Lil Maina and SKYE THE PRESENCE collaborate on the remix of Margiela Steppin.
The November 13 release previews Lil Maina’s forthcoming album, Genge Rockstar, which draws on his Genge and Kapuka roots.
Kenyan rapper Lil Maina has joined SKYE THE PRESENCE on the Margiela Steppin remix, released on November 13. The collaboration also features on Maina’s forthcoming album, Genge Rockstar.
The track pairs two different approaches to Kenyan hip-hop, following the original song’s release on September 19. Maina says a social media preview first drew him to SKYE’s music, particularly his Sheng delivery over trap beats.
How the Margiela Steppin remix came together
Maina says he admired SKYE’s distinctive style and willingness to express himself without holding back. He also valued the artiste’s freedom to take his own creative direction rather than follow a set approach.
The collaboration took shape after Maina’s creative director, Philip Koth, told him SKYE wanted to make a remix. Because he already liked the artiste’s work, Maina readily agreed to join the track.
That interest in artistic freedom also runs through Maina’s upcoming project. The album title brings together the Kenyan sounds of his upbringing and what he calls his rockstar identity. For Maina, that combination reflects a desire to experiment while keeping his musical roots in view.
Genge Rockstar draws on Kenyan musical roots
Genge Rockstar takes inspiration from Genge and Kapuka, two genres that shaped Maina’s early listening. However, he wants to reinterpret those influences rather than simply reproduce the sound of the early 2000s.
His aim is to introduce younger listeners to those sounds while offering older audiences a familiar connection. Songs including Vimajor and Tetemesha have already explored that era’s influence through contemporary production.
Maina first built a following through online entertainment before developing his music career. Since his 2023 debut album, Maisha Ya Stunna, he has explored Genge, hip-hop and dancehall influences.
Meanwhile, the rapper says local languages and cultural influences remain central to his work. Rather than reshape his sound for international audiences, he believes Kenyan music can travel through rhythm, character and identity. In his view, listeners abroad can connect with those qualities even when they do not understand the lyrics.
