ONEXTRA: My wedding was one of the most beautiful days of my life - Bamboo

Two weeks ago, one of the hip-hop pioneers in the country, rapper Simon Kimani famously known as Bamboo, tied the knot with Erica Mukisa in a low-key lavish wedding in Ruiru. THOMAS MATIKO caught up with him.

Congratulations on your nuptials

Thank you. I must say it was an amazing experience, one of the most beautiful days of my life.

How long have you guys known each other?

Erica and I have been together for four years.

How did you two meet?

I met her four years ago in Uganda. During one of the ministries I was doing, we were introduced to each other through a mutual friend and fellow gospel hip hop artiste, Tommy Lafam.

Why is it that we only heard of the wedding and not the proposal?

I actually proposed to Erica in church about a year ago, in front of everyone, on a Sunday morning. It was a surprise; she didn’t see it coming. All the women broke out into dance when she accepted. It was beautiful.

You decided to have a low key wedding, but why didn’t you invite your fellow pioneers from the industry?

(Laughs). It wasn’t in bad faith, but we also wanted a very low key wedding. I invited a couple of friends from the industry like Buddha Blaze.

Is it not interesting that the wedding took place at your father’s, Pastor Victor Mwangi’s, church?

Yes, we did it at my father's House Family Church in Ruiru. I chose the church because that’s our family altar and it will always have deep family significance to our family for generations to come. My dad, actually wed us. This was very special.

The wedding most definitely brought you back to the limelight, it seems like you’ve quit music

Not really, but I must say I've been low-key these days, with music. That is because I'm preparing for full-time ministry, now that we are done with the wedding. However, I have been a ghost writer for a couple of gospel artists.

Are you saying, you’re transitioning to being a pastor?

Yes. But for now, my wife and I will be more of travelling ministers, and perhaps over time we will transition to full-time pastors.

A while back, you shared a long post where you revealed that your wife was into witchcraft before she got saved?

That’s correct. It was her own testimony. Her grandmother, on her paternal side was a powerful sorceress. She initiated Erica into witchcraft when she was just eight years old. For seven years Erica served the powers of darkness.

She did not know anything, having been introduced to sorcery at a tender age. She became possessed with evil spirits and was satanic in every possible way you can imagine. Her salvation would later come through her uncle evangelist Patrick Wandera. It’s been nine years since her deliverance but Erica recalls everything like it was yesterday.

Wow! That sounds scary

It does, but nothing is impossible with God.

Isn’t she worried about sharing the story?

Not really. However, sharing the story has come with its price, most of it being death threats if we continue telling the testimony. We believe satan is at work but we won’t loosen up.

As a matter of fact, we’ve written a book together on the same, it’s titled Erica Part One Seven Years in Hell (Seven Years In Hell Book 1). It’s also available as an e-book, and can be found on Amazon Kindle under the same title as well. It’s Erica’s testimony in detail.

How expensive was your wife's wedding gown?

About Sh250,000, she has also decided to open a bridal shop business because of all the people who have been enquiring about it. I wish her best of luck.

What’s the most expensive gift you’ve ever given to your wife?

A plot of land. It cost me a fortune.

Are you still in contact with former K-South rap partner Abbas Kubaff?

I haven’t seen or heard from Abbas in about four years. Can you believe it?

Will you ever do a collabo with your sister?

I would not rule it out. We actually did a collabo together way back, “Love vs Hate”.