According to Nigerian musician Kcee, whose real name is Kingsley Okonkwo, he was a professional football player before turning to music as his second love after his soccer career failed to get sponsorship.
The “Limpopo” hitmaker revealed that he played for Puma FC and Julius Berger FC, two Nigerian league teams, in the 1990s in an interview with podcaster Temisan Emmanuel.
He asserted that his football career brought him to South Africa, where he was one of the younger players expected to succeed the Olympic gold-winning Super Eagles squad, which also featured Austin Jay Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu.
He clarified that he transitioned to music following difficulties in his football career brought on by a lack of sponsorship.
Read Also: Opeyemi Aiyeola Calls Out Eniola Badmus for Body Shaming Her
“Football was the first reason I left this country,” Kcee stated. Julius Berger was my audience. I performed for Puma. I traveled to South Africa for soccer the first time. That was prior to the invention of music.
“I was just a little lad. This occurred in the mid-1990s. At the time, I was a teenager. Kanu and Jay Jay [Okocha] were a set in front of me. We would have been similar to those who took over the Super Eagles after them.
“I picked up my next love, music,” he continued, after realizing that it was hard to advance my football career. They were jogging side by side with me. I started earning money during that time after winning the Star Quest talent hunt. I had to drop one for one as a result. That’s why I gave up football.
