# Daniel Kamau

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{{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](/source/Gatanga%2C_Kenya), Kenya
| death_date  =
| death_place =
| occupation  = [Musician](/source/Musician)
| genre       = [Benga](/source/Benga_music)
}}

'''Daniel Kamau Mwai''' "DK" (born February 1949 in [Gatanga](/source/Gatanga%2C_Kenya), [Muranga District](/source/Muranga_District)) is a musician from [Kenya](/source/Kenya). He is of [Kikuyu](/source/Kikuyu_people) ethnic group and performs [Benga music](/source/Benga_music).

Kamau comes from the village of [Mabanda](/source/Mabanda) in [Gatanga](/source/Gatanga%2C_Kenya). Failing to pay the tuition, 1967 he dropped out of the [Karatina High School](/source/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](/source/Kakai_Kilonzo).<ref name="thousand"/>

In 1977 his songs "Nana" and "Mwithua" were banned by the then state radio monopoly [Kenya Broadcasting Corporation](/source/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}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamau, Daniel}}
Category:Kenyan musicians
Category:1949 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Murang'a County

{{Africa-musician-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Daniel Kamau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kamau) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kamau?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.