“I come from Kenya, my childhood was split between Kenya and Botswana, I attended school in Iowa, and now I reside in Dallas with connections spanning the globe,” reveals Edem Jimbo, a renowned footwear designer.
Speaking via a Zoom interview from his residence in the United States, he confidently proclaims his identity as a citizen of the world. Jimbo skillfully employs diverse genres of African music as a means to connect individuals with the vibrant African culture. At 42 years old, this accomplished Kenyan individual serves as the creative force behind the renowned Tombo shoe brand. In his role as the Creative Director for the Afrimma Music Awards, Jimbo has witnessed the remarkable expansion of African music and fashion over the past ten years.
Specifically, he has observed a surge in the popularity of African tops and dresses. However, he has also identified a gap in the market when it comes to footwear. This has sparked Jimbo’s imagination, leading him on a creative adventure where he combines his fervour for music with his deep affection for shoes. Jimbo’s artistic pursuits are intimately connected with his love for basketball and the sneaker culture it embodies. To embark on his creative journey, he breathes new life into a worn-out pair of Nike sneakers, transforming them into a canvas for his artwork. He meticulously paints a scene of dancers in an African village onto a pair of Vans shoes, selecting this particular motif as his initial expression.
Bursting with excitement, he shares photographs of his masterpiece online. The feedback he receives is resoundingly positive, with numerous individuals lauding the shoes’ “awesome” aesthetic appeal. It was at the tender age of 8 that he stumbled upon a classmate’s sketch of an OTC bus, a famous long-distance bus service that was popular in the 70s and 80s. This unexpected encounter sparked his passion for drawing, even though he never fully believed in the quality of his own artistic creations. Then, in 1996, when he turned 16, his father found a job in Botswana, leading the family on a new adventure. While living in Botswana, Jimbo and his friends decided to form a rap group but their endeavour was short-lived. However, his love for art and music resurfaced later on during his time in the United States.
Despite his father’s desire for him to study law in South Africa, Jimbo defied his wishes and secured a scholarship to pursue his passion for art at Drake University in Iowa in 2004. Disheartened by the loss of a basketball scholarship, he felt a deep yearning to follow his artistic calling. It was during this time that a friend from Dallas sent him a song called Salaam, which introduced him to the mesmerizing talent of Kenyan artist Makadem. From that moment, Jimbo was determined to collaborate with a Kenyan artist who created music that emanated authenticity, rather than simply conforming to popular trends.
“I thought, ‘Makadem has an original style and plays the nyatiti, so why not collaborate?'” he says.
This led to the creation of Ban Piendi in 2021, a combination of nyatiti and electronic groove that tells the story of Awuor, a girl who follows her passion for dance despite her parents’ wishes for her to become a doctor. Last year, he worked on a project called My Tombos with two artists from Botswana, singer Alefa Amos and DJ Bino. Looking ahead to 2024, Jimbo is excited about upcoming musical endeavours, including the release of a new song this month by South African singer Thembi Mona, which fuses amapiano and dancehall. He is also anticipating the release of an album by Ugandan Grammy Award nominee Eddie Kenzo.
