REMEMBERING THE LATE KIKUYU BENGA LEGENDARY ARTIST JOHN DE’MATHEW
● With 375 songs and 50 albums to his name, John De'Mathew was arguably the most influential artist from Central Kenya during his time.
● REAL NAME: John Ng'ang'a Mwangi son of Mathew (Hence De’ Mathew) and the Late Wanjiku.
● BORN in Gathiru-ini village, Mukurwe-ini sub-location, Gatanga Constituency in Murang'a County.
● He was the 4th Born in a family of 8 kids.
● Schooled in Mukurwe-ini (now Githambia) Primary School, then to Naaro Secondary in Kandara and Igikiro Secondary School.
● Before he ventured into music, De'Mathew used to hawk vegetables at Nairobi's Soko Mjinga market, then sold meat in Kariobangi then left to Nakuru where he sold plastic shoes (Sadak).
MUSIC CAREER:
● He composed his first song while still in Standard 7.
● He was introduced to fulltime music career by Timona Mburu and Joseph Wamumbe who helped him to release his first single “Jenifer” in December 1986 and in August 1987, he released “My Dear Nduku”, produced by Albert Gacheru (Wa Maitu), which was the hit that brought him to the limelight.
● His best selling song was “My Dear Nduku” and “Njata Yakwa” which he performed with the Nominated MP Sabina Wanjiru Chege.
● His (own) favourite songs were “PIN Number” and “Muoyo Ti Kibandi”.
● Piracy started eating up their resources in 1992.
● His first car – Nissan Blue Bird which was followed by a Toyota E 91.
DEMISE:
● On the night of August 18 2019, John De'Mathew rammed into a trailer while driving his Nissan Navara pick-up near Blue Post Hotel Thika. He was pronounced dead at Thika Nursing Home where he was rushed for treatment.