Page 68 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 4
P. 68
ART PERSONALITY ART PERSONALITY
got threats from. I used to have lost funding because it was after struggling with being let
to use different routes home and considered to be an organization down and betrayed by different
it was hard for me to go out. After that radicalizes people. We groups or studios and seeing
leaving I started fighting people came up with an event to keep the frustrations of other artists, I
who wanted to kill me. I was not their name alive, and I needed decided to try to set up a place
afraid, I would just face them. I to learn how to design some where all these things could be
eventually got into poetry events artwork for it. So I started to done in a better way. I talked to
and hip hop battles and started study design online, watching Rachel, who had parted ways
to gradually make a name for tutorials. Meanwhile, I started with her previous partner and
myself and even encourage to get paid for my performances wanted to continue with the
some of my friends to join me. and with that money I started music school. She and I and
One did and we started to grow. buying paints and canvases. some others decided to work
I later broke up with my girlfriend I was kicked out of the house I together and start Artiv Creative
and moved in with some friends. was staying in and I used to sleep School. We offered good
Eventually, because of my past in bars, sometimes in the studio. services, showcased people’s
experiences, I felt like I needed The owner was like a father to artwork and began to get really
to do something about the police me and eventually made me popular but not everyone in the
and I needed to do something MD. He taught me about the team was doing their part. We
about the youth. I found an business and the music industry. were risking losing everyone if
organization called Sauti ya I stopped focusing on performing we were harsh on them, but we
Mtaa (The Voice of the Hood) and doing art for sale and started were not making money or able
that welcomed me and gave me to think about creating an art to pay bills. So we reversed the
a platform to talk, and I was like center. I mobilized some youth revenue model and everyone
finally these guys understand, in Mathare and taught them how left. Only Rachel and I remained.
but they didn’t always want to to work with the little resources I could not lose hope. I went
talk about some of the issues they had to create events. We back online to learn how to
that I wanted to talk about. It did three events in Mathare. I manage artists. I went to
was disappointing, but I learnt a eventually left that studio and Kibra to recruit artists for our
lot from them and their events. worked with Sauti ya Mtaa to mentorship programs. The fee
Sometimes I would have to go create the first art center in was KES 5,000/- ($50) for three
and study history in order to get Kariobangi South where we held months. Two people came and
the full context of what they were our own events. Artists didn't after completing the classes, I
talking about. have to walk to town anymore. realized that one of them was
In the process of refining my I later got connected to an interested in music production.
poetry skills, I wanted to learn organization that was involved I started to introduce him to
how to play the guitar and I in training. I convinced them to other producers and to YouTube
found the contacts for someone run training sessions for artists tutorials and he became one of
who knew me. He told me that and they gave me an opportunity our first producers. I got other
he wanted to give me a job, to do so. I partnered with David groups of artists from Kibra
but in order for him to do that, I Thuku, one of the top artists through another event and told
would have to change my ways. and we played off each other’s them to give me business ideas
He and my current business strengths. I trained and he did the for what they want to do, beyond
partner, Rachel, were starting practical aspect and as a result being artists. I went online and
a company training artists and we got multiple opportunities to also to some NGOs and studied
musicians. Eventually, I started do these trainings in different how to be a leader, how to do
to ask about the future of locations. management then I would come
those we trained and how we and share what I learnt with
would create job opportunities It All Comes Together them.
for them, but it didn't go down After experiencing many While Rachel and I were setting
well with the MD and he asked frustrations and challenges up Artiv Hub no one really
me to leave. He thought I was with trying to find ways to helped us, everyone said it
challenging him. express my art, or talk about the would not work, but by God's
At some point, Sauti ya Mtaa challenges faced by society… grace, everything worked out.
68 | heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika www.msingiafrikamagazine.com heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika | 69
