{{Short description|Kenyan musician (born 1949)}} {{For| the Kenyan writer|Daniel Kamau (writer)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Daniel Kamau | birth_name = Daniel Kamau Mwai | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1949|02}} | birth_place = Gatanga, Kenya | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Musician | genre = Benga }}
'''Daniel Kamau Mwai''' "DK" (born February 1949 in Gatanga, Muranga District) is a musician from Kenya. He is of Kikuyu ethnic group and performs Benga music.
Kamau comes from the village of Mabanda in Gatanga. Failing to pay the tuition, 1967 he dropped out of the Karatina High School in 1967. He decided to pursue a career in music, and released his first record in 1968.<ref name="thousand">{{Cite news|work=The Standard |date=August 16, 2009 |title=DK: A thousand songs down and still going }}</ref>
He made a breakthrough in 1970 when he released the "Murata/I Love You", which became a national hit.<ref>Worlds of the Indian Ocean connecting the past to the future February 19–23, 2009· Nairobi, Kenya: [http://www.worldsoftheindianocean.com/2009/02/16/film-retracing-the-benga-rhythm-live-concert-dkmwai-and-queen-babito Film: Retracing the Benga Rhythm & Live Concert: D.K.Mwai and Queen Babito ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091106091411/http://www.worldsoftheindianocean.com/2009/02/16/film-retracing-the-benga-rhythm-live-concert-dkmwai-and-queen-babito/ |date=2009-11-06 }}</ref> Around the same time he established a music studio of his own, the ''DK Nguvu Sounds''. It would later attract musicians like Kakai Kilonzo.<ref name="thousand"/>
In 1977 his songs "Nana" and "Mwithua" were banned by the then state radio monopoly Kenya Broadcasting Corporation due to alleged obscenity.<ref>Michael Drewett & Martin Cloonan: [https://books.google.com/books?id=aowvjFQod9IC&dq=%22daniel+kamau%22&pg=PA164 Popular music censorship in Africa]. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2006. {{ISBN|0-7546-5291-2}}</ref> In 1990 he formed a new band, the ''Lulus Band''.<ref>Richard Trillo: [https://books.google.com/books?id=99x5ea1Gq-cC&dq=%22+Lulus+Band%22+kamau&pg=PA721 Rough guide to Kenya] 7th edition, Rough Guides, 2002. 1858288592 ISBN</ref>
He was the civic councillor of the Gatanga ward from 1979 to 1992.<ref name="thousand"/>
As of 2009 he is still performing, and has written over 1000 songs during his career. He is also releasing music videos of his past hits.<ref name="thousand"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamau, Daniel}} Category:Kenyan musicians Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:People from Murang'a County
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