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The artist often referred to as the best entertainer in East Africa, Diamond Platnumz, has narrated how his music journey began and where it started.
Originating from Kigoma, Western Tanzania, Diamond struggled in the artistic journey until he reached the peak of his music career in Dar es Salaam, the main commercial city in Tanzania, on the eastern side.
Speaking about his history on stage during a performance on Tuesday night during the Uhuru Torch Relay in Tanga region, in the district of Pangani, Diamond said he didn't sleep and wake up to find himself at the top of one of Africa's most famous artists.
The artist said many might have known him from 2009, but that's not where his music journey began.
The CEO of the WCB Wasafi label and Wasafi Media revealed that he started pursuing his dream of becoming a musician in 1999 but made a musical breakthrough ten years later.
"I started hustling and fighting for my dream of being a musician since 1999 but I made it in 2009, approximately ten years later," Diamond told the youth of Pangani.
The artist, ranked number two in the list of East African artists according to Forbes, advised young people not to lose heart in their efforts to seek a living, as success takes time.
"So I advise my fellow youth not to give up on their dreams," he advised.
According to last year's Forbes list, Diamond has a wealth of over Ksh 1.09 billion, behind Ugandan artist and politician Bobi Wine, who has a wealth of Ksh 1.2 billion.
From time to time, the artist reminisces about how tough life was starting out in music and being raised by his mother alone.
Diamond has been quoted as saying that at one point, he had to steal his mother's necklace to sell it for money to be allowed into a concert hall, just to get the opportunity to showcase his talent.
