Kenyan rapper Martin Nduati aka Zien Kapitani is famous for his current hit ‘Bag Ni Ya Nini?’.
Randomly pose the question "Bag ni ya nini (what's the bag for)" and the response could be as varied as you can imagine. Ask that question almost anywhere online these days and you're likely to get the same answer: "Alele mtoto (high-quality, tender young shoots of miraa (khat)." The line from Zien Kapitani's "Kitetemeo" has become a social media catchphrase, with Kenyans using it in videos, memes and everyday conversations. For Kapitani, however, the craze is more than just a funny line.
For those who may not know you, who is Zien Kapitani?
My name is Zien Kapitani, AKA Mr Inarecord Kweli, but my real name is Martin Nduati.
When did you start making music, and what was that journey like before the “Alele Mtoto” stardom?
Before “Kitemeo” was released, which is the original song because ‘Alele Mtoto is just a lyric from the song, I had recorded so many songs. I was just building myself and my career in music; somewhere in between there. I can’t really put a number or even recall the number of songs I did. I was, honestly, just in the journey of perfecting my craft. I started back in high school, around 2018. Back then, music wasn’t paying at all. I have honestly spent the longest time without making money from my music.
Before music started paying, how were you making a living?
I was actually a bus driver for two years before I eventually figured out that music could really pay. Even then, I still had issues financing myself for studio sessions, recording music and basically doing anything, so it was a challenge making a living out of music.
So, before ‘Kitemeo’, how were you making money from your music?
I was only getting money from my streaming platforms and a few collaborations here and there. At times, that money came through DistroKid, which collects money across all your streaming platforms as an artiste.
What changed after Alele Mtoto became a hit?
It has really put me out there and given me so many opportunities. I started getting calls to perform at shows. It has also given me a huge fan base that I didn’t have before, and people started recognising me even more as opposed to where I was before that hit; it really put me in the limelight.
Has the success of ‘Kitemeo’ translated into more money?
Yes. Right now, I can confidently say that I am making more money than before. I’m making almost triple what I used to generate from my art. I am now performing at shows that I didn’t do back then. For now, my performance charges as Kapitani have generally gone up. In Nairobi, for instance, I can’t take less than Sh100,000, and outside Nairobi, Sh180,000 is my rate, although it will also boil down to the location, the terms and the conditions.
Where did the Alele Mtoto phrase come from, and how did you come to use it in your music?
I am still figuring out how to cash in on all the attention because the words Alele Mtoto weren’t originally mine. It was actually street slang and it was popularised very fast by the likes of Olunga. That’s where I borrowed it from before popularising it through my music and the song.
So, the term Alele Mtoto, I can’t really say I own it at all. However, if we are talking about ‘Bag ni ya nini?’, which is a lyric in the song, then that’s a different thing because I’m the one who came up with it.
Kenyan rapper Martin Nduati aka Zien Kapitani is famous for his current hit ‘Bag Ni Ya Nini?’.
At what point did you realise “Kitemeo” had become a massive hit?
After we had just released the song. On the very first day, the song hit 130,000 views in just a few hours after we had dropped it; I was shocked. It was a milestone for me and I actually consider it a very big one, probably the biggest highlight of my career so far.
How significant was that figure for you at the time?
Back then, I was struggling to make such numbers. I would get around 40,000 or 50,000 views thereabouts, but I have been gradually growing, and it was frankly the breakthrough for me.
Do you consider “Kitemeo” the song that made you, or did your earlier music also play a role?
I still believe all my other songs have definitely played a part in bringing me to where I am today, and I can’t dismiss or overlook them at all. I will always meet fans who have different songs from my catalogue that they enjoy or enjoyed, so all my other songs also played a role in getting me to where I am right now.
What is the highest amount of money you have made from music so far?
The highest, especially from one show performance, is Sh120,000, and it was just for a few minutes of performing. I’m really praying to God that he blesses me with even more. I bought a few things that I needed in my house that I didn’t have before, and I also used some of the money to finance my latest music video that I have dropped.
How big is Team Kapitani today?
I have a team of many people, but currently it’s not like I am paying them per se. We are all working towards building the Kapitani brand so that we can all make money through our music.
Are you worried that people might only know you because of ‘Alele Mtoto’ and not your other music?
I’d wish that people knew me from my catalogue rather than just a single catchphrase. Recently, I dropped “Hongo ya Karao”, so I’ll still keep on making music because I would not want to be defined by just one song only. I am currently working on a mixtape. I already have a few songs for it and I’ll be releasing it very soon. I’m still figuring out which songs to include in the mixtape before everything else.
Have you made any money from the phrase ‘Alele Mtoto’ itself?
I haven’t made money from the phrase Alele Mtoto itself, but I have made money from the song, “Kitemeo”.
Has fame changed you in any way?
Fame has changed me a bit because people have also changed with me becoming famous. I can’t say the issue of fame is only about me because, even before I became famous, most people would overlook me and some actually didn’t know I was making music back then.
I would ask someone to come help me with a shoot back then and they would tell me, “Oh, I’m busy,” or, “I don’t think I’ll make it.” However, right now, they are the ones asking me to let them know whenever I have a shoot. So I can say I have changed because people have also been changing with me.
If music stopped tomorrow, what would you do?
If music stopped tomorrow, I would aspire to go abroad and drive a lorry. Like I mentioned earlier, I used to be a matatu bus driver. My plan would be to work abroad, then come back home and start my own business. Even while I was a bus driver, I still saw myself one day becoming a lorry driver abroad. Once music started paying well, that’s when I decided to quit being a PSV driver. Fame also started coming in and people began viewing me differently. Still, after dropping my single “Control”, it gave me the morale to fully focus on music because I felt it wouldn’t make sense trying to focus on two things at the same time.
What is the next financial milestone you want to achieve?
To get a deal worth probably Sh10 million in one month. I would be a happy man. I still believe it’s possible, I know I can achieve it and I’m working towards that.
What’s one thing that would surprise your fans about you?
As Kapitani, I’m very open and open-minded. We can always talk about anything, as long as it’s not really about my personal life. We can talk: football, politics or anything else.
What’s next for Kapitani?
Definitely more bangers, more music and making the Kapitani brand known not just in Kenya, but beyond.
What keeps you awake as a musician?
Definitely stress. I keep asking myself, “What song will I drop tomorrow?” Things like that are what keep me awake.
If you had to choose between bling and shoes, which would you pick?
I would definitely go for shoes. Bling feels a bit heavy. (Laughs).
What keeps your creativity alive?
Feeling like I’m still not enough. I haven’t gotten to where I want to be as an artiste, and that motivates me to work even harder.
Do you write music every day?
I don’t write music every day, but I wish I could, or rather get to that point where I write on a daily basis. Sometimes, writer’s block hits all artistes. There are days when the words just aren’t coming and you feel like abandoning the little faith that you had, but I am working towards overcoming that.
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