Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo, better known by his stage name Kcee, is a Nigerian singer. He has described how living a false life led him to success.
The “Limpopo” and “Pull Over” singer claimed in an interview with TVC’s Wake Up Nigeria that he had to pretend to live a luxurious life in order to stand out in the fiercely competitive entertainment industry.
His words:
WELL, GROWING UP I STARTED WITH SHOWING YOU SO MUCH BLING. SHOWING YOU THAT I’M EXPENSIVE EVEN WHEN I WAS LIVING IN ONE ROOM. I WAS SHOWING PEOPLE THAT OH I HAVE LIFESTYLE. I WOULD GO TO SOMEWHERE AROUND SURULERE, BUY THOSE BIG JACKETS. GO TO YABA.
I TRIED TO LIVE LUXURY LIFE I’M NOT EVEN [LIVING]. BUT I WAS ALREADY SEEING MYSELF IN THAT PICTURE. AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS, PEOPLE STARTED SEEING ME IN THAT LIGHT. I STARTED WRITING SONGS SHOWING THAT OKAY, I’M VERY EXPENSIVE. I’M RICH. AND LIKE JOKE LIKE JOKE, I STARTED LIVING THE LIFE. I STARTED THINKING TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION.
AND TODAY, I’M EXCITED THAT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I’M LIVING REAL. I USED TO WEAR FAKE [CHAIN] A LOT, THEY USED TO BURN MY NECK. YOU WILL SEE THE IRON BURNING MY NECK. WHEN SUN HIT ME, IT BURNS MY NECK. BUT TODAY, I WEAR ICEBOX. SO IT’S A JOURNEY YOU NEED TO BUILD AND CREATE. ILLUSION AND GOD WILL HELP YOU BE THERE. SO MY ADVICE IS CREATE SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF.
