Kenyan rapper and entrepreneur King Kaka has publicly apologised for his past involvement in the illegal trade of stolen mobile phones. The music star made the unexpected disclosure during a recent appearance on the Certified Yap N Jams podcast.
Before finding fame in the music industry, the artist worked as an underground phone broker. He reflected on this challenging period of his life, which occurred long before he became a household name across East Africa.
A Past Hood Hustle
During the interview, King Kaka expressed remorse to anyone who might have lost a phone in Nairobi during the mid-2000s. He laughed with the hosts but remained clear about his regret.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Kila mtu aliibiwa simu hiyo time, I’m sorry.”
The rapper explained that he was simply trying to survive a difficult financial season in his life.
“Way back, I’m not so proud of this story but I lived it.”
The artist confessed that his role in the neighborhood was acting as a middleman for stolen goods.
“Mimi nilikuwa broker wa simu. I used to buy stolen phones.”
The Rules of the Trade
Despite dealing in stolen property, King Kaka revealed that he maintained a strict standard for the devices he chose to purchase. He only selected high-quality phones that showed no visible signs of damage or wear.
“But I used to only take the clean phones.”
He explained that cracked screens or heavily scratched bodies were not acceptable for his business. He avoided them entirely.
“I used to buy those phones that look new.”
Once purchased in his local neighbourhood, the rapper would clean the devices and prepare them for resale. He would then transport them to retail stalls in Nairobi’s central business district.
“Cause now we used to sell them back to people in town, unaziweka kwa display.”
Pre-iPhone Era Timeline
The podcast hosts asked King Kaka whether his past trade included Apple smartphones, noting that modern iPhones are highly sought after. The rapper explained that the technology landscape was very different during his time as a broker.
“That time iPhones were not really there, I don’t think so. It was around 2006, 7, 8.”
King Kaka joked with the young podcast hosts about the timeline of his past activities. He pointed out the generation gap between himself and the interviewers.
The rapper concluded by reminding the hosts that he was out on the streets working while they were still children.
The revelation has sparked light-hearted discussions online among his fans, with many praising his honesty about his journey to success. King Kaka has since transitioned into one of Kenya’s most successful music executives and brand ambassadors.
