Prezzo the ambassador

By Stevens Muendo

CMB Prezzo at he BBA finals where he was named the One Campaign Ambassador

In October 2006 at the Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam, CMB Prezzo struggled as he wiggled his way through the mammoth crowd that had gathered for Jay Z’s big East African concert.

The top Kenyan rapper had flown to Tanzania, not only to attend the Brooklyn star’s concert, but to seek dialogue with him on a possible collabo of sorts — after all, he was the don of hip-hop in the region, then seeking to enlarge his showbiz empire.

Led by his security team, I recall Prezzo wading through the thick crowd to the front row where he looked totally cool and collected as Jay Z wooed the jovial crowd with a sterling performance.

Riding high then, with his Naleta Action and (CMB) Prezzo hits, the undisputed gleam in his image, the swag in his style and floss in his attitude had evidently been borrowed from Jay Z, whom the Kenyan has always regarded as his biggest showbiz icon.

As it turned out, Prezzo did not get the chance to meet his icon — the latter’s top agenda was probably  as to how he would go about making a proposal to Beyoncé Knowles. She had flown in with him.

Seven years later, this dream came true on Sunday in South Africa where the self-styled King of Bling stole the show during the Big Brother Stargame (BBA) finals after he was named the One Campaign Ambassador — the international, non partisan, non-profit organisation which aims to increase government funding for and effectiveness of international aid programmes.

“Prezzo, besides becoming the new One Campaign Ambassador, you will also enjoy all paid-for trips to watch Jay Z’s concerts among other privileges,” IK, the BBA show host, announced as the big crowd gathered inside the BBA auditorium chanted; “Prezzo...Prezzo...Prezzo.”

A deal bigger than Sh24M
He had missed the Sh24 million winner’s prize to South Africa’s Keagan, coming in second best overall during that emotional final, which saw his mother Dinna Bhoke Makini break into tears as she watched the life transforming episodes inside the BBA house in South Africa. His uncle and aunt were speechless.

“I am lost of words, sir. To me, this means so much that I can barely express it through words. This must be God’s grace,” Prezzo responded when asked what he felt about his new deal.

Besides, the 91-day continental reality TV show was a major turnaround for Prezzo who many have now come to understand and love after years of a not-so-squeaky-clean image. 

The rapper is a man of many firsts. He changed the image of local rap by bringing in swag to concerts as he posed   a bigger than life lifestyle. No other Kenyan rapper has that cross cutting image, the type that saw him get State House invites. Now, after becoming the first Kenyan to reach the BBA finals and proving his pundits wrong, the new-look Prezzo seems to have turned a new leaf in his legendary showbiz life.

All the controversies that stalked him two years back have now been overshadowed by his new international feat. Africa is now embracing him as one of the big entertainers to adore.

“My life has taken off to a new level, my brother. To me, the One Campaign is bigger than the Sh24 million, which I missed narrowly,” Prezzo told Pulse during an exclusive interview in South Africa.

“We are talking about rubbing shoulders with world leaders and showbiz icons in an international movement backed by more than three million members. My passion to advocate and campaign against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, becomes my new central focus.

“I am taking the challenge to raise public awareness and pressure political leaders to support smart and effective policies and programmes that are geared to saving lives. Helping to put kids in school and improving futures becomes my next stop. With this, I will be playing my role to make Africa a better place,” he remarked, adding that he can’t wait to work with Bono, the American rock star who is a co-founder of the campaign.

Prezzo talks about family
One Campaign is an organisation that attempts to mobilise supporters around its issues and organise them into a lobbying force, with the goal of encouraging national leaders to fund more international development and relief programmes. As a campaign to fight extreme poverty and global diseases, it supports the Millennium Development Goals.

“I have always wanted to have a role model image for the youth since I begun showbiz and it was evident that I already had one foot on politics. But this will be the right platform through which I will be able to interact with African leaders on issues touching on developing the continent. I want people to look at me as Prezzo, the image of positive change,” the 4 Sho 4 Shizzo hit maker quipped, noting that his dark past was now behind him.

“Whatever happened back then did happen. Life had its own challenges but I was never given a platform to explain myself. I was just an ambitious young man trying to make ends meet and I admit that I made mistakes along the way. Whoever I may have hurt should forgive me. Besides, the love Africa showed me while I was in the BBA house taught me a lot and has changed my way of looking at things. I am a new Prezzo.”

The first born in his family, Prezzo has been a darling of his entrepreneur mother, who has been taking care of him since he lost his father some years ago.

“I am very close with my mum and the rest of my family and that is why they all flew to South Africa for me. Zahrie, my baby, always keeps me going even during the hardest of times. I respect her mum and we have no beef, as it has always been painted. The real Prezzo is the good boy you saw in BBA. I am a Kenyan with my country at heart,” he stressed.