Legendary musician Nameless aka David Mathenge has petitioned the government of Nairobi County to have a road named in remembrance of the late musician E-Sir.
Through a public petition on change.org, Nameless noted that late rapper was a musical icon who needs to be honoured through the naming of a road.
According to reports E-sir was a resident of South C where the petition targets a road on the street he used to live changed in his memory.
A Twitter user shared the petition link through Twitter captioning it:
“19 years ago, Kenya lost a national treasure, E-sir. In honour of this iconic Kenyan artiste, we are calling for a road in South C to be named after him, as a way of celebrating artistic talent and in honour of his memory.”
The post attracted comments from E-Sir’s fans and below are some comments:
@wangachegz: “He was my favourite artiste yes a road should be named after him.”
@Stevesang44 I support. @SakajaJohnson we loved E-sir but God loved him more.”
@alkags: “I hope we are not doing this on Twitter only but we are speaking to Sakaja Johnson and @KURAroads.”
@AsapGich: “I cried on March 16 2003 when I heard the news that the legendary E sir has passed. I was only 6 years old it was on a Sunday. He will always be remembered as one who did it at a time with no social media.”
@gwamete: “I support this in the strongest way possible.”
E-sir’s death
2022cmarks 19 years since Issah Mmari aka E-Sir, died in a tragic accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway on his way back to Nairobi from a concert at Afraha Stadium.
It is an unequivocal fact that E-Sir is one of Kenya’s most universally loved musicians. He died at a young age just when he was storming the Kenyan hip hop scene with hit songs that saw him win four categories in the 2003 Kisima Music Awards.
Isah first stormed the music scene with his 2001 hit song, Jo and 19 years later, E-Sir still lives on through his music.
David Mathenge aka Nameless survived the fatal accident, escaping with just a broken collarbone. E-Sir died at 21 alongside a friend, Kevin Kiiru Karanja
Despite being only 21 years at the time of his death, E-Sir arguably remains one of the country’s best artistes.
Unlike most of his late peers, E-Sir was an inspiration and a mentor to many and for that matter, the image of an evolving youth urban music culture.
Here are facts about E-Sir, 18 years down the line.
Isah Mmari (May 20, 1981 – March 16, 2003) better known by his stage name E-Sir was a Kenyan hip hop artist signed to the Ogopa Deejays label. He was born in California Estate, and raised in South C estate Nairobi, Kenya. He first came to be known in 2001 with his song “Jo”, done in the same style as Black Rob’s “Whoa”.
He was born of a Kenyan mother, Damaris Wangui, and a Tanzanian father, Amin Mmari and was famous for his deft lyrical ability and command of the Swahili language.
The late E-Sir was among the pioneering young musicians behind the emergence of the now popular Kenyan hip-hop music. The popularity of his songs disproved the myth that Kenyan music could never compete on an international market.
Awards
Through his brief tenure, E-Sir won four Kisima Awards in 2003.
Song of the Year for “Boomba Train”
Best Male & Hip hop Artist of the Year
Best Album of the Year for Nimefika.
Nominations
He was also nominated at the Kora Awards 2003 for Best East African Artist and in the 2004 Tanzania Music Awards for Best East African Album Nimefika.
2003 Kora Awards – Best East African Artist
2004 Tanzania Music Awards – Best East African Album for Nimefika
Younger brother is also a rapper
E-Sir’s younger brother Habib has been in the music industry for a while. His collaboration with his brother “Fever” is still a banger to anyone who was older than 10 in the early 2000s.
His body was identified at the Morgue by Nameless’s Big Brother Bob after the accident.
His remains were interred at the Kariokor Muslim Cemetery.
His album Nimefika, was released posthumously two months after his demise.
E-Sir’s mother Damaris Wangui stays in South C.
E-Sir dated Yvonne Nkatha, then a 18-year-old first year law student at the University of Nairobi.
E-Sir attended St Anne’s Junior Academy and later Brookehouse Senior School in Nairobi where he honed his musical skills.
He made his debut on the music scene in 1999 with Jo Nimefika, which he released with Ogopa Deejays Productions.
E-Sir’s maiden performance came courtesy of one Evans Odhiambo Ombajo, a former councillor in Nairobi.
In early 1999, Ombajo was managing a musician who failed to show up for a scheduled performance in Mombasa.
The promoter had agreed to carry E-Sir to the event after much pestering.
When his star attraction failed to show up, he ushered E-Sir to the stage. The crowd was ecstatic and a star was born!
