Featuring: Dan Number 8
MC: Cindy Ogana
Date: 3rd February 2009
Venue: Club Soundd
Time: 7pm
Entry: 100 Ksh

About The Featured Poet

"My name is Dann Mwangi Njoroge.

I am 24 years old and just completed my degree at Kenyatta University studying BA (Business Studies and Economics). I began reciting poetry in high school (The Lenana School) in form 1 and represented the school in the national music festivals from form 1 through form 4. I was best in Nairobi in form 3 (2001). Despite this, I was not a fan of poetry; I actually thought it to be boring; I was rather indifferent about it.

I began to write my own poetry in 2006. Actually, my first poem is dated 12th July 2006. I am not the "academic" or classical poet who is bound to number of stanzas, lines per stanza, use of Queen’s English or coastal Swahili, etc. I write as I would speak on the street. My style is heavily biased towards hip-hop (I have actually been told that what I do is called "hip-poetry").

Simply put, God is my inspiration. All I do is founded on Him. My poetry is based on what I see around me, what I know, what I think, feel, go through, what other people go through, etc as it is, brought into the open through words as inspired by God in His own time and way. I go by the stage name Number8. This is because I appreciate the fact that it is humanly impossible to be perfect, (perfection being symbolized by the number 7); Jesus urged us to be perfect (Matthew 5:48) so I'm chasing after perfection like number 8 (metaphorically speaking). This is not to say that I'm greater than God (Perfection), but rather implying that IF ever I am to become perfect, I must decrease (John 3:30 "…I must decrease").

I'm part of a ministry known as MISSION DRIVEN ( blog.missiondrivenministry.org). We are a Bible Study who are also gifted in various artistic ways. We use our artistic ability alongside other abilities to pass on the Truth that we learn from our Bible Studies and fellowship. We perform  our music live (band). We minister through hip-hop &spoken-word poetry, leading worship, Bible study facilitation and discipleship. This is my mother ministry meaning that Number8 is a presentation of Mission Driven. I rap alongside phenomenal rappers, amazing singers and seasoned instrumentalists who all inspire me and teach me a lot as we are one in faith plus most of them have been in the music scene longer than I have. We are primarily based in A.I.C Ngong Road.

I recite/perform my poetry/spoken word at Poets' club at my church (A.I.C Ngong Road), NuMetro at The Junction, P.C.E.A St. Andrews' Eve of poetry, WAPI, Kwani?(Where I contested and won the slam in December 2008), Daas Restaurant during SLAM Africa (where I was 2nd in JULY 2008 and won the October 2008 SLAM competition), during our performances as Mission Driven and any other opportunity I get, like I did a piece in the movie BENTA in which I co-starred.

I was officially launched into the public eye on 8th August 2008 (08/08/08). It was a spoken word concert coupled with a pre-album concert showcasing some of the songs in our (Mission Driven) sophomore album to be released this Year(2009)"

I am currently working with SISIMKA Productions as a script-writer for some series to be aired on NTV.