TAKEAWAYS

• Abdul Mulaasi says artists of his era were rarely seen in public, making them more valuable to fans.
• He believes today’s musicians have weakened their brands by being constantly visible on social media and in everyday public spaces.
• The singer shared humorous stories illustrating his past popularity and insisted his famous “farm of women” never collapsed.

Kadongo Kamu legend Abdul Mulaasi has reflected on what made musicians of his generation so influential, saying their biggest strength was maintaining an air of mystery that kept fans yearning to see them.

Speaking during an interview, Mulaasi argued that artists in the past carefully protected their public image and were rarely seen outside organized performances.

According to the veteran singer, even simple outings such as visiting restaurants or attending events were done discreetly to avoid being spotted by the public. He believes that exclusivity increased demand for concerts and strengthened musicians’ brands.

“Back then, people could go months without seeing us. Even when we went to restaurants or events, we made sure fans rarely caught a glimpse of us. That mystery made people value us.”

Mulaasi contrasted that era with today’s entertainment industry, saying many artists are constantly visible on TikTok, in bars and restaurants, and in everyday public spaces, something he believes diminishes their appeal.

The “Farm” hitmaker also recounted a humorous story about a fan who was selling mandazi while wearing a T-shirt promoting one of his concerts. After Mulaasi briefly waved at him from his car before driving away, the excited fan announced that he had just seen the singer, attracting crowds who bought all his mandazi. Mulaasi jokingly said the encounter helped transform the man’s business and eventually made him wealthy.

“People were so excited just to see us. Today, artists are everywhere, but in our time, fans treasured every rare encounter.”

He also laughed about another incident where curious fans reportedly rushed to a place after learning he had briefly stopped there, demonstrating just how fascinated people were by his movements.

Addressing long-running jokes about his famous “farm of women,” Mulaasi dismissed claims that it had collapsed, saying he is the farm itself and that as long as he is alive, it still exists.

The veteran musician concluded by saying he holds no bitterness toward those who claim he never benefited financially from his music, adding that he is grateful his work has helped many other people build successful lives.