," which popularized his style of mixing Ekegusii lyrics with urban hip-hop production.[3] In 2016, his rising influence led him to be ranked among the top 10 Kenyan hip-hop artists of the year by industry critics.[5]

Between 2016 and 2020, he gained a reputation for high productivity through his signature weekly project, "#BaeTuesday." Season 1 ran for 21 weeks in 2016, and Season 2 ran for 43 consecutive weeks from 2019 to 2020, with a new track or collaboration released every Tuesday.[6]

In 2017, his track "Sawa Sawa" achieved international reach after being featured as a soundtrack for the Toronto Raptors' "Basketball Without Borders Africa" program.[1]

Collaborations and industry independence

Throughout his career, Rajville collaborated with several of Africa's most prominent artists, including Stella Mwangi (STL) on the "Obe Baba" Remix,[7] and Victoria Kimani on the 2019 "Igo Remix".[6] He has also worked with Khaligraph Jones, Boutross, Benzema, Fena Gitu, and Wangechi.[1][3]

In 2019, Rajville notably declined a multi-million shilling record deal from Sony Music Africa and offers to buy out his label to maintain full creative and financial independence.[8][9] That same year, he received widespread media coverage for a song dedicated to Ngina Kenyatta, which was reported on by major outlets including The Star, The Standard, Nairobi Wire, and Radio Jambo.[10][11][12][13]

Rebranding and retirement

In the early 2020s, he transitioned to the moniker Rajville and released the Mekatilili EP (2022), featuring a cross-genre fusion of Rhumba, Afrobeat, and drill music.[14] In early 2026, he officially announced his retirement from active music recording to pivot fully into executive production and digital innovation.

Business ventures

MusicBank

Rajville is the founder and CEO of MusicBank, a Kenyan record label and entertainment company that handles audio-visual production, advertising, and artist management.[3] The company has operated as an independent in-house production vehicle for urban talent in Nairobi.

Digital Entrepreneurship

In 2026, he launched several entrepreneurial ventures including mBeatz, an online marketplace for Kenyan creators utilizing integrated M-Pesa systems, and LaiinLabs, an audio-visual production lab dedicated to AI-driven storytelling. He also founded Hush Wellness, an e-commerce brand specializing in intimate health products within the Kenyan market.

Media appearances

Rajville has been featured across major Kenyan media platforms, including television appearances on NTV and Maisha Magic Plus.[15] In 2021, his song "Igo" was listed by Capital FM as one of the top underrated tracks deserving more airplay.[16] He has also done extensive interviews with Music In Africa discussing his musical hiatus.[17]

Personal life

Rajville is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a single father and has occasionally been profiled in media coverage regarding the balance of parenting with his executive and creative work.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Template:Cite news
  2. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://hiphopafrican.com/rapping-in-an-native-language/ | Rapping in a native language }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://www.musicinafrica.net/directory/raj | Raj Bio }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  4. ↑ Template:Cite news
  5. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://aipate.com/2016/08/02/top-10-kenyan-hip-hop-arti-of-2016/ | The Ultimate Top 10 Kenyan Hip Hop Musicians of 2016 }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://soundcity.tv/victoria-kimani-gets-an-incredible-feature-on-rajvilles-igo-remix/ | Victoria Kimani gets an incredible feature on Rajville's 'Igo Remix' }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  7. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://www.citizen.digital/article/new-music-alert-obe-baba-by-raj-ft-stella-mwangi-99067 | New Music Alert: Obe Baba by Raj ft Stella Mwangi }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  8. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://biggestkaka.co.ke/raj-just-turned-down-deal-with-sony-music-africa/ | Raj just turned down deal with Sony Music Africa }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  9. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://biggestkaka.co.ke/raj-approached-to-sell-music-bank-for-millions/ | Raj approached to sell Music Bank for millions }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  10. ↑ Template:Cite news
  11. ↑ Template:Cite news
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NairobiWireNgina
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named RadioJamboNgina
  14. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://mugibson.com/rajville-releases-mekatilili-ep/ | Rajville releases Mekatilili EP }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  15. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://www.dstv.com/maishamagicplus/en-ke/video/the-rappers-wangechi-and-raj-the-turn-up | The Rappers Wangechi and Raj - The Turn Up }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  16. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/thesauce/stereo-fresh-20-underrated-kenyan-tracks-that-deserve-more-airplay/ | Stereo Fresh: 20 Underrated Kenyan Tracks That Deserve More Airplay }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
  17. ↑ {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/5-questions-kenyan-rapper-raj | 5 Questions: Kenyan rapper Raj }} {{#if: | {{{publisher}}}. }} {{#if: March 31, 2026 | Accessed: March 31, 2026. }}
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