From street Urchin To Musician: Calif Records Made Me Suffer But I Will Still Press On!

Let’s pick up from where we left off. The story of Salim Khushi who had already endured alot but was in for some more tough times. He was a victim of P.E.V and though he survived, he has the scars to prove that he went through alot. Here is the second part of his story. And in this one he talks candidly about his experience at Calif records.

I happened upon a random simcard where i used to work at the police canteen  as a cook for the “mahabusu”. I picked it up hoping it had some airtime in it but it hadnt any, just contacts. That was a blessing! That is where I found some names of Jua kali, Josphat Odipo(Citizen) and Philip Muchiri.

At this time, the men at the canteen had started mistreating me (or so i felt). Plus I felt I had no freedom to walk from studio to studio so I could not even trace calif records leave alone Jua Kali. I left the place and went back to Nakuru but to my surprise the man who had brought me up was no more. He had died during the Post Election clashes and I couldn’t go back to the streets even though I knew alot of people there because I felt I had a new life. So i begun to comunicate with Jua Kali. I told him about my music talent he told me that it was next to impossible for him to help me while I’m in Nakuru so I had to come to Nai.
as fate would have it, Clemmo had just taken Mejja in so I thought coming to Nai will ease things for me. I naively thought they would provide accommodation, food and everything else I’d need. I thought it was a big deal and I was now a celeb. To my surprise when I came and got directions to Calif, things were not as I expected.
Jua Kali didn’t know me anymore and directed me to Clemmo who in turn refered me to a guy by the name of alpha Msanii and thats where my misery started. The other artist saw the uchokoraa in me and I hated myself. Everytime I’d go to the studio, Alpha told me to come back the following day and when I came other artist -who were actually paying for their songs to be produced- were on the queue while I wanted a favor.
I waited for like 4 days without anything and every night I would go back to sleep in cartons on the streets. Nobody can ever know what I went through. I kept it secret because all I wanted was to do a song and I didn’t want anything to potentially damage this opportunity. But alas, my dreams never came to fruition and I gave up.I had no place to sleep, no cash and i was hungry yet all I used to do was waste time outside the studio waiting for the uncaring producer. I left and vowed never to come back to the place and that’s a promise I’ve never broken.

After the Calif saga I went to look for a job in Industrial area. I had no i.d and no certificates so the only option was as a casual labourer. I went back to doing what I know and that’s cooking in a cafe. I saved up till I got enough to rent a house and started life in Nairobi. I didn’t visit any music studio after that for about 3 months then later found a studio in Eastleigh (Esili) called Madiwa records where I did my 1st song that I paid for back in 2011 January.
When it was played on Ghetto FM by Man Wazimu I was so gratefull that I decided to do the 2nd song called MASKINI. The song was loved by many and I met another producer who did the song and video ask Man Wazimu and he will tell you the song led his chart for like 9 weeks. Here is the video though it was poorly done for lack of cash. After that i did other songs with Madiwa until I met Shaki of Mandugu digital. I have been working with him since then.

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