The Mics Are Open

We are joined by Charisma, Okello Max and Coster Ojwang from KODONGKLAN on today’s episode. The group talks about their dynamics, how they relate to and work with one another, and what the collective means to them. They also give one another flowers as well as talk about pet peeves when it comes to their mates. The gang eventually gets into their next concert, All Hands On Deck, where all 7 artists in the group will have their own individual performances, and then finally perform as a group. All that, and plenty more on today’s episode. Enjoy.

Mutinda Kilonzo and Matthias Mwangi of Drunken Lectures are taking serious knowledge out of the classroom and into Nairobi's bars. We talk about how it started, what actually works, and why learning doesn't have to be dull. 🎙️ New episodes of The Mics Are Open every Friday. Find Drunken Lectures at drunkenlectures.com and on Instagram at @thedrunkenlectures.

It's all about AI baby! Kenyans aren’t just using AI for work and homework anymore. They’re taking it their private lives. A new study from Nendo found that 72% of the digitally engaged Kenyans surveyed have used AI to talk through a personal situation, and nearly half use it for things they haven’t told anyone.This week, Mark Kaigwa, Founder & CEO of Nendo and lead author of How Kenyans Use AI, joins us on The Mics Are Open. We get into why people trust AI more on legal and money questions than on family ones, what he calls the “AI workbench” and why access is spreading faster than advantage, and what it will take for AI to actually understand Kenyan culture, Kiswahili and Sheng. Enjoy!

The gang starts off this week’s episode challenging Calvin to become a teacher, as he gives us tales about his days as a reporter. The crew address the Ebola situation in Kenya, the viral bullying incident involving Jahenda, and Ashley gives us a breakdown of how women do DCI work before going out with a guy. All these, and plenty more on today’s episode. Enjoy.

The gang chop up this weeks stories, from Man City maybe doing the right thing to an aborted hijacking. They aren't convinced at all!!

The gang talk about a lot on this episode from the Ed Sheeran Tour to whether or not posting on Linked In makes any sense, we also have a random special guest from the Zoza podcast!

Calvin is back with stories for days from London where he saw Jay Z perform. The gang talk about whether Kenya could host a concert like that and G talks about learning more about how his brain works.

Hilarious episode this week, has our editor Byron secretly fathered a love child? Also how important is marriage if you want to be a politician?

This week’s episode begins on a fashion tip, as the crew transition into the dirty games of politics. They react to the late Sharon Otieno’s family’s demands to Former Migori governor Okoth Obado. Would you walk away from 80 million USD if it’s fraudulent? Did adult films give you any trauma? The crew gets into these dilemmas, Open Mics, and plenty more. Enjoy!

Why is there a narrative that men are hard to gift. The Gang chop it up on that today plus wade through all your open mics! Plus when did having cash become an ick?

G starts the pod ranting about a nosy neighbour! Andy comes up with a list of life's unresolved debates. This is one for the books!!!

Yemi Alade joins us in this special conversation about life, music, what it means to be African and what keeps her going! Really good watch!

The crew are back in full flow and this is and eposide for the books! G explains what he was doing in Lucky Summer, while the gang once again break down Summertides - The gang then ask, when do we lose our joy?

What's all the fuss about, the gang is back together. G and Andy talk about their Summertides experience and we chop it up about trash in Nairobi, actual trash!

Update

The Original Vibes Kartel are back for one week only! G Money, Andy and Calvin discuss death, replacing members of the podcast and much more. Calvin is finding something HARD at the end of the podcast. 😆😆😆

Polygamist this, polygamist that. We are all polygamied out, why we acting like cheating is a new thing? Anyway, we don't talk about this - But we do talk about South Africa hate watching and Tanzania

Everyone is in studio and this week is crazy. G Money recounts his time at the Arsenal Parade and a listener throws in a crazy curveball for the Open Mics!!! - Top Tier Episode, Enjoy - Special Bonus Men's Mental Health Convo at the End.

Well no prizes for guessing what we spoke about today!! Congrats to the Gunners! We talk about Drake's new albums and G Money rants about his caucasian neighbours.

