Art of emceeing gaining popularity in Qatar: Doha-based Kenyan MC
HOW about a job that aims to hype people and get them excited at events Well, that’s the role of a Doha-based “hype man”, Arnold Mwangi Ndung’u, popularly known as Mc Gish’, who says people appreciate the art of emceeing in Qatar.
Talking to Qatar Tribune, the MC who has been emceeing in different places in Qatar and currently is the resident emcee at Afrowood Lounge, said: “The emceeing scene in Qatar is growing and people have taken it positively and appreciate it because it’s a different kind of entertainment.”
He said he has done a lot of gigs at various venues such as Cavalli in VIP hotel and The Tunnel at Best Western Plus Doha.
The Afrowood Lounge, said MC Gish, has given him a platform to be exposed to this scene. “My job is to hype the crowd depending on the situation,” he said.
However, his job as an emcee in Qatar didn’t come easy. He came to Qatar in 2014 when he was working as a security guard though his passion for emceeing was very much alive and kicking.
“I also love music. So, I spent a lot of time trying to understand different genres of music. Even when I was working as a security guard and I didn’t have a stage to showcase my prowess, I would play the songs and enhance my emceeing skills using a computer at home. I would always go live on my social media platforms so that I could build my fan base and my talent doesn’t fade,” he said.
There are people who saw his love of what he was doing and provided him a stage to perform.
“People like John O’Shea of Stardome Entertainment and one of the Kenyan community leaders had an event, then he invited me to perform. He guided me through on what to do and how to go about it. There are other people from the Kenyan community who later on offered their support and I am forever grateful,” MC Gish said.
However, his major breakthrough came in 2018 when the Kenyan Afropop band, Sauti Sol came to perform in Doha and he was given a chance to thrill people.
“That was where the person who gave me this MC job saw me and started this passion as my full time job,” he added.
He said that Afrowood Lounge wanted to introduce the concept of bringing all Africans together. “The aim was to promote togetherness and I am glad that I was able to do that after I employed my MC skills that I had gained back home. This attracted many people from various communities in Qatar such as Uganda, Nigeria, Kenyans, South Africans and many others,” MC Gish said with excitement.
He said that they have been able to bring a number of renowned African artistes to Doha, including Pierra Makena, Redsan, Arrow Bwoy, Samidoh and many more, who attracted many people.
He added that during the COVID-19 pandemic when there have not been gatherings due to the restrictions, he has been performing virtually through live streaming.
“Besides other factors, the thought that things will get back to how they were before COVID-19 motivates me to keep going and hone my skills further,” he said.
According to him, he reads the mood of the crowd and knows which technique to use to hype them.
“I also do a background check to know about their nationality and know something common to keep them entertained. I also use songs that are a top hit in their countries at that particular season. I also try to make the crowd more interactive,” he added.