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Kenyan hip-hop gained a rooting in the music industry around the 90s, and while most people would quickly recognise legendary producers such as Tedd Josiah, who discovered and brought into the scenes icons such as Kalamashaka… very little mention is made of heroes behind the scenes who have over the years played major roles in keeping the industry alive.

One of such is Lilian Wanjiru Githunguri popularly known as Ciro Gi. Through the years, Ciro Gi has worn the hats of an artist, deejay, artist manager, graphic designer, art teacher and an award-winning photographer (Machokali) under her brand company Mystic Breed.

As a cast manager, she played a massive role in putting together the formidable cast for two different documentaries; Hip-Hop Colony (2005) and Ni Wakati (2010) by Michael Wanguhu and Russell Kenya (award-winning directors from Kenya based in the US) on the evolving trends of the hip-hop movement in Kenya that won awards in the US. 

Over the years, Ciro Gi has also hosted some of the biggest hip-hop events in the country including Kalamashaka’s K-Day, Fire Places and Kipindi Cha Hiphop to keep the hip-hop industry alive.

Lack of family support, early pregnancy, and an accident turning point

Born and raised in Nairobi Kenya, Ciro is the firstborn in a family of five siblings born to billionaire politician Stanley Munga Githunguri (former MP for Kiambaa) and her late mother councillor/Pastor Joyce Muthoni Githae. She attained her O’ levels at Greenacres School, Limuru, before moving to UK’s Kent Institute of Arts and design in 1989 to pursue a Higher National Diploma in Arts and design, and while at it followed her passion in music as a deejay.

 “I am the only artist among my siblings. Art is not considered of much importance by my family. They always feel I should have made a better career choice. I absolutely have had no support from my immediate family in regards to my art/artivism…other than a few of my cousins, but I’m okay with it, I live my life and thrive by art,” she intimates about her art journey.

After moving to the UK for her studies, her time there was cut short when she got pregnant with her first child in 1989. Like all other parents, her’s were not pleased by the incident and recalled her back to Kenya. Becoming a young mother was not a walk in the park, especially after surviving a grizzly accident, which nearly took her life.

“I broke both legs and my right arm in the accident. It was that serious. After recovery, I decided to do computer packages because it was an area of weakness. I wanted to take a graphics design course and even go digital, but by then there were no graphics design schools in Kenya.  So, I joined MC Cann Erickson in 1997 as an intern. At first, I used to just sit and watch before they started assigning me little errands. Afterwards I got a job as a desktop publisher. Unfortunately, the economy went down and the company had to let go of some employees, I included. This depressed me,” shares the 49 year-old.

It is during this break that she connected with producer Tedd Josiah sparking her interests in music production and into the artistic world. Having a background in design and with the help of Sam Madoka who helped her sharpen her graphic designs skills from his studio, she started creating compact disc (CD) covers and posters for artists.

Striving for a breakthrough

Being the only woman with the skills at the time, she quickly made a name for herself. She would create CD covers for artists while at the same time filling in as a photographer and make-up artist for both Sink Studio and Ogopa Deejays.

“Having these skills at that time and as a woman was a big deal and got me into business collaboration with big names such as Mike Rabar, David Muriithi and Tedd Josiah and officially into the business of artist management. I have worked with the likes of Harry Kimani, Didge and many big names from that time until today. The challenge is that music is not as serious a business in Kenya as it is in Europe. Here it is different and some artist don’t even make money, so sometimes I had to go out of my way to just help them rather than charge them,” shared the artist manager currently working with Ukoo Flani, Kaa La Moto and Ohmz Law Montana.

 Looking to sharpen her photography skill, she had enrolled at the Photomagic School of Photography, Nairobi in 2013, where she also joined a photography association at the institution. This move would launch her into a major life event, which became a doorway to a new venture.

Battered by a boyfriend

Later that year, news went viral about a billionaire’s daughter who had been physically violated by a boyfriend.

