The breaking point that leads to breakthrough

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.

I’ve always found this saying funny, but it’s nothing but pure truth. It is only human to want to analyse the world’s business leaders and their achievements, but we tend to forget that they, too, are only human.

Last week, I was having a discussion with some of my peers and one asked what I’d ask if I got five minutes with investment guru Warren Buffet.

Every time I meet the people who inspire me, I try to put myself in their shoes and then ask questions that are different from the usual. I’d definitely ask Warren the same question I’d ask artiste/entrepreneur Jay Z: “What was your breaking point, and how did you overcome it?”

New beginnings

In my life, I’ve used breaking points to create and unveil a new me. New beginnings create new challenges and come with new excitements.

And according to my research, most exciting inventions or concepts came after a ‘tough’ time.

I’ll give you a brief story. I know I’m the urban Kenyan artiste with the most songs, most videos, eight mixtapes and four albums. Now that I’m listing them, they look pretty good, but the process of churning them out was tough.

I’m getting into the studio next month to work on my fifth album, which I intend to release at the end of this year.

Toughest year

Let me give you the story of my fourth album.

What I usually do with all my plans is set a deadline and then work backwards. I call it the answer-to-the-question theory.

Can you recall the questions that used to come during math tests, for instance? There are those whose answers you knew without having to do any calculations because you’d revised for so long and come across them earlier.

Basically, that’s how I look at life. In 2014, while in Nairobi’s Madaraka shopping centre, I called Rapdamu, who now goes by the name Naiboi. He’d just relocated his studio, Pacho. I went to see him and we had a conversation.

I told him I wanted to work on a new album, and I already had a release date and Pacho would be my studio.

We had a debate, but I told him that I’d already publicised the release date online. Now that the public knew about it, the pressure was on to deliver. Remember, the customer is king and you should always keep your promises.

What Naiboi didn’t know is that I was having the toughest year of my life that time.

My mom had been sick for two years in a row, and we’d been in and out of hospitals. My accounts were at almost nil and I needed a place and a way to vent.

My personality is laid back and I tend to let music speak for me and express my emotions. The industry offers a release system. I really wanted to see my mom get better and hospitals were giving me promises; promises that they weren’t keeping.

I remember I got Cedo, Jack on the beat and Naiboi, and we started recording my album, The Legend of Kaka.

The struggle

After the first week of recording, I went to the Louis Leakey Auditorium, which was to be the venue for the release party. Keep in mind that the album recording was still in progress and we had a deadline to beat. Further, in between sessions, I’d take my mom to hospital and rush back to the studio.

The launch date was fast approaching and we felt we weren’t prepared. So one evening I arrived at the studio with bedding so we could pull 24-hour sessions. In the middle of the night, we’d go to Nairobi West or head into town to grab some dinner.

That year, I released six videos in six months, including Twende, Kichinjio and Leta. That helped me keep pushing forward. And finally, I managed to get a surgeon for my mom and she got better.

Between band sessions, I’d find time to do interviews to promote the launch, sell advance tickets and attend sponsorship meetings.

We came up with unique decor and had done our marketing so well that we got the place filled to capacity.

In fact, during a wardrobe change, my floor manager told me there were fans outside the venue willing to pay for tickets – we’d done a full advance-ticket gig. We had to let them in.

Getting stronger

The performances were brilliant, the guest list was star-studded, and I got to the moment that meant the most to me.

While giving shoutouts, I called out my mom, who stood up and waved. I explained that I’d had the toughest year, but since she was healed, the struggle had made me stronger.

I managed to fly in Rich Mavoko from Tanzania, whom I’d signed, I thanked the producers who believed in the vision even though it seemed impossible, and I sold so many copies of my album that night. We got a 17-track album recorded in four weeks and launched in just four months.

The lesson? Never let tough situations come between you and what you want to achieve. Instead, use that as leverage. Breakdowns create breakthroughs.

The writer is an entrepreneur and award-winning artiste.