When Bien appeared on The Breakfast Club in the US, it was a milestone moment—one of the few times a Kenyan artist has sat across from one of the world’s most influential radio shows.
But for his wife and manager, Chiki Kuruka, the experience was bittersweet.
Speaking candidly, Chiki admitted that while she was proud of how Bien carried himself, there was an element of the interview that left her unsettled.
Facing Ignorant Questions Abroad
“It is hard to be in a space where someone is asking you ignorant questions, and you’re just there being respectful, educational, and trying to explain where you’re coming from,” she said.
Chiki explained that outside of Kenya, East African artists are often treated as though they are less significant, forced to constantly prove their worth in global spaces.
“Many times when we travel, we have to explain that East Africa is on the map, that we know what we are doing, and that Bien is magic. It’s exhausting to keep going through that circus.”
The Breakfast Club appearance, though a breakthrough, was a reminder of that reality.
Pride in Bien’s Restraint
Even with her reservations, Chiki praised Bien for his composure.
“He handled it with so much grace. He was respectful, he educated without being defensive, and he represented not just himself, but Kenya and East Africa.”
For her, the moment highlighted Bien’s ability to rise above pettiness and showcase the bigger picture of African music’s place in the world.
A Call for Unity in Music
Chiki connected the Breakfast Club experience to another moment that made her proud—a press conference in Tanzania where Bien refused to be baited into fueling rivalry between Kenyan and Tanzanian artists.
“He said if you travel around the world, you realize how dangerous this Kenya vs Tanzania thing is. Nigerians has 250 million people, Kenya is 50 million, Uganda and Tanzania equally small numbers—if we don’t stick together, how do we command a global space?”
International recognition comes with both celebration and struggle, exposing the stereotypes and ignorance still present in global music conversations.
by yuletide tina
