Meta names Fena Gitu, Octopizzo in its rising stars campaign

Octopizzo and Fena Gitu.

Kenyan artistes Octopizzo and Fena Gitu named by Meta as part of the rising stars in its ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ campaign.

Photo credit: Nation Media Group and Pool

Meta has named Kenyan artistes Fena Gitu and Octopizzo as part of the rising stars in its ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ campaign that was unveiled on Africa Day on May 25.

The tech company aims to amplify the voices and stories of eight rising talents from across Africa, who are building a global presence and changing the way Africa is viewed on the international stage.

This is to be showcased by the chosen artistes from different creative industries ranging from music, fashion, lifestyle, and art through self-shot short stories that provide a glimpse of the creator’s world and highlight how being African inspires their creativity.

Rapper Henry Ohanga, aka Octopizzo, uploaded his short video on his Instagram page for his 4.4 million followers. The video starts by showing Kibera, where he grew up, then a memorable moment he shared with former US President Barack Obama.

“Maybe one day I will be the president. Who knows? There is a stereotype that comes with coming from Kibera. It took so long to become who I am just because of my environment,” he said in the video.

Former US President Obama and rapper Octopizzo.

Former US President Obama and rapper Octopizzo in Kogelo, Siaya County, in 2018.

Photo credit: Pool

The rapper recently broke records by hitting one million views on YouTube in under 36 hours for his new song Sijawahi, released on May 24. The song is currently at two million views and trending at number 7 on YouTube.

Fena Gitu, who will be dropping her album Love Art Lust on June 2, also uploaded her short video on her Instagram page that has over 387,000 followers.

“To all the young girls who wish to join the music industry, sharpen your skills and sharpen your skin because it is a tough industry,” she said in her post.

The performing artiste credits Meta social media apps, Instagram and Facebook, for building a community for her music and sharing her content globally.

Meta Sub-Saharan Africa Director of Communications Kezia Anim-Addo said, “We’re thrilled to celebrate Africa Day this year by amplifying the stories of just some of our talented rising stars from across the continent who are shining a spotlight on African culture, music, food, dance, fashion, and so much more in their own voices.”

She added, “Every day, we see young African creatives use Meta technologies, like Instagram and Facebook, to share their stories, express themselves, and bring people together in incredible and inspiring ways. We’re proud that our technologies have a role to play in amplifying these voices and stories, both locally and globally.”