Popular Nigerian singer and songwriter, Kingsley ‘Kcee’ Okonkwo, has revealed that repeated snubs by award organisers once left him in tears.
The Afrobeats artiste, formerly one half of the duo KC Presh, spoke about the emotional toll of being overlooked.
He said the experience prompted him to stop placing importance on award recognition despite his contributions to the music industry.
“I grew up in an industry that wasn’t fair to me. There wasn’t any attention given to me at any moment. I was doing a lot that the industry wasn’t recognising.
“The fans were the ones who were behind me. I did a lot of work; they were not nominating me for awards. And I cried; I was pained,” the singer said on Afrobeats Intelligence podcast.
The 47-year-old artiste explained that he eventually chose to detach himself from seeking validation through awards after noticing a consistent pattern of exclusion.
“Right now, when I win awards, or you don’t nominate me, I don’t care. I prefer the rewards to the awards. So, when ‘Limpopo’ came, oh, I was in tears.
“I was like, no, God has answered my prayer. He took me to the global market straight. After all the years I’ve worked with Presh, that’s like the biggest record I’ve ever done,” he added.
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Kcee began his music career in 1999 in his local church before rising to prominence after KC Presh won the maiden edition of the Star Quest music competition in 2002.
Reflecting on his more recent success, the singer highlighted the viral impact of his 2024 hit “Ojapiano,” which he said gained rapid traction on TikTok.
“I dropped ‘Ojapiano’ like today, the next day, it was doing 120,000 videos on TikTok in one day. And it happened for seven days non-stop. That’s organic. The white people were vibing to it,” he said.
Known for his versatility, Kcee has released several hit songs over the years, including “Okpekete,” “Tender” featuring Tekno, “Ojaginger,” and “Big Fish,” alongside culturally inspired tracks such as “Cultural Praise” and “Cultural Vibes.”
His 12-track 2025 album, Okonkwo and Sons Unlimited, released under Five Star Music, combines traditional highlife with contemporary Afrobeats and features collaborations with artistes including Wyclef Jean, Teni, and Umu Obiligbo.
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