Big G
BIG G.If you don’t know about BIG G, allow me to introduce him to you.
BIG G was born George Kahingo, born and raised in Nairobi and later left when he was 10 years old to live in the United States.
He grew up in a pretty solid family of five, one little sister and one little brother, “I love my siblings to death, basically because I did raise them, and nothing comes in between us”, Says BIG G.
BIG G attended college in Virginia where he pursued medicine and graduated with a bachelor’s in Biology and a minor in Business and Chemistry.
“I still love science and I will own my business eventually, but as of right now, music is my main priority, see y’all at the top”
BIG G.
What’s the inspiration behind your artistic name, Big G?
The reason behind my stage name Big G is not a concrete one. I cannot really trace back what exactly made me choose that but I have always loved the notorious B.I.G and obviously the G stems from my first legal name. I always told people to call me Big G in in high school as a joke but intrinsically I wanted that to be my nickname. In college I went by G mostly, and there is nothing small about me so it’s BIG G BABY!
How has your musical journey been like? What got you into rap music?
What got me into Rap is simple; Lil Wayne did. I always have been a writer from a young age, it was just something I enjoyed doing, whether it was short stories, poems and even rhymes here and there for fun.
But it was Lil Wayne’s lyrical prowess and linguistic ability that just intrigued me and made me want to craft out lyrics that could compete with his penmanship. Before I found my identity as a lyricist, I wanted to be just like Lil Wayne, and as time went by I saw how many subpar artists make it big and felt like I owed it to rap to bring back some of that penmanship that is slowly dissipating.
Music has always been part of my life, like most people I assume. But I grew up listening to a lot of Kikuyu music in the house and pop here and there when Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston music would hit Kenya. When I came to the United States is when I really started to develop a taste of my own, catapulted by my good friend Larry, who is also Kenyan. He introduced me to Lil Wayne, Young Money, J Cole, The Game etc. From then on it was GAMETIME!
How did you come to realize that music was the way forward for you?
The realization that music is something I will pursue came when I started to look at life the way I should have been, not the way we are taught to. Like most creatives, we find solace in our creations.
Our art is like a cocoon that is separated from the outside world. Within my musical cocoon I felt as if I could be whoever I wanted to become, amount to great success while enjoying the process. The typical blueprint of how success should be attained eluded me less and less when I witnessed the outcome of people in their old age. If I was going to die anyways, I might as well fully live, rather than just be content with being alive. I see music as freedom, true liberation.
In what way do you aim to make a difference?
I have always believed we are put on this earth to make an impact for the better. I want to use music as an avenue to create wealth not only for myself but for as many underprivileged people as I can. I want to one day induce opportunities that may aid others in the pursuit of success. I also want to touch people with the words I speak. Not every word is prophetic, but those that are come from a place of true honesty which I am sure many will appreciate one day.
Where is your musical career heading, what’s the vision?
At this point in my life I just want to make a stable living with a dedicated fan base. Being another Drake, or Lil Wayne would be great, but if I can just live off my art from, it will give me the freedom and time to pursue my business ideas. Anything more than that will be blessings beyond measure. Cherry on top if you will.
Here in Kenya, which hood do you represent, what plans do you have to impact your community positively?
When it pertains to Kenya I don’t just stand from a particular hood, the whole 254 is home to me. I of course grew up In Nairobi but we are all one especially from a bird’s eye view. I want to one day be a part of building new infrastructure in terms of housing projects back home. I feel like slums need to be eradicated completely. I would love to have a helping hand in both education and job acquisition. If those three things improve, there is nothing the rest of the world can do to stop Kenya in my opinion.
What’s your favorite project so far?
I have only released singles so I do not have a favorite project but my favorite single of mine would have to be Black Sheep.
Who are your biggest musical influences especially here in Kenya, would you say you are at all like them?
I am not well versed with the Kenyan music scene but someone I think I would be like if I rapped in Kenyan would be Khaligraph jones for sure. I also like Sauti Sol and Meja is killing too.
What makes you different from other rappers in the industry?
What makes me stand out from other rappers is two things: I actually care about the craft of the sport not just money, and I am authentically myself.
Who is your super hero or alter ego?
I do not necessarily have a super hero or an alter ego, but if I did it would be the successful version of me.
Do you have any kooky habits that we should know?
A kooky habit I have is I talk to myself quite often, in a very conversational manner.
Where do you think the future of music industry lies?
As far as the future of the industry, I have no idea. If I did I would not be struggling trying to build a name for myself haha.
How do you plan to break through the Kenyan market?
In terms of breaking through to the Kenyan market, I want to incorporate Kiswahili here and there when I make afro beat songs and even in some of my raps. I am Kenyan after all, so when I gain some notoriety it’ll be Big G and Kenya in the limelight.
Any plans to collaborate with Kenyan rappers?
As of now I am very keen as to who I choose to collaborate with due to what may be attached to my image that I am trying to build. If I meet people I vibe with and vibe with their music, Kenyan or not I am down to collaborate.
You are a Kenyan rapper based in the states, what do you think makes America’s and Kenyan music scene different?
What I think differentiates the American music scene from the Kenyan one is mainly the scope. In Kenya there is only certain talent in certain genres that can amount to great success in the music industry, whereas in the United States you can almost find thousands of people in these niche genres that have a fan base and are accepted as part of the music scene regardless of the genres popularity.
I have never heard of a Kenyan metal band or electronic music singer making it but here it feel like you can come up with shit out of the air and people may gravitate towards it. That also puts a lot of people in the music market which may benefit you or come at a disadvantage depending on your talent. The more people there are, the more you have to stand out.
What’s next for Big G?
What’s next for me? I just finished releasing ten singles so I am beginning to market them now. I have a small discography of music that people can now go listen to. I am currently also working on a remix project of ten popular songs that I will be releasing this year and will have an EP come out after that. I have a lot of content coming, G SEASON on the way!
Word of advice to the upcoming who are trying real hard to a point they just want to give up?
The only advice I can give right now is trust yourself. I do not know much more than the next person in terms of what you should be fighting to attain in this life, just make sure it’s something you would rather do than regret you did not. Prioritize YOURSELF.
Your Official music/social media platforms?
Instagram: Officialbiggmusic
Tiktok: Officialbiggmusic
And links to my YouTube and music platforms are in my bios!.
Who would you like to shout out?
Shout out to my family for being a solid foundation, shout out to my friends for always showing up, shout out to my friends for the positive affirmations and shout out to my cousins for being nothing but REAL FAMILY from back home. Love you all. And shout out to me for pushing this pedal.
Your parting shot?
Cognac or whiskey for sure. Only drink tequila in cocktails.