What do Armick Abolian, Sean Egan and the drivers of the thousands of Matatus’ that roam the busy roads of Nairobi have in common? They've all had their rides pimped! But the first two on the list had their expensive and flamboyant paint jobs paid for by the nice people at MTV on a little show called ‘Pimp My Ride’. The drivers of Nairobi however have harnessed the skills of a growing network of artists and graffers in the city centre.

In Kenya’s capital city, more and more of these flamboyant buses are prevailing, slaloming their way through the constant wave of traffic on the cities roads ferrying residents and tourists around the city where traffic laws appear to be non-existent. By far the most popular and common means of transport in ‘the green city in the sun’, the Matatus’ proudly display custom paint jobs, large vinyl stickers and in some cases a range of accessories and add-ons that would make the biggest hip-hop stars green with envy.

Some of the finest artists in Nairobi go to work on these buses producing amazing graffiti designs which are a canvas awash with vibrant colours, letters and designs. And that’s just the outside; these buses are tricked out with flat-screen TV's, sound systems that pack more punch than a boxing match and neon lights that bleed every colour of the rainbow. All in the name of making the commuter happy.

Nairobi is a huge city, boasting a population of over 3million people and is currently the 13th largest city in Africa championing itself as a central hub for economic growth and prosperity. To keep with this growth, it is common to feature pictures and caricatures of anything currently in vogue. If, for example, a single by Beyoncé were at number one in the chart, one might easily find a Matatu named after her or her song, with her picture prominent on both the inside and outside of the vehicle. They also use names of famous people all over the world be it singers, sportsmen, etc. like 50 Cent, Didier Drogba and even Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama.