82 is the second studio album by the Kenyan house/funk trio Just a Band, released in 2009 following their debut release Scratch to Reveal. Just A Band signed a US licensing deal with Akwaaba Music, who re-released 82 on February 23, 2010.[1]
Just a Band released the music video for the first single from the album, "Usinibore" on July 4, 2009. The video - created by the band themselves - helped land the single in the We Are Hunted charts, peaking at number three on November 11, 2009.
82 was released on October 2, 2009 at a pre-launch release party.[2] Compared with the trio's previous release, Scratch to Reveal, 82 is 12 minutes, 9 seconds longer and contains 13 tracks and 1 hidden track. The playlist features fewer guest artists (Bien Baraza, Juliani and Wambura Mitaru), and the trio have undertaken greater singing roles themselves.[3]
Ha-He[]
The band released the video for their second single from the album "Ha-He" on Wednesday 17 March 2010. The video is a spoof of blaxploitation films, featuring a protagonist named "Makmende". The video subsequently became popular, and has been described as "Kenya’s first viral internet meme".[4] The band were featured on CNN, The Wall Street Journal and Fast Company as a result.[5]
Reception[]
Reviews for the album were strongly positive; Exclaim! described it as resplendent in its cool tones and chilled vocals and very distinctive, regardless of its origin,[6] and The Huffington Post described the album as the sign of a generational shift.[7]
