Many people don’t
know him as Kingsley Okonkwo, but if you
mention Kcee, then you are likely to get
everybody thinking it is time to dance. This is
unconnected with the fact that his latest hit,
limpopo has become an anthem of sort on the
lips of the young and old in the country and
outside. Kcee has been ruling the airwaves
with his new single. In this interview with , the singer bares his mind on
various issues. Excerpts:
How do you feel about the success that has
been trailing your career recently?
From where I was coming from to where I am
today, it has been God. Basically, I always tell
people it is God because I have been working
harder than I am doing right now, but right
now the story is different and I can say that
God has been so merciful to me.
You have worked hard over the years, but it
seems the rewards have started trickling in,
are you surprised about the turnaround?
Laughs… Yes, I will say I am surprised, but if I
look at it again from another perspective, I had
always known that I would hit it big someday. I
already had that determination since I started
singing, but honestly speaking, limpopo was a
divine song from God. I think God just felt it
was time for me to step up my game to the
A’list level.
When you were writing the song, where were
you?
It just happened like every other song that you
want to release. I was in the studio with some
friends. We were all playing in the studio and
the song just came up. It was not one of those
songs that you already have the idea of what
you want to do about it, I mean the
arrangement and other stuffs. But something
very funny happened in the studio that day,
after recording the song, we decided to
celebrate it as though we knew it was going to
be a massive success. As luck would have it, the
song became an instant hit in its first two
weeks of release. My brother, I was surprised;
I could not contain the joy. In less than one
month, I was receiving calls from different
parts of the world and in two months, it was
something else. It is the anointing and the
power of God that I have been enjoying since I
released the song.
Talking about anointing, are you that religious,
considering your style of life?
It is the anointing. It is the power of God. My
life style has nothing to do with my religious
life. I know where I am coming from. The truth
is that you need to recognise God and
appreciate Him for what He has done for you.
Today, when I am performing and I see the
way people appreciate my songs and
performance, I don’t need anybody to tell me
that this is God working.
You were said to have left the country
immediately after the recording, some people
said you were afraid the song won’t do well…
No, that’s not true. We travelled out of the
country after the recording to shoot the video
of the song. I dropped the song while I was in
Spain. We came back a week after dropping the
video. When I came back to the country, the
response to the song was massive, bigger than
what I have ever done.
What does Limpopo mean?
To me, Limpopo means let us have fun. It’s just
my own way of saying let us go and have fun.
Sometime ago, you were said to have quit the
industry. I learnt you went into furniture
business. What exactly was responsible for it?
It got to a point that I wanetd to leave the
industry. I remember in 2009-2010, I almost
quit the industry. I went into furniture
business, I started importing furnitures into
the country. I got a showrroom in Lagos and I
was doing fine with it, but I was not deriving
the kind of satifaction that I wanted because I
still wanted to do music, no matter what. So,
immediately after the break up with my
partner, it was a point where I took a decision
that I must make my own impact in the music
industry.So, I had to put aside every business
and said to myself that If I try it this time
and it does not work, I will leave. I know it got
to a point that I wanted to leave the industry,
but I am happy that my determination not to
give up has paid off tremendously today.
You went into the furniture business with your
partner, Presh but it still didn’t work. Is that
why you decided to go your separate ways?
I think our separation was divine. It was divine
in the sense that I didn’t just wake up one day
and said I was not going to work with him
again. We were talking as friends after we
started the furniture business, we wanted to
do something different. The both of us agreed
that we should do separate albums to express
ourselves. That was the story behind our break
up. It was an agreement between the two of
us, it was not because we had any
irreconciliable differences.
If it was a mutual agreement that you had,
why has it become almost impossible for you
guys to come back together?
We are still on the project. We have not
released any album since we broke-up. You
never can tell. We might come back together.
Nobody knows what would happen tomorrow. We
are still very close, but you know sometimes,
God knows how to come into issues. That is how
much I can tell you about our relationship.
Who is frustrating the come back move, is it
you or Presh?
Nobody is frustrating anything. Journalists
have a way of bringing nothing out of
something. I have told you that we are still
friends. When the time for us to come back as
a group, nobody will stop or frustrate it like
you have said.
Don’t you think your current status is one
major problem why you can’t be together
again; he may be jealous of your success?
You are right. The love might not be as it used
to be. There might be some sort of jealousy or
envy as you have said, but no matter how you
look at it, even if were to be me, it is not going
to be all that rosy like it used to be. The
bottom line is that you need to find your feet
and believe in yourself. For me, I took a lot of
boldness when we separated.
