Raised in Nairobi’s Eastlands at a time when hip-hop and dancehall were beginning to take root locally, Daddy V chose a path few took then, dancehall.
Today, the US-based musician says his ambition has never drifted far from home.
“We started out when we were young and green. It was hard even to come up with a name, but we still jumped on stage for musical contests,” he says.
His earliest training ground was the weekly jam sessions where many young performers tested their craft before unforgiving crowds.
Those jam sessions were more than open-mic nights; they were cultural incubators. Young artistes battled nerves, sharpened lyrical reflexes, and learned the unforgiving rhythm of live performance.
“The crowd was basically the judge while the applause was affirmation because it was really tough,” he says.
He watched, listened, and refined. And in that moment, he developed a commanding presence that would later define his career.
Performing under the name King V before later rebranding to Daddy V, he learned to command audiences in real time long before social media promotion existed.
His breakthrough came with the album Nare, whose title track travelled beyond Kenya into clubs across North America, Europe and Australia. It was also featured on the Kenyan film Malooned.
The exposure introduced him to diaspora audiences and led to performances across the United States.
Relocating abroad, however, did not make the journey easier.
“Pursuing music full-time in the United States came with a steep cost,” he says. “Studio time, production and promotion all demanded investment and endurance.”
He balanced multiple hustles while building a catalogue; blending Caribbean dancehall with African storytelling. Over time he collaborated with Jamaican dancehall acts and American R&B artistes.
“To date I have performed and done collaborations with Jamaican dancehall artistes and several American R&B artistes,” he says.
Each project marked an evolution and growth not a departure from his roots, but an expansion of them.
His collaborative spirit bridges generations and geographies.
A recent partnership with Kenyan hip-hop icon CMB Prezzo illustrates this continuity. The two first connected in America over a decade ago, their early discussions about a remix slowly maturing into creative synergy.
During a recent visit to Nairobi, they reunited in studio sessions and recorded a remix to a track titled Mahooks, signaling both reunion and renewal.
For Daddy V, the partnership represents a brotherhood forged through shared ambition abroad. “Prezzo, as iconic as he is in the Kenyan music scene, has been more than a friend. He’s family and we’ve always cheered each other on.”
He has also worked with younger artistes and producers, noting that modern technology has changed collaboration.
“Unlike back in the day, we now live in a global village. It’s easy to connect and tap into new ideas,” he adds.
Despite living in the United States, Daddy V closely follows Kenya’s music scene and believes local artistes still struggle against perceptions favouring foreign sounds.
“There’s a lingering perception that international music carries more prestige,” he says. “Kenyan music is unfairly considered ordinary.”
To address this, he plans to establish Daddy V Studios in Kenya to mentor emerging artists and provide recording opportunities.
“I’m immensely invested in giving back home,” he says. “I want to create spaces where others can grow the way we did.”
For him, distance does not weaken identity. He intends to keep working between both countries while strengthening his presence in Kenya.
“I release this new jam with Prezzo reminiscing about my journey and desire to come back home with pride.”
He continues to pursue milestones in America while planning to balance both worlds. Nairobi still holds him.
And wherever he performs next, he carries that city within his sound, bridging continents one beat at a time.