Ash is finally back with the crew, and today’s episode kicks off as she talks about her absence and what she got up to. Andy apparently got into it with two women over the Labor Day weekend, and Calvin gives us his weekly dose of stories as the crew talks about the Africa Forward Summit, Drake’s Iceman drop, and so much more. Enjoy!

G Money is MORTIFIED that he isn't on Calvin's Green Circle on IG and the gang chop it up about who's on their green circle and why. Aggrey from Turkana passes by and we debate the weeks news circle.

"This is a special series I'm running called The Correction. It lives separately from TMAO but I wanted to bring it here first. Here's Episode 04."

"This is a special series I'm running called The Correction. It lives separately from TMAO but I wanted to bring it here first. Here's Episode 03." Episode 03 — The Correction with G Money Ms Rose showed love by doing things. I watched that. I learned it. I became it. My grandmother didn't talk about love in the abstract. She showed it — food on the table, shoes on your feet, a roof that didn't move. Ms Rose's love was a verb, not a noun. And she was the most powerful person I have ever known. So I became her. The utility. The constant showing up. The need to be useful to earn my place. But somewhere in this episode I ask a question I can't stop sitting with — is there a difference between showing love through doing, and only feeling worthy when you're doing something? Same behaviour. Very different root. That's Entry 03 of The Correction. The Correction is a podcast about unlearning the habit of leading with utility — and learning to just be present instead. New episodes every Monday and Thursday.

After 7 years in the cut the squad are reminiscing with a few guests. Grauchi passes through and we launch the new listener website www.themicsareopen.com - Enjoy!

"This is a special series I'm running called The Correction. It lives separately from TMAO but I wanted to bring it here first. Here's Episode 02." Someone asked me a simple question. I couldn't answer it. Not because I didn't want to — but because I realised that everything I do is also work. This is Episode 02 of The Correction. The Correction drops every Monday and Thursday. Full series at conradgray.com

Ashley is back, looking like a million dollars, the conversation ranges from Kenyan DJs, to the recent Space mission to what it would feel like busting a nut in space. Random, yes.

"This is a special series I'm running called The Correction. It lives separately from TMAO but I wanted to bring it here first. Here's Episode 01." The one that started everything. A few weeks ago I sat in a therapy session and two words came up — hyper competent. My therapist said it like a diagnosis. My first instinct was to take it as a compliment. And then she finished the sentence. This is Episode 01 of The Correction. I read the first entry in the series and talk around it — what was happening when I wrote it, what I didn't write, and where this thread is going. No guests. No agenda. Just honest. The Correction drops every Monday and Thursday. Read the full series at conradgray.com

The title says it all, this week the lads chop it up about Kanye being banned in the UK, does racism play a role in how the "industry" has tried to cancel him. We talk about the War in the Middle East, who is the true aggressor and we have an equal amount of Nonsense

The lads chop it up this week as they nominate Calvin for marriage and plan his wedding! The conversation ranges from Sakaja, to whether it's truly possible for a man to love a women he hasn't struggled with.

What did we talk about this week? A whole lot of "stuff" - Calvin tries to banter guys about football, G deflects successfully. Meanwhile G is mad at a 120K bill, Andy is wilding as usual and calls out Ashley! Its a mad thing!

We are tired! What in the madness was that CAF decision to remove Senegal as AFCON champions, We have a lot to talk about! The full squad are back together this Friday! Enjoy!

The gang kicks off today’s episode talking about the recent floods and all the damage caused. Big C gets into his storytelling bag, and this rolls over into incompetent government agencies, and then the current US vs. Iran war. All this, and plenty more on today’s episode. Enjoy.

We start off today’s episode with Calvin’s wildest night out, as the rest talk about theirs as well. How did your parents get married? How did they propose? The crew gets into traditional African traditions, and debate which ones should go. They also get into Andy’s games, respond to your Open Mic questions, and so much more. Enjoy.

The full squad is back and you can tell they missed each. Calvin has the crazy stories as usual and we revisit the conversation about eating each other ... No not like that.

