International dancehall artist Sean Paul Henriques better known as Sean Paul shared experiences of his infamous trip to Kenya in 2004 and how vital the tour shaped his music career.
The Jamaican star noted that contrary to misinformation that has spread for the last seventeen years, his experience in Kenya was positive and inspired his music to be more informative and appreciative of humanity.
He toured the Maasai Mara in his maiden trip to Kenya – a journey that was to remodel his style of music.
Sean Paul was quoted by the Nation on Sunday, August 22, indicating that his encounter with the poor pushed him to be a voice for those who couldn't air their views.
"I had been to a camp in Maasai Mara and saw the basic living. It made me feel like I had gone back a thousand years and think about humanity and the basics we need in life. Also, seeing the giraffes walk with their heads high up there was amazing.
According to the dancehall sensation, the trip inspired his song "As Time Goes On" from his 2005 album Trinity - an album that went platinum after it recorded over a million sales in the United States of America.
"It (the experience) gave me time to really sit down and think. I thought about war and how rich people make money from it, yet the poor people who go to fight in them don't get much, despite being told we're fighting for certain things," he stated.
The 2004 trip birthed rumours that the global artist had his phone stolen during a performance at the Carnivore Simba Saloon in Nairobi.
Those who spread the famous rumour claimed that the Jamaican had sworn never to return to Kenya due to the theft incident.
However, Sean Paul later debunked the claims, affirming that he had lost the Nokia 3650 while checking at the JKIA while heading to Dar es Salaam. At the time, Nokia 3650 had a Ksh40,000 price tag.
This elicited hoaxes from mischievous people who claimed to possess information about the lost phone.
Others went to the extent of posing as workers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA's) cargo handling section in order to dupe Jerome Hamilton, the tour manager, into sending airtime to their phones.
The artist now shared his desire of coming back to Kenya, adding that it would be part of his tour stops after he took a two-year hiatus away from touring due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It was hard to come back as I was touring the world, but I think it's about time to come back. Big up to all the fans who have kept me here," he stated.
