Kenyan rapper Big Yasa releases Wapoa SZN album

Having carved out a name for himself as one of the proponents of drill music in Kenya, Biggs, as he is known to his fanbase, captures his duality and range on the new project. Wapoa SZN explores more melody, emotions and further expands Big Yasa’s canvas as a songwriter and performing artist.

“Wapoa SZN is me exploring another side of my sound and personality,” Big Yasa said. “There will be more melody and emotion, and it’s only right that we share this labour of love.”

The album touches on the rapper’s upbringing and relationships with women, family and music. Notable tracks include the rumba-leaning ‘After Hours’ featuring Magaa, the bopping ‘Use Me’ with Silas Piper, the dire ‘Over 18’ and the radio friendly ‘Don’t Leave Me Alone’.

In 2022, Big Yasa released his debut studio LP Biggs, a fusion of rattling drill offerings and old school boom bap beats – as he sought to dispel the notion that drill was his only sound.

His significant features in the same year included ‘Bae’ assisted by femcee Silverstone Barz and Ajay from Buruklyn Boyz. Others were ‘Last Air Bender’, a popular cut that appeared on chart-topping Buruklyn Boyz debut album East Mpaka London. This period was symbolic of the dominance of drill in Kenya’s hip hop scene and Big Yasa emerged as one of the main characters that catapulted the sound to mass popularity. In the same year, he co-headlined Boiler Room and Ballantine’s True Music Studios Nairobi.