Kenyan rapper C.M.B Prezzo has been making headlines after he recently suffered a medical emergency during the launch of Bahati’s new Netflix reality show, ‘The Bahati Empire’.
The musical icon is a household name with a career spanning 20 years in Kenya’s entertainment industry, venturing in music, reality television and business.
Early Life
Prezzo whose real name is Jackson Ngechu Makini was born in 1980 at Pumwani Hospital and was raised in the Muyuyu Area on Eastleigh in Nairobi until he was ten. His family then relocated to Langata.
Music Career
Prezzo began his career in the early 2000s, immersing himself in the hip hop genre which revolutionalized the Kenyan music scene.
In 2004, he released his first album dubbed “Naleta Action’ which was a massive success in Kenya and East Africa. The album had several songs including; Let’s Get Down, Naleta Action, Mimi na Wewe, Mafans and Leo ni Leo.
He also began his music label Cash Money Brother (CMB), in which he collaborated with the late Feroze Hirji, brother to musician Nazizi of Necessary Noize. The group dominated on charts battling with other record labels such as Ogopa Deejays and Calif Records.
He has had successful collaborations with East African artists including Karen Kaz, Nazizi, Redsan, Talia Oyando, Victoria Kimani and AY.
His top songs are Naleta Action, Ma Fans, Tupendane, Let’s Get Down, Nipe Nikupe andFor Sho for Shizzle, Lighter, Nataka Tupendane and Naija Girl.
Prezzo is famous for his flashy lifestyle, and in 2012, he was chosen to represent Kenya in the African version of the reality TV franchise Big Brother where he emerged as runner-up. His popularity after the show heightened especially after he started dating fellow housemate Goldie Harvey.
He also was a cast member of the Kenyan reality show Nairobi Diaries in 2016 but left after a misunderstanding with the show’s producers.
Love Life
The rapper’s romantic life has been a roller coaster, marked by short-lived relationships that are full of controversy.
His first public relationship was with media personality Sheila Mwanyigah, also known as “Nikki” and they dated for a considerable amount of time.
He was also involved with the late Goldie Harvey and rumours of their engagement dominated Nigerian and Kenyan media which he later denied.
Prezzo maried Daisy Kiplagat in 2008. The two were blessed with a daughter. They later separated in 2013.
Other celebrities the rapper has previously dated are Tanzanian socialite Amber Lulu, Michelle Yola, Noti Flow, and Chagga Barbie.
Politics
Prezzo was a member of Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party which he joined in 2019.
He unsuccessfully vied for the Kibra parliamentary seat in 2022, after which he resigned from the party but did not reveal the reason behind his exit.
Net worth
Prezzo’s net worth is currently unknown.
