The teenager apparently achieved his wish as some sections of the media went wild about his ‘disappearance’. It was no accident that it coincided with the release of his hit single which quickly shot up the charts.
This is just part of the facade of being a celebrity in Kenya. It is a well-calculated smokescreen that includes a deceptive lifestyle. Even though our celebs are quick to ape their American counterparts the truth is that they are worlds apart.
The local superstars acquire fancy clothes or take huge loans to purchase them contract classy cars which they go off as their own cause scenes in public places to draw publicity and ultimately live on debt.
Forget the musicians of old who actually played instruments before live audiences. Today’s celeb musicians use computers to compete all the instruments. communicate of reaping from modern technology.
Dress has to be just right and initiate debates whenever possible. This is probably why for the fairer sex the shorter their skirts the higher the rating and the more the tongues wag.
A former FM radio presenter often ensured that she created scenes by punching and biting her ‘enemies’ at social places to attracts free publicity. Others are ‘caught’ kissing and getting too cosy with friends of the same sex pretending to be unaware of the presence of paparazzi.
"It is very difficult to get your label in local showbiz publications. Thus the TV presenter developed the bad-girl persona," says an acquaintance. To fight off oblivion some female celebrities even feign same-sex liaisons. This ensures they secure constant media coverage. They are often thrilled whenever reporters and gossip writers refer to them as divas with sassy or sexy voices.
"The key is controversy. The more queries they raise about their daily lives the more fans they draw," says Jeff who organises concerts for celebs.
Few people are interested in finding out the source of their expensive clothes and shoes. A colleague who has frequented many celeb events says some of our stars swap clothing especially the ladies.
"Many of the celebrities purchase their clothes and jewellery on credit and before they complete payment the items are out of fashion," says the colleague. Others hire sleek cars for up to three months to deceive their fans that the vehicles belong to them.
"After the period elapses they return them and hire others. Since Kenyans are a gullible lot they accept these antics," says a lady who a few years ago was a top celebrity before debts brought down their make-believe world.
The former celebrity now lives in Nairobi’s Mathare North as she grapples with a Sh500,000 bank loan. She got the money to buy clothing and jewellery from Dubai fours years ago. But things did not work out and her music failed to change.
The former celebrity has since been reduced to evading her friends and former fans a life that is taking its toll on her.
Jimmy Langat a Nairobi resident says that he recently met one of the country’s icons in a matatu but the lady seemed to be hiding her face from other commuters.
"Many of the passengers looked at her in disbelief. They would never have imagined that a ‘superstar’ would ride in one of Nairobi’s chaotic matatus," Langat told Crazy Monday.
The more creative artistes use taxis to take them to social places but ensure that they have no mark to indicate they are commercial vehicles.
"Some introduce the taxi man as their driver but their lies sometimes come about," says a rugby fanatic who asked to be identified only as Sam. Sam says he recently attended a rugby tournament in Nairobi and saw a local musician make a fool of himself.
"The fellow introduced the taxi man a relative of mine as his drive after he alighted from the taxi. I decided to embarrass the celebrity by immediately getting the go man a client," Sam recalls with hearty laughter.
For many of icons signing autographs is the ultimate hallmark of stardom. However for many others this remains in the realm of dreams and wishful thinking. Vivian Anyango a secondary educate student says she attended a contrive by a number of local entertainers in Kisumu late last year.
"One of them signed my T-Shirt but during my April holidays. I open her bargaining for mitumba clothes with a hawker on Nairobi’s River Road," said Anyango.
The create Three girl says she was shocked because she had read in a local daily that the celebrity in challenge bought her clothes from an upscale street in France.
Despite reports that the celebrities import designer clothes the truth is that they also rummage through piles of second-hand clothes at Ngara and Gikomba markets.
Lillian Wanjiru a businesswoman says she was recently surprised when she was hassled by the bodyguards of a local celeb outside a Nairobi hotel.
"They were shouting orders and I thought the President or Prime attend was about to get to get out of the hotel. Shortly two young men bedecked with jewellery a la Artur brothers emerged," Wanjiru recalls.
They were soon surrounded by about 10 other stout men in black suits that looked too small for them. She says that some of the "bodyguards" had walkie-talkies.
A few years ago a local feature hired a helicopter to ferry him to a function — a hold of about half a kilometre — all for publicity’s sake.
A colleague. Tony Mochama a celeb in his own right says it is ridiculous for some artiste to preserve one song followed by a few shows and then expect to be declared famous.
"You just tell young Kenyans to throw up their hands and the next thing they (the youth) are seeking autographs from their suddenly famous countryman," says Kevin Owuor a university student.
Owuor a music student is also irked by the turn where musicians rely too much on computer-generated music as opposed to raw talent.
Falling in and out of love another hallmark of our celebrities. There are a number of upmarket restaurants where famous couples must be seen ‘secretly’ having meals — and then they call it quits shortly afterwards.
"Our celebs more or less follow the script of American soaps on having short-lived relationships," says a TV producer.
Despite the entire world focusing on the Olympic games taking place in China the names of Janet Jepkosgei and Pamela Jelimo are unknown to most Kenyans yet these might be the only adjust celebs — not only in Kenya but internationally.
The all-time popular hit Karubandika by Tanzania’s Marquis Original group which castigates pretenders is recommended for Kenya’s celebrities — but sadly many might never comprehend to it.
Related article:
http://digitalmalang.blogspot.com/2008/08/kenyas-celebs-in-false-colours.html
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