ONE ON ONE WITH BONELESS

ONE ON ONE: BONELESS

     

Hassan Juma, popularly known as BONELESS KENYA , talks of his musical career his up and downs and why he is in the industry to stay (conversation)

Do you sometimes feel that the name boneless kenya is bigger than you?

Sometimes yes, but not all the time because I knew what I was getting into when I started calling myself boneless. I knew I was going to advertise that brand more than my character.

People always associate the name with the character, which is very wrong. So you will find people saying: “That guy feels so sweet”. No, that’s the brand. The brand has to sell, the brand has to feel sweet and be expensive. But the character is different.

So is Hassan down to earth?

Yes I am, that’s how I was raised. Plus, that’s how Kenyan people are, it’s our culture, we are very down to earth. But when you are already a brand like boneless kenya, it becomes very hard to associate with just anybody.

There are those people who will just want to come and say “hello” just to test you, not because they support what you do or like what you do. I always say approach is very important. If you come and say “hello” with a serious face, I’ll be like: Okay, fine;

because I can read you. Approach is very important.

Did you know your song ‘SEXY NANA’ was going to be a hit?

We anticipated it, but we didn’t know. I have one policy: never to get into the recording booth if I don’t feel something is going to do , I’m all about giving Kenyans the best, elevating the

Kenyan music standards and industry because, if we don’t, this crowd of ours will never move.

What do you tink is the secret to surviving the music industry ?

Respect yourself before you respect yourself as an artiste. Respect God, your standards and know your limits. You have limits as a human being, an artiste has no limits.

When you’re famous, you feel like you are above everyone else and you can do whatever you want. Cut that crap out, that is not you. You are a human being and this is a name that you are creating.

People have to associate the name with who you are first. You have to put God as the first priority before you go to sleep, when you enter the studio and when you want to make any decision in this world, big or small.

You have to speak to God in your heart because He guides you. You may feel like, “Oh I’m bonelesskenya, sexy nana or SENORITA will drive these people”. No. If God did not give you breath and good health, Sexy nana would not be driving anywhere.

What are some of your guilty pleasures?

I stay away from guilty things (laughs). I don’t have guilty pleasures; I love hanging out with my friends, reading, learning new things, watching movies and working out.

About 80 per cent of my time, I’m working out because it’s the only free time I can get into the gym and have at least two hours by myself just thinking and not seeing anything on the Internet o about me. I treasure these moments. Guilty

pleasures are for wicked people (laughs).

What is your best body feature?

I love my body, I really work hard at the gym, so it has to pay off.

How many times do you go to the gym?

3 times a week.

Do you live in Kenya full time?

Yes am mostly in southcoast kenya. I love my town Diani and kombani am always in my home town enjoying the sea breeze

What do you miss the most when you are away?

I miss the food, I miss my family friends and my town wherever am away

What kind of gifts?

I once got a golden watch from a fan. I value the love and appreciation a lot. I’d just like to urge Kenyans to support us, we need you guys behind us if we are going to take over the Nigerian, South African and Ghanaian market because they have

really dropped a bomb on us. Everywhere I go nowadays, it’s 80 per cent Nigerian music and 20 per cent local songs, which is not good. We need to change that.

Who’s your favourite Kenyan celebrity?

I have so many, I don’t want to say just one because I will offend others. If you asked me who’s my favourite deejay, I wouldn’t say who; if Stylez read that in the paper… (laughs).

Have you ever dreamed of ever putting on dread locks like other dancehall artist?

yes it has come over my mind many times but you do need to put on dreadlocks to do dancehall music or be a rasta

So you don’t have tattoos at all?

No, people have different values. It’s a promise I made and I stuck to it.

Are you close with redsan?

yes We chat most of the time, and it is not a suprise if we drop something

SO after your song SEXY NANA what should we expect?
I expect my fans to expect big dancehall music as usual and international collabos

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