Lucas Mkenda popularly known as Mr. Nice is a Tanzanian veteran singer and one of the most celebrated vocalists in East Africa dominating
East African music
In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the use of music is not limited to entertainment: it serves a purpose to the local community and helps in the conduct of daily routines. Traditional African music supplies appropriate music and dance for work ...
in the early 2000s alongside
Jose Chameleone of Uganda and
Jua Cali of Kenya.
Mkenda went professional in 1999 with the release of his debut album, ''Kidali Po'', and towards the end of 2002, he released his second album, ''Rafiki'', also his songs; "Kikulacho", "Fagilia Wote" and "Kuku Kapanda Baiskeli" were among major hit songs of his career. He was famous for his 'Takeu' style, that comes from the initials of
Tanzania,
Kenya and
Uganda respectively. It incorporates elements from all three countries.
Personal life
Lucas Mkenda was born in 1978, a
Chaga in
Moshi, Tanzania. He currently resides in
Kenya with his wife whom they have two daughters. In 2021, Mr. Nice's mother who was living in
Moshi, Tanzania passed away.
Controversies
Many controversies revolved around Mkenda as his music career went down. Things went south when he visited South Africa, at
Mzansi
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring cou ...
, Mkenda experienced an alarming downward spiral that was attributed to alcoholism and hedonism. As he disappeared for a while, rumors had it that he raped a little girl and was arrested, more word went around that he had died. On 13 December, one of East African websites sensationally claimed that Mkenda was dead. A few hours later, it turned out to be just a rumour after the musician through his socials assured his fans that he was alive and well.
Mkenda has been struggling to revive his music career, at some point he migrated from
Tanzania to reside in
Uganda where he complained about Cyberattack, cyber and physical attacks he faced that nearly costed his life. In 2013 he resided in
Kenya and signing with a record label before being dropped just a few months later, also claims that he was HIV-positive, HIV positive and being broke were everywhere however, he came out to deny all these claims publicly.
Mkenda had a long rivalry with a Tanzanian rap artist, Dudu Baya that lasted to more than two decades. The two Tanzanian musical artists reached a stage of putting on a fight back in 2001, an action that was criticized by government and music supporters.
Discography
Albums
*Kidali po
*Rafiki
Singles
*Kikulacho
*Fagilia
*Nakuita
*Kidalipo
*Awe mama we
*Tabia gani
*Mama
*Tuvumiliane
*Kila mtu na demu wake
*Kuku kapanda baiskeli
*Mbona umeniacha
*King'asti
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mkenda, Lucas
Living people
1978 births
Tanzanian singers
Swahili-language singers of Tanzania
Tanzanian Roman Catholics
People from Kilimanjaro Region
Tanzanian choreographers
African choreographers
21st-century Tanzanian male singers