Kenyan gospel artists are something else. While they generally do quite well financially compared to their struggling secular counterparts; their lifestyles are the definition of controversies. The start of the year, heavy set DK Kwenye Beat and Hopekid lured a young lady and violated her. It was later reported that DK infected her with a venereal disease. Then we have Willy Paul whose songs are gospel because he will throw a Hallelujah line in his lyrics. He suggestively gyrates with half dressed women and still goes on to win gospel awards. And it doesn’t end there. Kenyans have to contend with Alex Apoko, popularly known as Ringtone. The guy is the prima donna of braggarts.
Truths, Half Truths And Pure Lies
Does he own houses in Runda and Karen? The artist-who claims to be the richest musician in the republic of Kenya-had one of the most interesting interviews on Betty Kyalo show UP CLOSE. The fast talking artist claimed he owned a number of houses and cars but he did a poor job in answering his source of wealth.
House in Runda
Ringtone claims of owning a house in Runda are disputable if reports appearing on different local news outlets are anything to go by. In 2016, the artist was outed for trying to grab a house and land in Runda. As the reports raged, Ringtone told SDE,
“It appears that there are a section of people who are out to not only tarnish my name through bad press but are also out to ensure that my efforts go down the drain, something which I will not by any means allow. These are people who are only out to seek publicity using my name, but despite everything the God that I serve will fight for me.”
The house in contention was reportedly owned by a deceased foreigner. It is not clear if this is the same house he told Betty he owns.
Karen House
The artist has a knack for making more headlines than hits. The artist was evicted from a house he had leased in Karen after he defaulted rent for two months.
Part of the letter from Cliff Oduk Advocates requiring Ringtone to move from the house reads:
“Numerous requests by our client through his agent have been made for you to honor our obligations under the agreement in the last several weeks in vain and to date. You have not given any concrete proposals on how you intend to pay the said arrears and regularize the default. You have taken our client in circles and played with his agent a game of musical chairs and your said actions do not auger well with our client….”
“In light of the foregoing and in order to mitigate any further loss to our client, please note that your tenancy has become untenable and the same is hereby terminated with immediate effect as provided for under Clause 8 of the Lease agreement which entitles either party to terminate the Lease agreement..”
How he made his millions
With over 150,000 views on You Tube and ranking at position 20, Ringtone’s interview was illuminating if not comical. The artist insisted that music pays after the host pinned him to reveal his source of wealth. He went on to say:
“Music pays, I made a lot of money when President Uhuru Kenyatta used my song. Can you imagine you have a campaign for like 90 days where you are paid Sh500,000 every day? How much is that for nine days, how much is that? That is a lot of money to buy you a house in Runda.”
If Ringtone is to be believed, he made a coal kes45 million during the 2013 general elections.
Blogger Abraham Mutai has no kind words for Ringtone and his source of wealth:
Ringtone. YOU are LYING about being paid ksh500k. You are a money bag claiming that music pays but your music is trash. No one really listens to your music. You never actually even came close to Willy Paul or Bahati yet they are not as rich as you. Are you moving drugs? pic.twitter.com/M6otQUnm8i
— Lord Abraham Mutai (@ItsMutai) June 3, 2019
Cars
He claims to own a number of top of the range cars that include a Range Rover Evoque, Land Cruiser V8 and host of other fuel guzzlers.
Ringtone
The Tenda Wema hitmaker claimed that he is worth over kes800 million during an interview on Citizen Extra Trends and Entertainment show.
