Shrekeezy
Background information
Birth nameSimon Njoroge
Born24 October 1993
Nakuru, Kenya
Died30 August 2015(2015-08-30) (aged 21)
Mbudya Island, Tanzania
GenresAlternative hip hop, trip hop, contemporary R&B, afro beat
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, Event Organizer TV presenter, radio host, singer-songwriter
Years active2011–2015
Websitewww.shrekeezy.com

Simon Njoroge (24 October 1993 – 30 August 2015), popularly known as Shrekeezy, was a Kenyan advertising strategist. He was also largely involved in art and entertainment as a radio host, TV presenter, rapper, DJ and Entertainment Executive.[1][2] He first gained major attention for his successful online radio show Shrekeezy Live[3] which was later taken up as a daily radio show on Hero Radio Kenya after gaining over 40,000 fans [4] on social media. As a marketing executive at Hero Radio, Simon developed huge interest on Internet marketing and took part-time classes with Chartered Institute of Marketing. During this period, he played a major role in marketing muicbook.com, a social networking site that was founded by his colleague and close friend Samuel Keige. The site was however sold to Afroleo.com. He left Kenya a year later to be the personal assistant of Tanzania-based Indian entrepreneur Nilesh Bhatt. He later that year joined Pilipili Entertainment, a Tanzanian film production company owned by Nilesh Bhatt as the marketing manager. He had since worked as a Digital Strategist in major East African Advertising agencies like Scanad, MetropolitanRepublic, Express DDB and BrandVision Advertising.[5]

As an entrepreneur and investor, Shrekeezy co-owned Trans Africa events, an event organizing company based in Tanzania and is the founder and acting CEO of Phorex East Africa a modelling and PR agency operating across the East Africa region.[6] He founded The Nigerian Festival in Tanzania( Naija Fest), Tanzania Social Media Awards(TSOMA Awards) and the upcoming East Africa Awards known as Mashariki Awards to be held in December 2015 at the Carnivore Nairobi. He was also largely involved in planning the Club Music Video Awards in Uganda in 2013 in partnership with ROCKSTAR4000/Sony MUSIC AFRICA.[1]

On the morning of 29 August 2015. Shrekeezy decided to take a boat ride from Whitesands Hotel to Mbundya island in Dar Tanzania before drowning.

Before dying, Shreekezy posted a photo of the same island that took his life on Instagram captioned; "The boat ride from #WhiteSandsHotel to #MbundyaIsland is the scariest thing I’ve experienced in a long time,But am here……..#TanzaniaDay8."[7] His body went missing after the ordeal but was found after a three-day-search.

Life and career

Early life(Music Artist)

Nakuru, Kenya the town where Simon grew up.

Shrekeezy was born Simon Njoroge in Nakuru, Kenya. He is from a family of three. He developed an interest in technology and art at age 10. After completing his secondary school Education, he moved to Nairobi at the age of 17. During this period, Simon got to meet several stakeholders in the Kenyan music industry who inspired him to join the Kenyan media. He regularly appeared on the WAPI(Words And Pictures) Concert Freestyle battles where he met media personalities that helped circulate his music.

Shrekeezy met up with Kenyan popular MC and media personality DNG [4] who grew interest to his music and called him up for a radio interview at a Kenyan popular radio station 97.1 One FM where he was an evening radio host of the Fired Up Radio show. DNG played a big role in circulating his music during the time. He later went back to his hometown Nakuru for a while where he learn of a radio station being launched. He developed interest in radio hosting, inspired and motivated by DNG, he approached the radio station for a possible spot for a HIPHOP Show. The owners of the station were pleased by Shrekeezy's presentation during his first meeting and instantly gave him the spot. It is said he started the show SHREKEEZY LIVE the very same day. SHREKEEZY LIVE grew to be one of the biggest radio shows in the region and earned him great popularity.

He quit the media after becoming a prolific digital strategist in Nairobi, he later moved to Dar es Salaam and the Kampala working with leading brands in the regions including Pilsner Ice, Tusker Lager, Kenya Commercial Bank, Airtel, Samsung Mobile, MTN Uganda, and Coca-Cola.[8]

Music career: Down For My City #DFMC

In February 2014, Shrekeezy released the single down for my city [9] featuring various African artists from 5 countries. The artists included the leading female rapper in the East Africa region Stella Mwangi, US based Kenyan rapper Kanja, Nigeria's afropop artists Wondaboy, Award-winning Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim and UK Based Sierra Leone musician and music Producer Silvastone.[10] The song received major airplay in various African countries and topped charts in South Africa, Botswana, Kenya and Sierra Leone.[5] [11][12]

Death

He mysteriously disappeared in Tanzania on 30 August 2015, where he was living and working and found dead two days later. He had drowned on Saturday near Mbudya Island, off the Dar es Salaam coast in Tanzania. His body was found on Tuesday after a three-day search, according to a relative.

His remains were buried at his parents home in Kabatini area in Nakuru County, Kenya on 5 September 2015.

