Tay Grin

Limbani Kalilani (born 15 June 1986) is a Malawian Hip Hop artist better known by his stage name Tay Grin. In 2009 Tay Grin founded an Entertainment & Event Promotion company, which helps to promote events across Malawi. The company is known as Black Rhyno Entertainment. In 2014, Grin won a Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts (BEFFTA) award for Best International African Act.^[1] In 2016, he won the BEFFTA Star Award in the music category.^[1] He has performed at the annual Lake of Stars Music Festival.^[2] He also won the 2016 WatsUp TV Africa Music Video Awards Best Traditional Video award,^[3] with the Video Chipapapa featuring 2baba. He has also won numerous local awards like the Nyasa Music awards and the Urban Music People (UMP Awards) in categories such as best live act, best video and best Male artist.^[4] In 2018, he won the UMP Fashion awards for Most Fashionable Celebrity.

Tay Grin
Birth name	Limbani Kalilani
Born	(1986-06-15) June 15, 1986 (age 38)
Origin	Blantyre, Malawi
Genres	Hip hop Afrobeats
Occupation(s)	Rapper, Singer, Businessman
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	2008–present
Labels	Black Rhyno Entertainment

Business ventures

Tay is the CEO of Black Rhyno Entertainment. Under this label he signed other local artists, notably Kumbu, who is now no longer with the label. Most notable achievements of the label was bringing international artists to perform most notably Brick and Lace, Ice Prince, Sean Kingston and Naeto C. In 2016, he went to USA along with Zani Challe.^[5]

Tay Grin also launched a fruit drink called Chipapapa in 2018.

Politics

In September 2018, Tay Grin announced his intentions to contest in the 2019 tripartite elections for a parliamentary seat in Lilongwe City Centre, Malawi. He lost the elections.^[6]

Personal life

Tay Grin is a son to Dr Jean Kalilani, a former cabinet minister and a senior official in the Malawi's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government. He is not married but has a daughter from his previous relationship

References

1. Chiumia, Thom (November 2016). "Tay Grin scoops Star Award in Beffta UK 2016: Dedicates to Malawians". Nyasa Times. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
2. Mbowa, Aida. "Malawi Lake of Stars festival: good music is just the half of it". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
3. Mawuli, David. "WAMVA 2016: Diamond Platnumz, Shatta Wale, Beyonce win big; see full list of winners". Retrieved 14 June 2018.
4. Kapindu, Harold (9 October 2016). "Gwamba, Tay Grin tie with 4 UmP nominations". Nyasa Times. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
5. "Malawi celebrity singers Tay Grin, Zani Challe to perform together in America - Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi". www.nyasatimes.com. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
6. All, Africa (30 June 2020). "Malawi: Tay Grin Says No Regrets Campaigning for DPP-UDF Alliance - Dan Lu Drops 'Everything Happens for a Reason'". Entertainment News. All Africa. Retrieved 18 September 2020.