This week’s episode starts off with another recap of Calvin’s travels as the crew get into their valentine’s weekend. Do men buy sex toys? Ashley gives her two cents on that as Calvin doubles down on what that means as typical African man. The gang argues about escape rooms verses mazes, whether they would eat Calvin in the event of a crisis, and how they feel about the Kardashian’s empire and influence. This, and so much more, on today’s episode. Enjoy.

This week, the crew talks paintballing, get into Calvin’s trip to Jozi, a rerun at the tipping culture, and Valentine’s Day. The gang also participate in Andy’s games, and answer your questions. Enjoy.

Back with another banger! On this week’s episode, Calvin is not ready to have more kids because books are expensive, the crew gets into the Grammys, Andy confesses to wearing a thong, and so much more. Enjoy.

We are back like the ex that can't leave you alone! However instead of texts, we are bringing the vibes you've missed. Never take us for granted again LOL!

It's December, so we catch up with the Queen of Sherehe, Muthoni DQ the brains behind Kenya's longest running and most successful festival Blankets and Wine, What went wrong and more importantly, what went right. What do event organizers actually go through? It's a dope conversation!!!

Your favourite conversation is back, just in time for Christmas, the gang chop it up on Diddy, Spotify Wrapped and a few other things ... plus open mic is back!

We kick things off by dissecting today's marriage culture what's changed, what's stayed the same, and the pressures people face when tying the knot. The conversation then takes a practical turn as we debate whether the grocery store is actually a viable place to meet your potential partner. Forget dating apps; is the produce aisle the new meet cute spot?

Which podcasters would you love to see fight each other? The gang have a wild take on celebrity boxing matches. Plus why are events filled with women, what are the men doing? Ashley has a theory. Enjoy!

Well well well, the globe trotting has come to an end. G Money is back and this week we are joined by the amazing Lyzaira an artist out of the Netherlands repping Cape Verde, we hear her story and have a fascinating debate about music and life ... plus what is this I am hearing? Apple's biggest fan boy is switching to Android?

Buckle up! Quellie & Hafare are in the building, which means the chaos level is set to maximum for this week's EP 330! With the kids unsupervised, We tackle black men in the dating pool, its not looking good out here. How to execute the perfect heist, and we give our hot takes on whether influencers should have degrees. Plus, we check in on Jamaica under the water and learn the ultimate marital rule from the woman who ended her marriage after her husband ate a cake slice: seriously, don't eat your wife's cake 👀!

This week’s episode was one for the books! Calvin, Ashley, and Byron hit the mics to talk about everything from Raila Odinga’s State Funeral, to an actual Louvre Heist (no, we didn’t do it… probably 👀) and then Ashley turned the tables with some seriously spicy questions for the boyz Tune in, laugh along, and tell us in the comments who handled Ashley’s questions better?

We start today’s episode with the commemoration of the late former Prime Minister, Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, and by extension, former Citizen TV Journalist Kimani Mbugua. The crew transitions into geopolitics, catching up with what Trump has been up to. Who’s the most powerful villain you have watched on film, and who has the best origin story? Also, is political satire dead? All these and plenty more on today’s episode. Enjoy.

Big C starts off this week’s episode with a lecture on wildlife, and the crew gets into which country has the best meat. Would you risk it with someone who committed a crime and did the time? Also, would you give back money because you believe you’re worth more than that amount? All these, plus plenty more on today’s episode. Enjoy!

This week on the pod, Kwambox crushes the party with some crazy energy. The crew starts on a random tip about bedroom matters and finishing moves. They get into mandem’s failure to launch and move out of their parents’ house, then give their experience on Blankets & Wine as they roll into artists’ performances. Also, can a man tell that he’s ugly? All these, plus plenty more on today’s episode. Enjoy.

The gang starts on a random note talking about animals and car horns, classic movies, and feeding vampires. They also address leaking sex tapes, Calvin’s escapades with his uncle, the justice system in Kenya, and what the role of DJ’s and promoters is in clubs.

This is probably the wildest edition of the podcast in a long time, we are joined by Aggrey a podcaster from Turkana and friend of the pod Rainer. Wild!