“Nairobi’s Eastlands has a negative reputation of being a hub for poor folks and the low- lifes in society. Due to this unfortunate misrepresentation, the youth in this area are not much considered by most of the Kenyan Gospel artistes… We need to seriously consider finding ways and means of evangelizing to this forgotten group of people when we think about music ministry and youth evangelism.”
 Eliud Kagama speaks these words with a rare passion, betraying a young man with a heartfelt desire to reach the inaccessible and forgotten population of youth in Nairobi’s infamous Eastlands. Known to many as DJ Kagz, Eliud is a man with a mission – to use the turntables and his skills to ensure that the youth in this part of the world and the rest of Kenya are well entertained with positive Gospel music.
DJ Kagz burst onto the entertainment scene with Y FM (now Hot 96), as host for the Gospel show, The Uplink, now defunct. But the 25 year-old DJ says that was only a beginning, and greater things are yet to come.
The first born in the family of five, three brothers and one sister, DJ Kagz grew up in Komarock Estate. Coming from a strict Christian family, the self assured DJ has been a member of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) for as long as he can remember.
However, it was while in form three at Othaya Boys High School in Nyeri that DJ Kagz submitted his life to Christ fully. His change came after the sudden death of his childhood friend, which prompted him to think deeply about his life and his destination after he too breathes his last someday.
Music has always been an obsession for DJ Kagz. The avid DJ remembers with nostalgia his early days at Imara Primary School where he was an active student in both school drama and music festivals. When he joined high school, his passion for music continued to blossom and he was made the entertainment coordinator for his school.
After finishing high school in 2000, Kagz joined the Kenya School Of Professional Studies to pursue a diploma in information technology. During this period, he seriously worked on his DJ-ing skills, using his spare time to practice mixing techniques using computer softwares.
 In 2001, DJ Kagz joined Kenya Youth For Christ. As fate would have it, he met up with DJ Soxxy and the two stirred up a friendship. Their amity opened a window of opportunity for Kagz to improve his DJ-ing skills with the aid of Soxxy. For months, Kagz was always besides DJ Soxxy watching and learning and with time, he became an accomplished DJ.
Convinced he was good enough, DJ Kagz wrote proposals to various radio stations to seek job opportunities as a radio DJ. Fortunately his search came to a sweet halt when YFM (now Hot 96) started broadcasting in 2003. DJ Kagz was one of the first radio presenters recruited to work at the station.
His stint at the station was marked with considerable success. Starting off as host of the popular Gospel show UpLink, he was soon given two other shows Remix and The Hype before he was made the station’s Head of Music. It was on this high that he left the station in late 2006, due to what he calls administrative restructuring.
Kagz’ skills did not go unnoticed in the industry, and in early 2007, the versatile Gospoepic Entertainment and its off-shoot Projekt DJs came calling. The DJ found a new home as part of DJ riQ’s ambitious team.
Together with Gospoepic, DJ Kagz aims at revolutionizing the radio industry by providing entertaining and uplifting Gospel music. The unit also hopes to soon venture into syndicate radio and event organizing. Amidst all this, he still finds time to be heavily involved in his home-church activities at PCEA Kayole, as well as outreach events with KYFC.
Despite the success he’s enjoyed, DJ Kagz points out that it wasn’t easy getting established. Like most upstart DJs and artists, his major hurdle was financing. That aside, he notes that it was very discouraging at the start due to lack of acknowledgement in the industry. Nevertheless, all that is firmly behind him, and DJ Kagz is moving forward to fulfill the call he believes God has given him.
His passion for ministry drives him on to whatever heights it will take him. If his past is anything to go by, it will be a ‘high height’ indeed.
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