Poet Willie Oeba needs no introduction when it comes to the entertainment industry.

Over the years, he has made a name for himself as an eloquent spoken word artiste, creating a renowned brand under his Oebaism community.

Through his brand, he now owns a line of branded clothing that captures some of his famous statements.

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His branded merchandise ranges from hoodies, cargo pants, scarves, t-shirts and bomba jackets. For him, his brands communicate a scene where art meets fashion.

Willy Oeba wearing his branded merchandise.

Photo credit: Courtesy

The words printed on his merchandise are taken from his second and third albums titled 'Dear God' and 'Mungu Anasaidia'.

"I franchised my art in 2015, my vision was how else to make my brand beyond the stage. I wanted to create a space for poetry to exist beyond the stage performance, and merchandising was the way to do it. In the beginning, making money was not my main goal, but the brand grew and I started making money from it," Oeba said.

Wearing the brand he says has given people in the Oebaism community a sense of togetherness while wearing fashionable outfits.

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"We make our clothes in Kenya and fashion trends are key indicators that I consider before releasing an outfit. We want people to feel good when they put on our brand," he said.

Like Oeba, Afro-pop duo Shimron Ouya and Samuel Agoi, who go by the band name Lookit_Art, have also turned to merchandising to grow their brand.

Shimron Ouya and Samuel Agoi who go by the band name Lookit_Art.

Photo credit: Courtesy

For them, beaded bracelets are some of their most popular pieces. They also make branded bags, T-shirts and bucket hats.

The pair are well known in Nakuru for their street art and concert stage performances, where they have entertained hundreds of music lovers in Nakuru and beyond.

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Ouya says Lookit_Art is a brand that represents the duo in all their glory as they paint, sell clothes, sing, make bracelets among other things.

"We are eight months into the merchandise business. It was quite challenging in the beginning, but business is picking up. The aim is to sell the brand internationally in the next few years. We hope to sell more of our brand through our merchandise and also expand our ways of making money," Ouya said.

The list of Nakuru creatives who are monetising their craft is growing by the day.

Other creatives who sell such products include Mc Emos who runs the 20100 brand, Kaka Bantu and Calvo wear among others.

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From spoken word to fashion: Willy Oeba, Lookit_Art share their journey

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Purity Kinuthia