Iyanii Opens Up About Surviving a Near-Death Shooting During His Youth In Mathare

Kenyan hitmaker Iyanii has shared a chilling account of how he narrowly escaped death during his younger years in Mathare. Reflecting on his life before the fame and success of his latest hits like Donjo Maber, the singer revealed the harsh realities of growing up in an environment where crime was a constant presence.

Speaking on the Mic Cheque podcast, Iyanii disclosed that he frequently associated with childhood friends who were involved in criminal activities. He recalled a pivotal night when a casual trip to a reggae show nearly turned fatal. Without his knowledge, one of his companions snatched a woman’s handbag, sparking an immediate outcry. As the group scattered to evade the police, Iyanii fled and sought refuge inside a Dandora-bound matatu.

It wasn’t until a fellow passenger pointed out that he was bleeding that he realized he had been struck by a bullet.

“I ran and sat in the Dandora matatus, and that is when this lady looked at me and told me that I was bleeding. That is when it hit me that I had been shot,” he shared, even showing the podcast hosts the permanent bullet scar on his arm.

He noted that in the heat of the moment, he hadn’t felt any pain, nearly losing his life due to the actions of those around him.

Despite the danger, Iyanii explained that the bond of growing up together made it difficult to distance himself from his peers at the time. He even recalled with a touch of irony how a friend’s criminal dealings helped him acquire his very first mobile phone in high school. However, the stark contrast between his current life and his past is not lost on him; many of those same childhood friends have since lost their lives to crime.

Choosing to pursue music proved to be his saving grace, leading him to the national stardom he enjoys today. Now an established artist, Iyanii uses his past experiences as fuel for his philanthropy, expressing a deep passion for conducting charity work within prisons to support those who took a different path.