NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan rapper Toxic Lyrikali has surprised fans and social media users by reportedly hiring popular boxing sensation Majembe as his personal security guard, in a move that intersects entertainment, sport and street culture.
The decision comes amid heightened attention around the highly anticipated amateur boxing showdown between Majembe and Mbavu the Destroyer, a match that has captured widespread interest online and beyond.
In a video shared on social media, Majembe and Toxic Lyrikali can be seen together, with the rapper confirming the arrangement.
According to the clip and accompanying commentary, Toxic said he had brought the boxer on board not only as a bodyguard but also to symbolise their shared cultural moment.
“I have taken Majembe as my personal bodyguard, and right now we are just chilling with my crew eating meat because they have worked hard for so long, but if you bring trouble to us, we will deal with you,” Toxic Lyrikali said in the video.
The partnership has ignited fresh conversations online, with fans reacting to the unusual alliance between a music artist and a viral fighter.
Boxing bout draws national buzz
The Majembe vs Mbavu the Destroyer fight has become one of Kenya’s most talked-about amateur sporting events, propelled by social media hype and celebrity endorsements.
President William Ruto even weighed in on the phenomenon, pledging KSh1 million to each boxer following playful references to the fight in public remarks by Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor (Jalang’o).
Kasarani MP Ronald Karauri has also contributed to the event’s profile, donating KSh2 million to support the fighters.
For Majembe, widely recognised for his raw, street-style boxing clips, working with Toxic Lyrikali promises both financial support and enhanced visibility ahead of the bout.
“If you try playing around, you will know that you don’t know,” Majembe said in his own video message.
The culture behind the buzz
The collaboration highlights how sporting events and musical personalities increasingly intersect in Kenya’s youth and urban culture. What began as a viral boxing challenge has morphed into a broader pop-cultural spectacle, with artists, politicians and influencers engaging around it.
Toxic Lyrikali, best known for his rugged lyrics and rapid rise in the Kenyan rap scene, has also been at the centre of several industry debates and public feuds with fellow artists in recent months.
By aligning himself with Majembe, who enjoys a passionate online following, Toxic is tapping into a grassroots movement that has expanded far beyond the music charts into mainstream national attention.
Public reaction
Responses to the bodyguard news have been mixed across social media, with some fans expressing incredulity and others celebrating the alliance:
One fan wrote on X: “Why would someone from the ghetto get a bodyguard?.” Another opined, “Majembe is the talk of the town. What an aura.”
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While some commentators view the hiring as symbolic showmanship and a marketing boost for the upcoming fight, others see it as emblematic of how modern celebrity culture in Kenya blurs lines between entertainment and sport.
The buzz around these events has turned what might once have been a niche fight into a national conversation. It reflects a new dynamic in Kenyan pop culture, where viral personalities command influence across multiple sectors and can drive significant engagement and economic interest.
Whether this collaboration will have lasting impact on music or sporting culture remains to be seen, but for now it has firmly captured the public imagination.
