Mtesi The King
After dominating our screens as an actor in a national Tv series, Mtesi the king now runs his own empire. Pachagazine had a close dialogue with the multi-talented art enthusiast, formally referred as Symo on Machachari (Citizen TV series), taking us through his new career journey.
Pachagazine: What’s your stage name?
Mtesi The King: Symo (Machachari) or Mtesi The King
Pachagazine: what’s your real name.
Mtesi The King: Joseph Jesse
Pachagazine: How can you describe Mtesi The King?
Mtesi The King: A Talented, hard-working, and a determined person on what he does and he gives his best.
Am a rapper, actor and an MC. Mtesi means “kutesa” shining on what I do like am also an MC so when am on a mic kill the show. When on a mike rapping am outstanding. My dressing code is also exceptional. Am always leading on what I do
Pachagazine: What first got you into music?
Mtesi The King: When the citizen TV series I used to be part of “Machachari” as Symo ended and genge tone wave had already started, I decided to do something different to challenge my self and I believed nothing is impossible. I had passion in singing a friend Melanin approached me with a song so I tried adding my verse and that’s how I got into music.
Pachagazine: How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Mtesi The King: Gengetone but a unique one different from others
Pachagazine: You mention being on Machachari, can you tell as something about it.
Mtesi The King: Machachari TV series created Symo. Machachari is where my story begun and where I grew my career for the past 9 years working with the best kids’ actors in Kenya at that time
Pachagazine: How would you compare music and acting. Which one is your favourite?
Mtesi The King: Acting is always my favorite. I started acting wen I was 12 years on TV.
Pachagazine: How did you end up as an actor in a national television drama series (Machachari).
Mtesi The King: Just Talent, I guess. My primary school (ACK St John’s Kangemi) supported drama and music. At that time, I was in class 5 competing with other schools were we always won as number 1. Even in church (Christ the King Kangemi) I used to act and dance. My father saw potential in me and he knew about the auditions of Machachari, I went and tried my luck, luckily, I passed and that’s how my acting life began on Tv.
Pachagazine: What’s the biggest problem you’ve had to overcome so far?
Mtesi The King: Being known and people expect more of you and in reality, you just struggle to be the best version of youself.
Pachagazine: How do you manage to do music and act at the same time?
Mtesi The King: 1st is passion. I love them both. 2nd, it is a talent so when am free I write my songs using my phone and write scripts and during my off days I shoot my short films which I usually upload in my YouTube channel.
Pachagazine: You are also a script writer and a content creator?
Mtesi The King: I learned a lot during that period… I worked with the best directors and script writers… Now I can write on my own and create content on my own and even edit on my own and I know how the industry works
All thanks to God, because he gave each one of us talents not just one but talents you just need to try and discover them.
Pachagazine: How long have you been doing music?
Mtesi The King: Since last year 2019 on august so let’s say 1 year
Pachagazine: Do you work alone or you have a team/agency?
Mtesi The King: I have a team of about 2 people plus me 3…the one who shoots the clips and an assistant and me the editor
Pachagazine: how many releases so far?
Mtesi The King: 4 songs so far… 3gengetone 1 gospel
Pachagazine: Since you are multitalented What is the most useless or valuable talent you have and why?
Mtesi The King: There is no useless talent as long as it adds value in my life, I value it but I love acting more I can’t lie and editing
Pachagazine: Did acting very young affect your studies?
Mtesi The King: No, it didn’t because we used to shoot on weekends
Pachagazine: what do you do apart from content creation, acting and music?
Mtesi The King: I do photography, editing, selling cloths (mitumba) because I have to pay bills.
Pachagazine: Which is your best piece you’ve released in both music and acting?
Mtesi The King: Every song I release is a growth from the last, but I can say this year 2020 the gospel collabo I did with Mandy breezy was the best because it is biased on true story about my life.
Then on acting this project which I started last year November Ghettoh plot affairs will be one of the biggest projects in Kenya I believe.
Pachagazine: How do you think the Internet has impacted your career?
Mtesi The King: It has in a big way because, I can share my staffs there and a person who is in another county can view my work or someone who is not in Kenya can view my work too.
Pachagazine: Tell us about your project Ghetto Plot Affairs.
Mtesi The King: I was raised in ghetto (Kangemi) so it’s just what happens in plots in ghetto I just write script according to my experience in the ghetto. Even the location which I shoot it’s at my mum’s place Kangemi
Pachagazine: Which musician/actor do you look up to?
Mtesi The King: Musician – Popcan from Jamaica I love how he has grown in music
Actor – Will smith
Pachagazine: If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Mtesi The King: The industry to stop discouraging upcoming artist because upcoming artist he/she does not have a management or someone to help him/her to reach where he/she wants to but to listen what does he/she offer and surprisingly some of upcoming artist are more talented than people in the industry.
Pachagazine: Which legacy would you like to be remembered with?
Mtesi The King: One person who helped other talented upcoming youths my goal is to help like 100 upcoming talented youths one of my project is ghetto plot affairs and the best content creator east and western Africa.
Pachagazine: Dating, married or single
Mtesi The King: Single
Pachagazine: which Kenyan female actor would you like to work with?
Mtesi The King: For now, I can say maria.
Pachagazine: What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Mtesi The King: God and God again put him first to thank him for your talent and to help you grow in what you do, be determined in what you push, don’t ever give up because u never know tomorrow might be your day and always be humble no matter what because we all talented just in different ways
#kingking
Pachagazine: do you have upcoming projects or what should your fans expect?
Mtesi The King: Yea they should expect more of my projects to come. They continue to be supportive as they do, I really appreciate.
Pachagazine: where can people find your work?
Mtesi The King:
YouTube
Comedy: Watesi comedy TV
Songs: Rebols entertainment
Follow Mtesi the King on Social Media:
Facebook- @Mtesi The King
Instagram- @ Mtesi The King
Tweeter- @Smtesi
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