Chris Bitti, a man who has nothing left to prove

When I waylay him, he is just fresh from the gym, working out, and that kind of shtick. This is his stick, the kind of stuff that tickles his fancy when he is not watching a movie, or two, or three. Thing is, he watches a lot of movies. 

At his apartment in Riverside, he lobbies bromides of introspective cautiousness, that if he were a superhero his name would have been Shaka and his power would have been mind control. “I have nothing left to prove.” But that’s the kind of thing you say when you are a conquistador, when vacuity becomes the ultimate conquest.

What makes you, you?

I love the arts. I am an artiste. I am a thinker. Those two define me.

What kind of art are you into?

Visual arts, music, and others. By visual I mean computer graphics generated and designed. I love music because that is what I would do if I wasn’t doing this.

What kind of music would you be making?

I am actually a musician but you see, the world likes putting people in a box. If they know you for one thing, they want you to stay there. I believe people are multi-dimensional, I can’t be defined by my profession.

I have been a corporate person, a digital transformation guy, and a musician—which is the biggest part of me. I have worked with several TV stations but you wouldn’t know that it is me. I am a recording artiste but we can talk about it some other time [chuckles].

No, we will talk about it now. Why music specifically?

It started when I was a child and asked my mom to buy me some drums but she was too pro-school. My friends once told me, that perhaps there is something I have, and when I moved to South Africa, we just started singing with a longtime friend at school, beauty pageants and clubs. We ventured into jingles later on account of our having studied computer graphics. 

What was your breakout moment?

With Citizen TV. We did a jingle for them for Citizen Live @9 and I did it quite quickly in my apartment. It was a hit. Our names were always in the credits and that opened doors.

Where has music taken you that other things wouldn’t necessarily do?

Once people discovered that side of me, some connected better while some had a radical conversation to fit me in a box. When I turned 40, I launched my first single and Simba Corp gave me space and cars to shoot a music video.

They say life begins at 40. What changed when you hit that age?

What matters to me became a lot clearer. I realised I have less to prove and it changed my perception completely. I am just a guy. I am in a good place. I got clarity.

Most men have an endearing need to be someone or be something. How is this experience panning out for you?

I am still building things and different businesses, just differently. In 2017 I had about 70 employees, and it would make me feel good, some sort of validation. But that means nothing. It’s the quality of the work that I do now that makes me happy, not the accolades.

It’s the nature of man to get meaning from achievement, where are you getting yours from then?

I have been struggling lately with a couple of philosophical questions. I am asking myself, for instance, to build this business, but so that what happens? It has to make sense and a difference. What is key to me is reputation. I do not want to get work because I have paid someone but because I am great at what I do.

They say philosophy is the affliction of unmarried men or unhappily married men...

Funny enough, I am not married, not divorced, no children. It will happen when it happens. I don’t follow trends; my friends are all married. And there is that pressure, but it is not for a lack of trying [chuckles].

How do you remain steadfast in the wave of unrelenting pressure?

Accountability. My mother is about 76 years old, and she told me one thing: “I am happy that I have raised you exactly how I wanted, so I know you will be fine.”

My father passed away 20 years back at Nairobi Hospital and his colleagues told me, “Just have 10 percent of the integrity your dad had, and you will be great.” I have never forgotten that. This is what matters. I also spend a lot of time alone.

What do you do when you are alone?

Would you believe me if I told you I watch a lot of movies? It’s not normal the number of movies I watch, haha! Sometimes up to three in a day, even whilst working. It makes me feel that I am not under pressure, and as much as I can I go to the cinema, and I have always wanted to make music for movies. I want to stay in touch with what is happening. I went to the movies twice this week. Venom is coming out maybe I should go…haha!

What matters more to you now?

Impact. I spend a lot of time with SMEs and I take pleasure in telling them to do it and advising them. Many people are on the fence and they are frustrated. I love being the helping hand. And also, I studied AI 20 years ago, I don’t know why Eddie, but I was just drawn to it. And because it is the in thing now, I have decided to take it and just push. I shall help more businesses to use it. Real impact and handing out courage.

What is the soundtrack of your life?

I am working on an album presently. The soundtrack of my life hasn’t changed. It is still The Man by Aloe Blacc. That’s how I feel. I am so happy and I don’t even know why.

What do you like to splurge on?

Electronics. Speakers, headphones et al. and a little bit of smelling good.

What’s your idea of a great weekend?

Music because Saturday is my recording day. I don’t work much during the week; I work over the weekend because no clients are calling me. It is a balanced time for me and hopefully, I may end up connecting with someone.

Is there a piece of advice that has guided you over the years?

Lately, yes. There is a client who told me, “Never solve the same problem twice.” It is really about going deep. Don’t do things on the surface. Elon Musk talks about First Principles. When I am solving a problem, I do it in a manner that there is no other way it could have been done.

What’s your superpower?

I adapt extremely fast. My mother made me understand that. She told me something I shall never forget, “You are saying you want to build something huge so you can feel accomplished, but for me, you have made it already.”

That’s beautiful. Who do you know that I should know?

Kris Senanu. You need to meet him, in fact you have to interview him.

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