Legendary rapper Hubert Mbuku Nakitare alias Nonini has revealed that being controversial with his music back in the days denied him lots of endorsement deals despite being a big name in the music industry.
In an interview with CTA’s Richard Njau, Nonini mentioned that corporates avoided him due to his controversial nature.
“Despite wa kina Clemo and kina Jua Cali kuendelea kuni encourage kufanya hii mziki controversial, artiste we getting a lot of endorsements, Kina Nameless walikuwa wanapata maendorsements, kina Redsan, kina Ogopa, guys were doing shows for Red-Bull, trust-condom, watu wanawekwa kwa ma billboard.
“Although I had hits, biggest hits in this Country, I never got any endorsement, nothing. Because the people who were seating in the Boards Rooms back then, walikuwa wanasema zii, huyu jamaa ni controversial hatuwezi muweka kwa any of our brands,” revealed Nonini.
He further explained that he came to learn much later that the controversy surrounding his name and music was the main reason for missing out on endorsements.
The We Kamu hit maker said that he decided to open up so that young artistes can learn from him that being controversial isn’t rewarding at the end of the day.
“That I did not realize, I came to realize that baadaye. Kwa hii timeline yote, tuko na kina Clemo, so we are realizing mbona hatupati maendorsement? Lakini mashow napiga, ground iko sawa, Tour ndo hizo ziko scheduled kupiga USA, Australia, wapi wapi, lakini endoresments zii. Tukiangalia endorsements ni ma artistes wengine wanapiga.
“Hii naisema so that this young guys can learn from this, so mimi nilikuja kurealize baadaye, by the time Jua Cali came out, alikiuja na hizi beat za kudance. Hakuingia na ile Noma yangu.
“Because wali learn na Clemo, controversial ni top lakini Nonini kuna vitu anafinyiwa, kuna mavitu hapati, so wakalearn lakini hawakuniambianga. So mimi nilikuja kujua baaadaye hii ma controversy kidogo imeleta noma,” said Nonini.
Nonini pointed out that he got his first endorsement deal in 2018.
“The first cooperate money I ever got, big time, was from Safaricom, just the other day when I became their Brand Ambassador last year but one (2018), that’s the first cooperate endorsement Nonini has ever gotten. So unaweza imagine what I have gone through in my career.
“Ma artiste walikuwa wanaapata endorsements, Homeboyz walikuwa wanachukua Kenya Live, na sijawai kuwa and some government projects that were being done, Homeboyz wanachukua watu wengine lakini hizo projects nilikuwa nakanyagiwa mbaya sana. But you know what that built my character, that built who I’m today, without that wouldn’t be who I am, so my first endorsement ni juzi tu na Safaricom,” added Nonini.
