CELEB CONFESSIONS: I was not kicked out of the US-DJ Alemba

Popular Gospel hype man DJ Alemba. PHOTO| THOMAS MATIKO

What you need to know:

  • Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion but at the end of the day, it’s my opinion about me that matters.
  • I wasn’t deported and I can go back any time I want as my papers are in order.
  • I’m a US citizen, bro. I’m in Kenya because this is where I want to be right now.

 

Was popular Gospel hype man DJ Alemba kicked out of the US? Nation.co.ke asked him this among a host of other questions that his fans probably have as well ever since his return to the country in April 2016.

First things first. Were you deported from the US as people are saying you were?

(Smiles) Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion but at the end of the day, it’s my opinion about me that matters. I wasn’t deported and I can go back any time I want as my papers are in order. I’m a US citizen, bro. I’m in Kenya because this is where I want to be right now.

 

Why did you even decide to leave, at a time you were doing pretty well in the gospel industry?
At some point everyone wishes for some growth in his or her life. To many I was doing pretty well and expectations were high but the reality of the matter was that I wasn’t progressing despite all the efforts I made. There were no shows for us, we used to make those shows happen unless you had a contract with the companies like Safaricom, Coke. It was never a sure bet. Unlike now when I get so many calls for gigs to the extent that I’m spoilt for choice. This is the reason I left. I  needed a different exposure and see how it would work.

So how was the exposure like in the US?
I actually ended up getting myself a wife while I was there. We blessed with a son who will be turning two years in September.  My life was all good, I never had a hard time hustling because Kenyans there embraced what I was doing pretty well.

Interesting, so how did you meet your ‘jungu’ (white) wife?
(Laughs) Hahaha! She is Kenyan and from Nanyuki to be precise. We met while I was living in St Louis but later moved to Seattle when we got our first son who will be turning two years in September.

  

Did you come back with them?
Yes I did but currently they are in the US clearing on some stuff and soon I will be reuniting with them.

 

While in the US, did you keep monitoring the Kenyan Showbiz?
Of course I did! I left when artistes like Bahati, DK Kwenye Beat just to name a few, broke into the gospel scene. But other than that much hasn’t changed in terms of gospel DJ and hype. The very same DJ Moh and DJ Sadic who I left at the top are still the same guys ruling the game. I guess we did raise the bar and now that am back, we are going to push it even further.

 

You talking big about DJ Moh and Sadic, is it because they are your buddies and business associates?
Not really its true we friends and business partners, but again look at what we do, is there any other gospel DJ  other than the two who have given them the run for their money? There are still the best. For a hype man, I am yet to see one.

  

Let’s talk about scandals in the Gospel industry. Do you think they need the scandals to survive?  
I really don’t think they are scandals. It’s just somethingthat they do like any other normal person. They’re taken out of context and made to trend. This is because the fans now want more of them. They are known for their music, but there is that information thirst from fans about what goes on in their real lives.

 

What is your real name?
Hahaha! My name is Alex Mwangi. I got the DJ Alemba alias from a friend. He told me it meant an achiever.

 

 

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