Are you saying you expected him to have found
his feet like you did?
Well, like I said, it took me a lot of boldness. A
lot of people were saying my partner was
better than I when we broke up. I read a lot of
stories online, but I was not moved. In fact,
some people said I should go back to Onithsa
and start selling clothes; they said why are we
even singing. It was a difficult moment in my
life. But I knew I have what it takes in me. It’s
like pregancy; only the woman carrying the
baby that knows. If it is two or three months,
nobody knows. Even the man who impregnated
her may not know what the woman is carrying
until she tells you or the pregnacy starts
developing gradually. What I am trying to say
is that you know what you carry inside of you.
That was the kind of feeling I had when we
broke up. You have to believe in yourself in
everything you do.
So, you were never scared of leaving your
partner?
It was scary when I wanted to leave. You don’t
need to lie to yourself. I knew that I have the
passion and what it takes to sell good music,
that gave me the confidence. Not because I
am the best singer, it is just the determination
to succeed and the passion for music.
But you have released some singles and videos
before now, why is limpopo different?
It is not like people didn’t know I am a
musician. When I did Opeke remix, people did
not act like they saw it; I did a remix with a
South African artist, we no hear anything; I
did one with Davido; Nack me with Harry Song;
I did a song with Flavour, nobody said a word.
Limpopo was the eight singles that I did since
my partner and I broke up. As I am right now,
you don’t know if I will be doing a song with
Beyonce and Jayzee tomorrow. If I had given
up before now, I wouldn’t be talking about all
these. I just believe that there was something
in me that I need to express; the journey has
just begun.
Let’s talk about your deal as MTN’s brand
ambassador, how did you come about that?
The truth is when God wants to bless you, He
blesses you on every side. Yes, other brands
were calling me for deals, but just as were
talking about it, the MTN deal came and I was
very happy about it. The deal was worth taking,
if it was not, I won’t take it.
Is the deal not restricting you in any form?
The deal is good and of course it came with
some restrictions. But if you consider the
benefits of the deal, I am comfortable with it.
I think MTN is just trying to support the
industry and I appreciate the company for
what it is doing. Limpopo song was just the
bridge that connected me with some of the
deals and top places I have visited since I
dropped it. I was surprised when I heard
President Jonathan and his wife, Patience
dancing and singing Limpopo at a function.
They love the song so much, especially top
government functionaries. So, the song is a
huge success.
Are you not feeling weighed down under the
burden of the success?
(laughs)… there you go again. One thing I know
for sure is that God won’t give you the kind of
blessing you can’t handle. He had prepared me
for it before He gave it to me. He has given
me the strength and energy to move on.
Success and I are on the same page. When you
hear Kcee, you hear good music. I will be
dropping my album very soon, when you hear it,
you will know why I am made to sing music. My
kind of music is totally different from what I
used to do; no vulgar words, strictly for
mature minds.
How did you support OJB before Governor
Amaechi came to his rescue, it was reported
that some of his friends ditched him…
I was in Calabar when I heard about the sad
news of what he was going through and I
called him that I was going to see him when I
get to Lagos. It is annoying for someone like
OJB to be down with such ailment. He’s
talented and I know people really supported
him.
Did you support him financially?
I don’t get moved about what people say, I just
want to do what I know is right and I don’t
have to announce to the world what I have done
or what I intend to do for OJB. Where OJB is
right now, God knows about it and I know he
will surely come out of it alive. I didn’t call
OJB because of what people would say, I called
him because I had to. But mind you, it is not
everyone that will show him love and support.
Whatever people say does not count right now,
what matters to me is how we can save a dying
soul who has done a lot to help change the face
of music in Nigeria.
I learnt that you were working with Sunday
Are before now, but reports had it that you
wanted to leave his management when your
status changed. How true is this story?
We were in the process, but we are still
working. We need him to do one or two things
for us. But there was nothing like quarrel. He’s
like a father in the industry, we needed some
kind of support from him in terms of projecting
the brand, not recording or promoting our
songs. We needed some support because of his
experience. But it was never a major deal or
agreement. He can get me shows and I will pay
him his percentage.
How do you relax?
I try to relax, but it has not been easy. You
need to work out and work hard.
What is it about your love for exotic
automobiles, I learnt you just took the delivery
of a BMW BMX6 and a Range Rover. Will you
ever stop acquiring cars?
I don’t see them as cars, but big toys. It is
normal because those that know me would tell
you I appreciate good things of life; clothes,
cars, house, videos and anything good you can
talk about. I am not complaining about how I
live my life. If I buy anything today, I do it
because I could afford it.
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