Bankslave Dedicates New Mural to E-Sir

Bankslave, who recently took part in an art exhibition as part of the Hip-hop Asili Festival in Dar es Salaam, finished a mural of Kenya’s late rapper, E-Sir. Renowned graffiti artist kicked off the mural about a month ago but couldn’t finish it because of other competing priorities, among them the Hip-hop Asili Festival.

Finally, earlier this week, Bankslave finished the artwork to a great celebration from the neighborhood and the online community. The mural is located at Trench Town in Fort Jesus (Kibera). Earlier this year, Bankslave immortalized AKA, South Africa’s late rapper who was fatally shot and killed in the streets of Durban, in the same location. It can strongly be argued that this street lane should be renamed Bankslave Lane – just kidding 😆.

E-sir was a Kenyan hip-hop artist who tragically died in a car accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway in 2003. He is often recognized as among the pioneering hip-hop artists in Kenya. His famous songs include Boomba Train (ft. Nameless), Kamata, and Moss Moss (ft. Brenda), among others.

Once referred to by CNN as “the founding father of Kenyan graffiti art”, Bankslave has, for the past two decades, used his talent as a muralist to inspire positive social change. His previous works include murals of the world’s leaders, change-makers, and status quo challengers such as Barrack Obama, Mohamed Ali, Eliud Kipchoge, and Lupita Nyong’o, among others.

For Bankslave, it is all about turning a blank canvas or wall into a work of art while spreading messages of peace and paying tribute to heroes across the world.

— CNN