Upcoming artiste draws extra Sh150,000 from tattooing

Kenya: Eric Kassim Onyango Juma, 25, who goes by the stage name Panya Mtu, is an upcoming musician based in Nakuru County. He is also a tattoo artist.

Kenyan artistes complain piracy is eroding their profits. Do you believe musicians can make a living from their art alone?

Yes, artistes can live from music proceeds alone, depending on how organised they are. Many Kenyan artistes are in the music industry but do not have a focus or target market in mind for their songs, so they end up failing. I’m not in the music industry for the sake of it; I’m in the music business, and that is where the money is. As my stage name suggests, I clear out fake emcees so that those with talent find a clear path.

What other business do you engage in aside from music?

I do tattoos and body piercings, and also run a company called Boss Entertainment. I’m also the organising secretary for Nakuru Stand Up Organisation.

How much would you say these side businesses fetch you in a month?

Combined? I get about Sh150,000 a month, but when business is low, I average about Sh100,000.

There are those who view tattooing as evil, has this affected your business?

It has not been too bad as most people who want tattoos are young and do not subscribe to the thinking that it is an evil practice. The decision to get a tattoo or not to get one is entirely up to an individual.

What is your educational background?

I have a degree in mass communication from Maseno University and a diploma in music from Tapev Music School in Nakuru.

Why did you choose music as a career, taking into consideration many Kenyan artistes are struggling to make a mark in the highly competitive industry?

I took up music because I have a passion for it and was a talented singer as a child. I started concentrating on it as a business the older I got, and with consistency and hard work, I’m still going strong to date.

Have you released any songs?

Yes. My first song was What’s Your Name and it explains who Panya Mtu is. It is the one that catapulted me into the limelight. My second song is Wigolo. There is also Hope, Magwede, Bad Man, Speed ya Juu, and most recently, Mchoyo.