Drop the Gun, Grab the Mic! (Ambassador Grant)

Rap Music to Empower Youth and Prevent Violence

A team led by local rapper is uplifting the voices of other young musicians to use their art as a form of activism to prevent youth joining gangs.

Gang violence is endemic to coastal Kenya. One of the projects launched under our Young Cities Ambassador scheme, ‘Acha Gun Shika Mic’ (Drop the Gun Grab the Mic) is a rap initiative led by a well-known young rapper, Ohms Law Montana, who uses his music to address difficult issues like gang violence.

Rap is a popular genre among young Kenyans, and Ohms – who has worked with Young Cities since 2018 – wanted to inspire other young rappers and producers to use their abilities to help spread peace while promoting the role of artists in countering violence. Ohms and his team worked with 6 up-and-coming rappers and 2 young producers to create an album that speaks to the danger of joining gangs. They organised workshops to write lyrics together and explore the power of music to influence young listeners.