Eric Omondi has expressed his belief that Stivo Simple Boy should pursue music for enjoyment rather than relying on it as a source of income due to his inability to sustain himself in the industry.
During an interview with Mungai Eve, the comedian disclosed that he and his friends were organizing a fundraising campaign online to support the rapper during these challenging economic times.
“We are conducting an online fundraising campaign. I have reached out to some of my friends to collect at least 600k,” Eric Omondi stated.
He further explained that their plan was to cover Stivo’s rent for a minimum of eight months, provide him with groceries to last for six months, and finance the recording of at least three songs.
“We want to provide a long-term solution for Stivo because he has been trapped in this vicious cycle. He gets a manager who disappoints him, and then he ends up crying about it. Therefore, we intend to pay his rent for at least eight months, supply him with groceries for six months, cover the cost of three song recordings, and help him secure a day job from 8 to 5,” Eric emphasized.
In addition, Eric Omondi revealed that he had already secured a job for Stivo at Safaricom, which would pay him Ksh65,000 per month.
“We have secured a job that pays 65k, a regular job at Safaricom. Stivo will wake up in the morning, go to work in the evening, and then head to the studio,” he explained.
When asked about how he managed to secure such a lucrative job for Stivo at Safaricom, considering the rapper’s limited academic background, Eric clarified that the telecommunications company offers various casual jobs that pay well.
“Safaricom has a range of jobs that anyone can do. It’s such a large organization. They have both casual and professional positions. Everyone can contribute in their own way,” Eric elaborated.
In an interview in June 2022, Stivo disclosed that he did not continue his education beyond primary school. He acknowledged that he struggled academically and was a slow learner.
He attended school in Homa Bay county from nursery to class seven and sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in Kibera, Nairobi.
“I was one of those special kids. Some people don’t grasp things quickly, and I was one of them. I attended school up to class 7 and then returned to Nairobi to complete my eighth-grade studies,” he shared.
After completing his KCPE exams, Stivo did not pursue further education but instead took on odd jobs to make a living in the Kibera slums.
Regarding Stivo’s past management, Eric Omondi made it clear that he does not blame them for the rapper’s current situation. He stressed that what Stivo needs is personal help, not a new manager.
“I can’t solely blame the management. Sometimes, we need to explore different approaches to assist Stivo Simple Boy. We can’t expect different outcomes if we keep doing the same thing. So, I have studied Stivo for the past two weeks, had conversations with him, and started to understand him better. Stivo needs help as an individual, as people might take advantage of his situation,” Eric emphasized.
Eric firmly believes that Stivo should pursue music for enjoyment rather than relying on it as a means of livelihood, similar to well-established musicians like Sauti Sol and Khaligraph Jones.
“Given Stivo’s current situation, he needs help first before we consider providing him with management. Even if we were to give him another manager, the same issues would arise. He needs personal assistance because people might take advantage of his circumstances. Stivo should pursue music for fun, not as a means of making a