“We were at an event where my daughter was also performing at and I noticed my partner hands deep in another woman’s pants. I confronted him, but in furry stormed out. He followed me after some minutes and started beating me. He beat me so bad I blacked out. I regained consciousness the next morning with a ringing in my ear. I told a few people how I was feeling, but they all dismissed it as a mere issue and that it would, pass but after a few days I started bleeding. So, I had to go to the hospital. After a few tests the doctor ascertained that my ear drum had burst in three different places. I tried reaching out to the guy for help because I needed surgery, but instead, he just wanted us to get back together and did not care about my urgent medical need,” she recounts about the events.

Left to tend to herself, she resorted to informing the photography association about her oncoming surgery and the incident that had led to it. The association came up with a Gender Based Violence (GBV) Campaign using her story to drive the 16 days of activism, officially launching her into a GBV champion. The campaign was featured in three different places in Nairobi and from there Ciro Gi was contracted by MSF for an exhibition gig to document real life events of Sexual Gender Based Violence victims (SGBV). While it was one of the most powerful stories with big impacts, she decided to make it her last activism.

“After the campaigns, many GBV victims started reaching out and I helped them get information on SGBV. These cases were slowly starting to affect me, leaving me angry and sometimes, feeling defeated,” shares the single mother of six. 

Seeking to find a healing space, she decided to revert her time to Yoga, which she had developed a love for after her accident. With guidance from a close friend, she decided to relocate from Nairobi City to Kilifi town.

“Ever since I embraced yoga and herbs, they became key treatments for my whole family. I don’t take my children to the hospital. I actually started practicing yoga after the accident as a healing tool, and it was my breakthrough as a natural healer,” shares the now yoga instructor and astrologer.

Giving love another chance

Moving to the Coastal town in 2018 was the best decision that the mother of six shares she made for her family as raising children in the city had always been a challenge. It provided a good space for her artistic practice, healing vibe and ample space to raise her children.

Shifting from the busy traffic norm to Kilifi provided for more time to understand her children’s characters and bring out their true personalities. And while at it, another chance at love, which most people including her father had brushed as a non welcome idea at her age.

“After the violence incidence, even my own father told me to forget about dating until I am maybe, 50, because he did not want my children to have to deal with stepfather issues. As a single parent, my mind has also always been about the hustle and working to meet their needs. Also, dating hasn’t always been easy as such. I have mostly had to date men who are younger than me because well, at my age, if I have to date a man who is 50 he will probably be someone’s husband, and I don’t want to be any man’s side chic,” shares the artist who intimated to be dating artiste Ohmz Law Montana.

As she adds, her six children aged between 29 and 13 have also made peace with her preferences and accepted their family as it is.

Making Kilifi an art hub

In Kilifi, Ciro has hosted some major events promoting art within the county including the first and second editions of Duos Festivals. The projects provided exposure and growing space for Kilifi based artists. Acting as both artist and curator of the festival, she took the opportunity to guide the artists on how to engage in art professionally. The festival birthed another project – Daughters of Mekatilili Movement.

“A lot of the women were not using their art professionally, they did not have either curriculum vitaes or portfolios and I realised I needed to help them because I also wanted to keep something sustainable. So, in 2021, I started the Daughters of Mekatilili Movement. Through the Duos Festival, we created and produced the Mekazine Magazine (which encompassed what Mekatilili stood for, opposition to the colonial rule, trying to protect children, women. She was a lot of things including a healer, herbalist and a protector of the forest lands),” shares the Founder, Mystic Breed.

The magazine project teamed up with Pwani University journalism students, to give them a taste of what the practice is about while trying to establish the department of art at the institution.

While she dedicated her time to bringing together artists within the region for artistic collaboration, it was still obvious that there was a much needed space, which could become a hub. And this is what together with other artist she has currently set up in Kilifi— an arts camp both residential and studio.

“I have been trying to get the county to give us some space for artists because Kilifi has no central space for arts, but it’s been one promise after the other. They acknowledge that it is a good idea, but not making any developments to make it a reality. They have helped us register as an association, but getting the artists to form an association was also a challenge, with a lot of people trying to move from here to Nairobi. So, we are trying to decentralise,” shares the artist about their current project –Ishi Sasa, an arts hub in Kilifi.