Why Nonini has acquired personal customized mic

As he kicks off his Canada tour that will see him stage three concerts in June, US-based Kenyan rapper Hubert Nakitare aka Nonini Mgenge 2Ru will use a customized microphone during his shows. The Summer Tour 2024 is the star’s first-ever tour of Canada.

“I tried to tour Canada last year but I caught Covid so we cancelled. That was rather unfortunate as it basically affected much of what I had planned last year. I have had to plan ahead, again, and as well take every precaution this in mind that I will also be proceeding to the UK later in the year,” Nonini said.

“Yes I got Covid and probably that could have been prevented if I had been more cautious. The truth is microphones can be unhealthy and you can’t be in control if you are using other people’s microphones. When you have your own microphone, you also are in control of your voice, music and your own sound and no one can sabotage you. Those are factors that got me acquiring my own customized microphone that I can confirm cost me some good money,” Nonini said as he shared the dates of the Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver concerts.

This move comes barely a month after the Genge legend released a new single Hustle Clean whose video features upcoming young Kenyan female singer Michelle Bisonga. He says his passion for supporting young Kenyan musicians is inspired by the fact that the future of the Kenyan music industry depends on how much support they are getting from those who have walked the journey.

“I have been very vocal in my support for the new Arbantone. I like the hustle those young people are putting in and they deserve all the support. I have made it in my showbiz career both as a musician and the Mgenge 2Ru brand because I hustled and my hustle has been clean hence the title of my new song Hustle Clean. It’s an inspiration to those young people to keep gridding regardless of the challenges they are facing,” said Nonini.

Even while away, the rapper has remained vocal on current issues affecting the local music industry. Early this week, he weighed in on the ongoing debate on the sorry state of the Kenyan music industry. The debate sparked during a public participation session organised by the Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo) on the awarding of CMOs licenses. During the meeting, former Consul General for Los Angeles Thomas Kwaka aka Big Ted wondered why the issues bedeviling the sector have been so hard to solve.

“It is very unfortunate that Balozi @teamd2d (Big Ted) came to the US and served for a couple of years as ambassador and still goes back to Kenya to find the same mess in the music industry,” Nonini updated on his IG page.