Kenyan reggae and dancehall star Collins Odhiambo Odek popularly known as Ghetto Grade has revealed that he eats, drinks, and sleeps reggae and dancehall music.

Grade Grade dropped the affirmation during his recent interview on the popular Kenyan Drive Show dubbed  “Goteana” hosted by Double K and Bonoko Deh at leading urban media house Ghetto Radio.

According to Ghetto Grade, reggae is the mother of dancehall and it’s impossible to separate the two.

“Reggae and dancehall ni kitu kimoja, mi nafanya reggae and dancehall, najua reggae ndio mama mkubwa na reggae ndio amemzaa dancehall, kwa hiyo mimi ni msanii ambaye anafanya reggae and dancehall.

Ghetto Grade traces his roots in Homabay County where he comes from a polygamous family.

He grew up in Kisumu’s Nubian Estate, from where he started honing his musical skills at a tender age.

He attended Kibuye Mixed Primary School and was part of the school choir that won the Provincial Choir Festival in 1997, which saw them not only performing at the K.I.C.C. but also recording their winning song.

Subsequently, he perfected his musical prowess when he later joined Kisumu Boys High School, a talent and arts powerhouse in Western and the lakeside region.

Deriving his stage name from “Ghetto Excellence,” Ghetto Grade asserted that he was drawn to reggae and dancehall since it was the mostly played genre of music in Kisumu.

Furthermore, his interest grew in reggae and dancehall, which led him to study the “Jamaican Patwa/Patois” for a deeper understanding.

However, his rise was impeded due to the lack of a fully-fledged studio in the lakeside city.

Moreover, he noted that the ones available cost an arm and a leg.

Ghetto Grade further shared his musical journey disclosing that he recorded his first song, dubbed “Tulizaa,” in Arusha, Tanzania.

Additionally, he shared that after recording “Tulizaa,” he took quite a while before recording a follow-up song since he was performing with a live band, which has a rigorous diary as far as live performances go.

He also delved into a scenario where an artist can perform his song for one year without having it recorded in studio.

Furthermore, he shared his gratitude for joining a band noting that he learned how to play the bass guitar and the music business.

In 2015, he dropped his debut album titled “Ghetto Grade,” a blend of African dancehall and Afro-fusion.

Ghetto Grade draws his inspiration from Jamaican reggae and dancehall giants Buju Banton, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer.

However, his favorite artist remains Buju Banton. Nonetheless, earning a feature with any of them would be iconic.

Meanwhile, he is currently promoting his newest EP dubbed “Mad,” produced by one of Kenya’s leading reggae and dancehall producers, Pro Spyke.

It’s a five-track list and is available on all digital streaming platforms.

Subsequently, he also faulted Kenyan DJs for supporting foreign acts at the expense of homegrown talents.

While at it, he disclosed that he won an award for “Best Dancehall Artist” at the Kilimanjaro Awards in Tanzania.

The milestone also saw him performing in sold-out stadiums in Tanzania, which remains etched on his mind to date. He also attributed his flawless Swahili to his 15-year stay in Tanzania.

Locally, Ghetto Grade is opening to collaborating with the likes of Bafu Chafu, Redsan, Wyre, Dyana Cods and Ssaru Wa Manyaru among others.

Some of his songs are Buss No Matic, Morning Star, and Cheza, among others.