Kulture Honours Plan Puts Kenya’s Urban Music Up Front.

Kulture is set to return to Nairobi with a new honours platform designed to recognise the artists, creatives and institutions that helped shape Kenya’s urban music and entertainment industry.

The new initiative, known as Kulture Honors, will be introduced during the third edition of the event, scheduled for October 10, 2026, at the Tsavo Ballroom, Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), in Nairobi.

Unlike traditional award ceremonies, Kulture Honors will not use nominees, public voting or competitive categories. Instead, it will recognise individuals, groups and organisations based on their contributions to the growth of Kenyan urban entertainment.

The initiative will celebrate more than just popular musicians. It will also recognise the producers, DJs, radio presenters, broadcasters, media personalities and entrepreneurs who helped build the industry behind the music.

The platform will focus particularly on the period between 1995 and 2015, an important era in Kenya’s entertainment history. During these years, private radio and television stations expanded, Kenyan musicians gained wider recognition, and music videos, youth programmes, fashion and nightlife became influential parts of urban culture.

According to Kulture’s founding curator, Fakii Liwali, celebrating the music of a generation also means recognising the people and organisations responsible for creating the industry around it.

The honours will be presented through storytelling, music, archival materials, performances and personal memories, helping audiences understand the history and development of Kenya’s entertainment scene.

Kulture Icons will also feature live musical performances, comedy, tributes and collaborations inspired by the country’s cultural history. The event is designed to bring together people who contributed to the growth of Kenyan music and introduce younger audiences to the pioneers who came before them.

The first recipients of Kulture Honors are expected to be announced separately.

By recognising both the performers and the people working behind the scenes, Kulture aims to preserve Kenya’s urban music history and give deserved recognition to the individuals and institutions that helped shape a generation.