Nairobi News

ChillaxMust ReadNewsWhat's Hot

From the pub to the pulpit: Secular musicians turned to preachers

By Mercy Simiyu November 23rd, 2022 3 min read

Nobody knows what the future holds. When musicians are in the studio recording music, they can’t know for sure if what they’re recording will be a hit. Even in the times, they do believe they’re making something special, they most times never know the extent to which a song will go.

For these four artistes today, that is what happened.

Each of them made it commercially as a secular musician but now has abandoned secular music to go into either gospel music or preaching.

Also read: Exclusive: KRG lied about owning a ‘200 M’ night club

Size 8

Size 8 is among musicians who started as the queen of secular music before she turned over a new leaf and eventually became a pastor who performs ‘big miracles’ like an exorcism.

The born-again singer was the most popping female songbird in Kenya. She dominated the airwaves with hits like Vidonge, Silali, Moto, among others.

At the height of her secular music career, Size 8 was known for dropping steamy live performances that included twerking and grinding on male dancers, among others.

Size 8 on her graduation at the Harvesters Global Church Bible training school.

However, in 2013, shortly after she got married to DJ Mo, she got saved and has never looked back to admire her former life as her faith only grew stronger over the years.

The mother of two became a new person and requested local media stations to stop playing her secular songs.

Size 8’s salvation journey has culminated with her being ordained as a minister to spread the gospel of Christ and save more lost souls.

Also read: How I lost Sh700,000 in six days – Pensioner after week of partying

Bamboo

Simon Kimani, more popularly known as Bamboo, was one of the most popular rappers in Kenya back in the day.

The hip-hop star dominated the airwaves with several hit songs; however, ‘Usilete Compe’ cemented his legacy in the industry.

The veteran rapper disappeared from the limelight after he stopped popping musically.

Bamboo’s whereabouts remained unknown until early July 2022 when his sister Victoria Kimani mentioned him while responding to questions raised by fans during an interactive Questions and Answers (Q&A) session on Instagram.

Veteran Kenyan rapper Bamboo African Bantu. PHOTOS | COURTESY

A curious fan asked Victoria if she was working on any project with her brother Bamboo.

Responding to the question, the sultry singer said she couldn’t work with her brother on any project because he is currently a pastor.

“No. My brother is a pastor now,” Victoria Kimani said.

Bamboo gave his life to Christ in 2013 and has since relocated to the US,

However, during an exclusive interview with Nairobi News, the rapper said revealed that he is now a Mobi Ambassador, which is yet to be operationalised in the country, but it’s something that Kenyans will love to interact with as it’s a mobility company like Uber and Bolt, only that it continuously encourages the culture of saving.

Also read: How Ommy Dimpoz got away with Sh3.1m hospital debt

 

Lovy Longomba

Lovy Longomba and his late brother Christian ruled the Kenyan music scene in the early 2000s. The duo topped the charts with hits such as Dondosa, Queen, Vuta Pumz, among others.

The duo was known for dropping steamy performances at the height of their musical success. They, however, relocated to the US, where Lovy gave his life to Christ.

Musician turned pastor Lovy Longoma. PHOTO: COURTESY

Lovy started the Revelation Church of Jesus Christ (RCJC) in Los Angeles, where he is the lead pastor. He now calls himself a prophet and performs miracles.

Lovy visited Kenya in March 2021 following the death of his brother Christian and told Jalang’o TV in an interview that he bought his church about a year earlier at $8,075,000 (Ksh880 million).

Circuit

Circuit, he of the ‘Manyake’ fame, was the last person to think of who was likely to end up as a preacher after he became famous because of sexually charged catchphrases.

The rapper and his partner Jo-el released one of the most sexually explicit and downright nasty songs ever released in Kenya’s history – ‘Juala (Manyake)’.

Kenyan gospel artiste Circuit.
Kenyan gospel artiste Circuit.

Circuit ‘disappeared’ from the limelight until 2018, when he resurfaced as a preacher.

He is now known as Circute Righteous and was ministering at the Harvest International Centre Church.

Also, read our top stories today:

Details of two-page note Ngara Girls student left behind

10 tragic facts of relationship between Omar Lali and the late heiress Tecra Muigai 

President Ruto’s kids spotted at Patoranking’s concert without bodyguards 

Hustler Fund: You will only be allowed a loan of Sh500 to Sh50,000