Steve Kay, popularly known as ‘wambumuli’, is currently the undisputed king of Luhya music.
As a village boy born in Stage Mawe, the artiste had to endure a tough upbringing punctuated with abject poverty before his rise from coal to gold.
Real name and age
Steve Kay’s real name is Stephen Wekesa Masinde. He is currently 30 years old.
Family
Steve is the last born in a family of 4. He was brought up by his maternal uncles.
The musician is married to Christine Nekesa. The couple is blessed with 3 children.
Education
According to his Facebook profile, the ‘yomboyombo’ hitmaker studied at Muanda high school where he built his music career. In a past interview with Radio Citizen, he revealed that through various performances, he was able to raise his secondary school fees. It remains unclear whether Masinde pursued college education.
Music career
Masinde’s secondary school nurtured and polished his music career. He would be paid to perform in various events in Western and Luo Nyanza. The school allowed him to rub shoulders with renowned pastors across various gospel events.
After school, he knew he was destined for gospel music and would perform for various preachers with some failing to pay him. It was a grinding 3 year stint that made him shift to vernacular genre.
“They (pastors) would tell me that they would call me back and others would simply tell me that I was doing the work of the Lord and I should be content with His blessings,” he told nation.
The change of cards soon paid off as Masinde’s unmatched touch of music amassed him adoring fans after he released his first album ‘Wambumuli’ which roughly talks about a casanova man with gargantuan lust and ends up hitting on other people’s wives. It is this debut album that propelled him into fame as he sold thousands of albums.
But Masinde’s transformative opportunity came in 2013 when he was approached to compose a song for Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula during a by-elections campaign period.
He didn’t wait a second and immediately rolled up his sleeves as he released the song ‘Wetangula’ which praised the Ford-Kenya leader as the undisputed captain of mulembe politics.
The song was a hit and soon got Bungoma residents shaking their shoulders even as Wetangula went ahead to recapture his seat as he narrowly beat state- backed Musikari Kombo. Masinde was paid handsomely for his efforts.
As Masinde’s star continued to rise, he got numerous invitations to perform across the country, in neighbouring Uganda and into United Kingdom and Dubai.
In 2017, the artiste raised the bar high after he released ‘Mbe omukhasi’ (meaning give me a wife) that was recorded in high quality definition, capturing beautiful scenes across Bungoma. The infectious song is still adored by his fans and is used in wedding ceremonies.
Controversies
Though the former gospel musician has steered clear of controversy, he found himself in a rather awkward situation.
While appearing on Jambo Kenya, he revealed that during one of his performances in a crowded Kakamega club, a female fan removed her under garments and used it to wipe his face.
“ The club was crowded to a point of the police being called to prevent more attendees. As I was sweating, one lady who was dancing beside me removed her panty and used it to mop my face,” he disclosed.
In the dying days of July, Steve Kay was embroiled in an argument with Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa as he protested the opening of 5 classrooms given the constituency owed him ksh 3.4 million for renovation work.
The artiste locked the doors of the classrooms a matter that irked Barasa who was set to launch the classes that day. The MP was captured slapping Masinde, an issue that led to public outcry.
