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Exclusive: Mr Nice opens up on his family life in Kenya


Lucas Mkenda, also known as Mr Nice, is a Tanzanian veteran singer and one of the most celebrated vocalists in East Africa.

Mr Nice was unquestionably the best in his era, dominating East African music in the early 2000s.

With his melodies and melodic voice, he ruled the airwaves with his popular songs Fagilia, Kidalipo, and Kikulacho, commanding Kenyan radios in the 2000s before making space for other artists like Ali Kiba and Diamond Platnumz.

After a break from the industry, Mr Nice is back to making great music and has made his YouTube Channel active.

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Mr Nice. PHOTO| COURTESY

In a recent exclusive interview with Nairobi News, he said that his kind of music has changed as he has older kids looking up to him as their mentor.

“My first child is in form six. That is an adult who can question me about the kind of music that I m doing,” he said.

He advised upcoming artists to concentrate on creating good lyrics that people will love and avoid chasing clout every time.

“You will not find me creating drama and gimicks like these young artistes. People will be surprised that I am not a good role model to them if I involve myself in such,” he said, adding that his diehard fans expect maturity and positivity from him.

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Mr Nice. PHOTO| COURTESY

“We inspire so many young people. Some will pick certain things from us. If I use drugs, they will also do that.”

He also encouraged artists to create songs that could be played on national media stations.

“Some artistes spend more time chasing clout to promote nothing,” he said. “Some artistes complain that their work is not being played but it is because they are not educative songs. Create songs that will make media look for you and not you looking for them.”

Despite his success, Mr Nice loves to keep his life private. He has been living in Kitengela, Kenya, for the last two years, where he relocated from Uganda and spent two years.

In 2018, Mr Nice moved to Uganda, where he tried to get some work after he claimed Tanzanians mocked him.

He defended his decision saying he had to work to sustain his life and not just stay in his home country and watch poverty creep into his life.

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Speaking to Nairobi News, the talented singer said he has since settled in Kenya since that is where his family comes from. He adds that he does not regret being in Kenya, and nobody can question him.

Mr Nice is married to a Kenyan wife who works as a doctor in Australia.

He said they split their time between Tanzania and Kenya when she comes home for a holiday. Sometimes he also goes to Australia.

The formerly adorned musician, who lived a life of luxury and splendour, said during the interview that he still strikes lucrative deals to perform in various clubs.

“I have been good at music, I started investing a long time ago in my career, and I would tell artists to do the same. Be careful not to also end up destroying your future with your talent,” he said.

Mr Nice’s message to upcoming artists is to focus on creating good music and being good role models for their fans. He believes that music should inspire young people to do better.

With his return to the music scene, Mr Nice hopes to inspire a new generation of artists and leave a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire future generations.

Also read: Mr Nice: I’m doing just fine and making money in Kampala