Influences

An Afro-American man wearing a black leather jacket and black t-shirt stands before a white background.
An Afro-American man with a ponytail on top of her head is wearing a black leather jacket before a light-coloured background.
Rap artists Jay-Z (left) and Kanye West (right) have been major influences on Shrekeezy.

Shrekeezy stated that the artists who have influenced his musical style include artist such as T.I., Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Meek Mill. He's also inspired by Wiz Khalifa, Nicki Minaj, Big Sean, D'banj, Ice Prince and Lil Wayne.

Shrekeezy cited Jay-Z and Kanye West as his major influences, on an interview, he once said;

I grew up with a single favorite rapper. Jay has always been the guy I look up to. I mean, he's just everything, Jay-Z the rapper, the record producer, the entrepreneur. His lyrics are so artistic, every single verse he does is a masterpiece. I also listen to Kanye, his poetry is out of this world, I guess it's a result of being close to Jay. Working with the best makes you the best. However, my greatest inspiration must be the founder of the messaging app Whatsapp Mr Jan Koum

— Shrekeezy

On his media career (i.e. radio and TV), Shrekeezy has cited Tim Westwood of BBC Radio 1, Ellen DeGeneres of The Ellen Show as his major influences

Activism

Shrekeezy had played a major role in bringing together different corporates, organisations and companies to support JIKINGE campaign, a HIV Aids youth awareness program he founded in 2012.

Performances

Performances
Year Concert Location In-attendance and other artists
2010 Naija Night The Carnivore Nairobi, Kenya D'banj, Ramsey Nouah, P-Unit, Kevin Wyre
2011 Chaguo La Teeniez Awards The Carnivore, Nairobi, Kenya QQ (Jamaica), P-Unit, Camp Mulla, Size 8, Avril Nyambura
2012 LIFE IS A BREEZE Kunduchi Beach Hotel Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Keko, Pah one
2012 Serengeti Fiesta Leaders Club Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Rick Ross, Diamond, Profesa Jay and Roma

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2011 Chaguo La Teeniez Awards Best artist Nominated[13]

Discography

Mixtapes

Title Details
In the beginning[14]
  • Release date: 1 October 2013
  • Self-released

Singles

Year Title Album
2012 "Kila day"[15] Transition
"Greenlight"[16][17]
Year Title Artists
2012 "I wanna get paid"[18] Pah One

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2009 Shuga Cameo
2013 Foreigner Robbert BOB Macharia. Foreigner is a TV series directed by Bollywood's Award-winning director Sameer Srivastava and produced by Sameer Srivastava. Shrekeezy is playing BOB the main character on the Foreigner TV series shot in Kenya and Tanzania. It is to be released on 1 December 2015.
2013 Professional con artists Steven Kariuki. Done filming, not yet released.
Television
Year Title Role Notes
Super Date TV Show Host 13 episodes
East African Countdown Host 10 Episodes
Music Videos
Year Artist Single Notes
2008 Pah One "I wanna get paid" Featured
2010 Peekay "Contest" Featured

References

  1. 1 2
  2. ↑ "Music – Music News, New Songs, Videos, Music Shows and Playlists from MTV". Mtv.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. 1 2 eMinor. "shrekeezy | Hip Hop from Nairobi, KE". ReverbNation. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Shrekeezy (@Shrekeezy) 'Down For My City' – All Unsigned®". allunsigned.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ↑ "Former radio presenter and rapper drowns in Dar | Nairobi News". nairobinews.co.ke. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ "Down For My City". Nairobi, Kenya: Youtube.com. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "Massive Collabo! Shrekeezy – Down for My City ft. Stella Mwangi, Kanja, Roberto, Juliet Ibrahim, Wondaboy, Silvastone | Soundcity Africa". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "New Music: SHREKEEZY – Down For My City Ft Stella Mwangi, Kanja, Juliet Ibrahim, Wondaboy & Silvastone – Wadup". Wadup.com.ng. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  12. ↑ "Shrekeezy -DOWN FOR MY CITY FEAT. STELLA MWANGI, KANJA, ROBERTO, JULIET IBRAHIM, WONDABOY, SILVASTONE — African Muzik Magazine". Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "CHAGUO LA TEENIEZ AWARDS 2011 NOMINEES". Nairobi, Kenya: KenyanGospel.com. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  14. ↑ "SHREKEEZY'S BIOGRAPHY". Nairobi, Kenya: ghafla.co.ke. 11 March 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  15. ↑ "Audio: Shrekeezy- Kila day feat Peekay '". soundcloud.com. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  16. ↑ "Audio: Shrekeezy – 'Greenlight' feat Peekay [Teaser]". soundcloud.com. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  17. ↑ "BongoSwaggz.Com: Sikiliza n Download# Shrekeezy - Green light ft PeekayFlyby-(onyxmusik)". Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Video: Pah One- I wanna get paid feat Shrekeezy '". eastafricanhit.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
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