Kenyan rap star Khaligraph Jones has released his long-awaited sophomore album titled Invisible Currency.
This new body of work which has been hailed as a masterpiece is a follow-up to his 2018 debut album Testimony 1990.
It was extensively recorded from 2018 across multiple locations in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and the US as Khaligraph toured Africa, UAE, and the US following Khali’s major success across the continent.
The 17-track album is majorly self-produced, but he tapped rising Kenyan producers Vince on The Beat, Ares 66, and Wuod Omollo to help craft it.
The recently released project is a deep dive into Papa Jones’ sonic evolution, personal growth, and artistic development drawn from a long momentous career. The album title, Invisible Currency perfectly exemplifies his status as a bonafide African star coming of age and enjoying the perks of being at his peak.
The project was released alongside the Hiroshima music video featuring high-flying Nigerian Canadian Hip Hop star Dax. The powerful and gritty collaboration further establishes Khaligraph as one the most prolific, lyrical, and most sought-after voices in African Hip Hop with incredible storytelling and unmatched flow. It has gained about 500,000 YouTube views.
The multilingual, genre-bending album stays true to Khaligraph’s style and sound heavily grounded in Hip Hop but also experimental in spirit with a more revealing side espoused in a series of dynamic compositions and collaborations across an array of sounds.
From Afro Pop jam Ateri Dala featuring Ohangla star Prince Indah, RnB rich How We Do which features Kenyan rising star Xenia Manasseh, Genge and Kapuka tribute in Kamnyweso with Mejja to Rhumba flavored Wanguvu featuring Tanzania’s Ali Kiba and gospel track All I need.
Speaking during the album launch this week, OG as he is popularly referred to, explained how he came up with his album title Invisible Currency saying that it comes from the strength of the brand and how much you have invested to build it.
“I stand close to you today and you take a photo of me that automatically blows up. I’m giving you invisible currency. It is the currency that is there, but it is not visible to the naked eye,” he explained.
Jones credited Wakadinali rapper Scar as the best lyricist in the country whom he worked with on the track Tsunami. “I can confidently say he is the number one lyricist in Kenya right now. Khaligraph Jones has said it. Right now, I’m playing on a different league, so Scar is the best,” Jones declared.
Other top collaborations In the album include Ride for you with Nigeria’s Rudeboy of P-Square, Ghana’s Blackway on Am on the move, Mombasa singer Adasa on Maombi ya mama, Ghana’s Kev the topic on Inner peace.
Khaligraph, 31, is a father of two, an award-winning rapper and entrepreneur. He was catapulted to nationwide superstardom in 2009 following a freestyle run at the Channel O Emcee Africa challenge.
In 2018, Khaligraph released his debut album Testimony 1990 which gained critical acclaim in Africa scooping Best Hip-Hop Act at Sound City MVP Awards and Kenya’s 3rd BET nomination for Best International Flow category.
2021 saw Khaligraph whose real name is Brian Ouko continue his dominance with a series of hits including Wavy collaboration with Ghanaian heavyweight Sarkodie, fans-favourite Luku and Champez, and many others.
