Rapper Julius Owino popularly known as Juliani, has shed more light as to why he put out a fundraising Paybill number on social media asking his fans to send him money.
In a recorded video, Juliani starts off by explaining how remarks made by controversial blogger Andrew Kibe about his financial status hurt him.
He explained that when his son was born, he had anticipated spending at least six months exclusive time with him.
However due to past commitments, he was forced to go back to work and look for money to see through some projects he had started.
“I do not mind trolls. I actually find some of them funny. Jana (yesterday) when Kibe mentioned my child, I was like it’s funny but to me it was a little bit serious. When my child was born, I gave myself three to six months to just spend and soak in all this, help the mom and just be present as a dad to my second child,” Juliani said.
“But I couldn’t because earlier that month, I did an event called Nairobi start-up week. I put my money into it. I do not have sponsors or investors. So I am not able to spend time with my son right now because I am running around trying to pay debts and achieve some things I promised myself,” he said.
Juliani then acknowledges that he is indeed broke but this does not mean that he is poor. He says his money is currently invested in projects which are yet to yield returns.
“So yes, you can be making fun of it and it can be funny but the truth is for me it’s serious because I am not spending enough time with my son. So yes, I am broke but I am far from poor. You are calling me broke but I am not your kind of broke. Right now the reason I have to put the Paybill number is because you are calling me broke, but I am not your kind of broke,” Juliani explained.
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“If you see me running around, I am not just trying to do things for myself because I am okay. I have a roof over my head but I have a dream for my community to provide 10,000 jobs, give artistes loans based on their music, I want to release more music but I can’t because the money I have invested in the last five years has not yielded returns yet. I gave myself 10 years and it is going to work,” he said.
Prior to the video, Juliani had written a cryptic message telling his fans not to believe everything they see online.
“Please treat this message with contempt like the rest that keeps coming your way. Never believe what’s online.”
Lilian; Julani’s wife made a comment on Kibe’s accusation saying: “Just seen some shallow story that you all are trying to drag me into. Kweli hamchoki, endeleeni tu. Let me proceed with my day with my little boy.” BY DAILY NATION