Kibera to the world-Kriss Darlin Dancehall King.
By: Richard
Posted on Friday, June 21, 2019
Early childhood.
Kriss Darling is a well known DJ who has become especially popular for spinning dancehall and reggae tracks as a part of tours such as One Man, One Night. He has served as Homeboyz Radio host, on the show Jam Rock. He also has gigs all over the country in clubs, events, ceremonies, name it. The household name, however, has not got all these easily.
Born and brought up in Kibera, a place locally known as Bangok, he takes us through his childhood houses, deep in Africa’s biggest slum. At some point, he admired to have his own house too much. He would head home from the club, throw a stone on the roof so that his sibling would open up. He then would eat and head back to the secret keja he was living in. Growing up, his dad wanted him to be a footballer, he was good at it, fun fact, and he was actually a team manager to Harambee stars at some point. But listening to a lot of music, he fell deeply in love with the fact that reggae spoke about his life and what he was going through.
He started doing small shows to travelling to Europe for a show, getting media houses to call him over his craft.This has become his livelihood, his anthem. This has however not made him forget where he came from. ‘’sidhani kuna siku hua siendi Kibera, siku haezi isha, this is home, it is me, nimefika hapa kwa sababu ya kwenye nimepitia.’’ He says.
Success doesn’t come easy.
Kriss Darlin has gone beyond the norms. He says that, unlike what society perceives, he does not take any drug before a show. He just needs to psych himself up and say a prayer. His mother being a very strict and prayerful woman, has led to him leaning on The Lord. His secret is hard work, discipline, determination and God. He started doing uptown reggae after he went out and he as well got a scar from trying to separate a fight during a reggae night.
Kriss also started Darling Foundation, which focuses on mentoring the youth.
The highlight of all his philanthropic works, is that 10% of any of the shows he does, goes to getting sanitary towels and boxers for young girls and boys in Kibera.
This is just a pinch of what went down in a week with him. Watch the full episode on our website
