Gospel music industry entertainer and renown hype-master Alex Mwangi, simply known as Alemba, is back in the country after a stint in the United States.
There have been rumors that he was deported but the musician has already acquired U.S citizenship.
He opened up about his stay in the U.S, what motivated him to return, and more.
Your return to Kenya has been low-key, that after you announced that you had relocated to the United States. Is everything OK?
I’ve been in the country for some time now but I have been busy doing shows here and there.
Why did you leave for the US in the first place?
We were having a discussion with my friends about what people go to do overseas. I took it upon myself to go and experience it first-hand, what life is like in the US. There are guys who helped me settle down but the transition wasn’t an easy one for me.
How was your stay there?
I went as an artiste and I had so many shows to go to. People were always calling me for performances. During my free time I was working somewhere else.
Is it true you were a truck driver?
That is true. I did trucking while there. I worked as a truck driver delivering fresh farm produce across different states. What people don’t know is that it’s so easy for you to go to US for a visit or for shows then jet back home but settling down there is hard for a foreigner.
Really, but why did you leave a successful career at home when your unit System Unit was all the focus… was anything the matter?
Well, back then, I felt like I had hit the ceiling and I needed new challenges in my life and career. That is why I decided to leave.
Were you happy there?
Daily, I’d get messages on my social media platforms and email from people telling me to come back home. Others were asking why I left while others just wanted to know how I was doing. This is what connected me with Kenya while I was away. The truth is, all these concerns motivated me to come back home.
Does your conscience haunt you… do you feel like you made a mistake and had to come back?
Coming back wasn’t an issue. The issue was that what started as a challenge for me had become a lifestyle and I felt that I needed to change that. I also needed to apply what I had learnt during my time there here at home.
Rumor has it that you were deported from the US. Did you have an issue with the law?
Those were just rumors that people were spreading about me but I’m also a US citizen and my wife and son live there. The truth as to why I came back is because I have a mission to change the gospel industry.
Talking about your wife, we never heard of a wedding…
It wasn’t a big thing. In the US people don’t do stuff like they do here in Kenya.
Did your family members attend?
Most of my family members are here in Kenya and didn’t make it for the wedding. The people who were present were our friends and my wife’s family members.
You had a US green card, right?
I still have a green card and I am able to fly to the US; I was never deported, if you are getting back to that.
So why would you leave your wife and son there and come back to start life afresh back at home?
I came back with them and they were here for some time and then went back to the US. My wife is a US citizen and is still in school and has a job there. That is why they are still there. I visit them when I am able to.
How will you juggle business and taking care of your family?
Like I said, once in a while I get a chance to move there and spend time with them as I keep business going here.
The gospel industry moved on and things are quite different yet you are talking of change…I mean, your fellow System Unit members have moved on and formed powerful stables…
Well, the only change that I have noted is the said artiste. Upcoming artistes no longer have platforms to get their talent nurtured. Things are different and someone needs to change that.
Is this what you are bringing to the table?
I have opened up a company called the Hype Houze Entertainment. We are looking at building networks that will end up benefiting the musicians and have something like a Christian hangout. We are also looking to mentor upcoming musicians, dancers, DJs and MCs.
Is this more like an agency and production house?
Yes. That’s the main idea but for now we are launching like an agency. In the near future we are looking to grow to a production house. We have both audio and video producers coming on board.
