Entertainer Peter Simbi alias DJ Simbi, does not shy away from the fact that his passion for deejaying was honed at “disco matangas” — the entertainment sessions that happen during mourning.

Whenever there was a funeral, he would be the one called upon to play music. Using his phone, the 32-year-old would keep gatherings entertained.

“I started off playing music at funerals. I could also get small events. I attended some for free, and at others I would be given transport money sometimes,” he says, reflecting on his early days as a DJ.

Today, he has carved a niche as DJ Simbi, commanding a growing following on social media. On TikTok, for instance, he has 385,000 followers. Through the platform, he has been connecting with younger fans who are increasingly drawn to rhumba.

“At the moment, the Gen Zs are giving Boomers a run for their money. Gen Zs are very keen,” he says.

Rhumba, often associated with Congolese Lingala music, grew out of the guitar-led dance bands of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, blending Central African rhythms with Afro-Cuban influences and later evolving into the upbeat soukous sound.

Devoted audience

In Kenya, the music found a devoted audience from the mid-20th century through imported records, radio play, touring Congolese bands and Nairobi’s vibrant nightclub scene. Even when listeners did not fully understand Lingala, the songs’ emotion, elegance and irresistible groove made rhumba a staple at many events. This is the legacy that DJs such as Simbi are now carrying forward to younger fans.

DJ Simbi — Peter Simbi also known as Dj Simbi.

Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group

One of the latest phenomena keeping younger fans hooked, DJ Simbi says, is the ongoing supremacy battle between Fally Ipupa’s “Warriors” and Ferre Gola’s “Golois”. The banter, allegiance and party culture surrounding the two camps have given rhumba fresh social media energy.

“The competition is so hot that even the Boomers wonder where all this is coming from,” says DJ Simbi.

On his Instagram, one of his latest posts is a poster announcing a Golois and Warriors rhumba party at a Nairobi club. With flashy images of Fally and Gola, who are former protégés of the legendary Koffi Olomide, the caption reads, in part: “Come dressed to impress. Bring your crew and let’s dance the night away!”

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His manager, Rose Tanga, says the big difference in the way different generations relate to rhumba is that older fans prefer music with little intrusion, while younger fans prefer being engaged.

Typically, DJ Simbi plays the music that appeals to older fans first before progressing to songs that resonate with younger audiences.

Besides the DJ Simbi brand, there is also Simbi Events (through which he organises weddings, birthdays, team-building events, graduations, among others) and Rhumba to the World, a project through which clients pay for a trip to a certain destination where rhumba music is played throughout the journey.

“We travel in an overland truck. We do a local tourism budget, then advertise it. It typically sells out, and off we go. The payment covers everything,” says DJ Simbi regarding the Rhumba to the World project. “We’ve gone to Ethiopia, Rwanda, and in August we are going to Dar es Salaam.”

He recalls developing a passion for music from a young age, with his interest sparked by his father. His father, he recalls, was a big fan of famed rhumba presenter Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka. Listening to him, the young Simbi also became a fan.

When he moved from Kakamega to Nairobi, he pursued his interest in music, first by playing instruments at school and later through deejaying.

Provide entertainment

“Then I got someone to mentor me in the world of events, called MC Ken,” says DJ Simbi, adding that MC Ken got him out of the sprawling Majengo estate. “I would go with him to events, and he’d show me how to be in charge.”

About a year after meeting MC Ken, he got a job at Fred’s Ranch in Kajiado County. It was an unexpected turn in his life, from being a mere fan of Obachi to working at his establishment.

“They were looking for people to provide entertainment. There were many of us. We went for an interview, and I beat the rest because I can do events, I can emcee, talk on the microphone and still play music,” he says.

He remembers being starstruck when he met Obachi in person.

“I was happy, but my heart was racing. This is a man I’d longed to meet since my childhood because I used to listen to him a lot. I was so happy.”

Between 2016 and 2023, most of his entertainment work was at Fred’s Ranch. In particular, he would be engaged on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

To upgrade from using a phone to acquiring his first set of deejaying equipment, he saved a percentage of his earnings.

“I did some saving. Whenever I attended an event, I would set aside a percentage. I did that for about a year because it wasn’t easy to get the money. The target was about Sh45,000. I’d save it in Sh200 and Sh100 denominations, and so on,” says DJ Simbi.

From left: Miss Tanga, Peter Simbi also known as Dj Simbi and Mike Musumba on July 15, 2026.

Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group

He left Fred’s Ranch to focus on the projects he is engaged in today. He supplements his earnings as an entertainer with other roles, including working as a swimming and scouting coach.

He boasts a rich rhumba collection occupying about 4TB of storage.

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“It is a long list. There are the likes of Franco, Tabu Ley, Werrason, Ferre Gola, Fally Ipupa, Mbilia Bel, Faya Tess, Madilu and many others,” he says.

His manager, Ms Tanga, adds: “It’s a mix of old and modern.”

He is in a field where clubs come and go, and Ms Tanga, who calls herself a “certified mtu wa raha”, says that is due to one undeniable fact: “Every club has a lifespan.”

“It can’t live forever,” she says.

Is DJ Simbi engaged by any clubs as an in-house disc jockey? His manager says he has “outgrown” that, though he was a regular at a city club at one point.

A typical day for DJ Simbi involves checking his diary to see whether there are bookings. His personal assistant, Mike Musumba, also checks his diary to see where he is required and when. If time allows, he engages in online marketing, which explains his many social media posts and large following.

The video clips he posts usually depict him singing along to a song as he works the decks. To better understand the Lingala and French lyrics, he says he listens keenly.

“If I can’t understand, I use Google Translate. Sometimes, I ask questions about the lyrics in an online group,” he says.

In October, he has a show in Germany, organised by Kenyans there who are rhumba fans.

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eondieki@ke.nationmedia.com