Nu Fvnk

Nu Fvnk (born Kelvin Hansen) started producing music at the age of 15 out of necessity. He wanted to be a rapper, but he didn’t know anyone in his network who could make beats, so he began teaching himself. He was quickly consumed by the art form of production and took up deejaying, connecting rapping, production and performance to create his own music.

Simultaneously, he started a DJ/producer crew with five other artists called East African Wave (EA Wave), which became a fast-growing success in the indie/alternative arts & culture scene of Nairobi. Producing and collaborating with artists like Blinky Bill, EA Wave became known for their fearless exploration of tribal-inspired, urban productions spanning several categories. The genre-bending group also became prolific in their audio-visual aesthetic voices, partnering in the creation of projects like Afri Ni Ladi with Ghanian powerhouse Jojo Abot.

When EA Wave produced the 'Indigo' EP for the infamous Camp Mulla songstress Karun Mungai, FADER magazine, OkayAfrica and several others created a viral buzz about the collective. From then on, Fvnk has played on the same stage with artists like Sauti Sol, Muthoni Drummer Queen, Shekinah, Akua Naru, OSHUN and many others.

He and his EA Wave collective were the first few to be chosen to play at the first Boiler Room edition in East Africa. Featured by Fact Magazine as one of the artists “helping pave the way to a Nu Nairobi” it became Fvnk’s focus to utilise his growing platform to pay homage to traditional African culture through his own uniquely contemporary lens. Producing his first Space Marines photo and mixed-media series caught the eye of globally renowned visual artist Osborne Macharia. He then exhibited his graphic prints at 2mansibling’s famous Thrift Social event for the Future Trends edition.

Co-founding a media platform called Vibe Tribe (Nairobi), Fvnk now also produces mixed-media events, installations, digital media and design collaborations with global creatives that reflect East Africa’s eclectic culture. At their 2017 Night Dancers event, Vibe Tribe hosted prolific fashion designers lik Gloria Wavamunno (Kampala Fashion Week) and produced a luminous pop-up installation of mixed mediums where Kenyan icons like Ajuma Nasenyana and Randy Gowan were photographed and trended on Instagram.

Nu Fvnk says his aim is to be a multidisciplinary artist like Virgil Abloh, Tyler The Creator and Pharrell Williams.