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When Jones Achido popularly known as VDJ Jones was growing up, his family banked on him to help alleviate the family suffering as he was a diligent and determined young man whose biggest worry was to make sure that his parents and young siblings were comfortable.

Being the firstborn and the only son in a family of three, he bore the burden of taking care of his two younger sisters who saw him as the deputy parent. 

His family is an ordinary one. His younger sister Mercy Atieno, the second born in the family, tells how they were the kind of siblings that would be friends one minute and then rivals the other minute.

Mercy admits that she was the naughty child who always was the source of trouble while Jones was that polite and protective brother who only reacted once in a while to remind her that he was older than her. 

“Growing up was fun, but we were always at war with each other; sibling rivalry was real. But this is the first day I admit that I was the troublemaker.

However, I got to be around Jones a lot and that brought us close and we became best of friends,” Mercy narrates.

Jones would comfortably share with her his ambitions and challenges. And to date, he sees her as his confidant.

Mercy is grateful to their parents who brought them up in a strict Christian family. This upbringing shaped Jone’s character as neither does he imbibe nor use drugs.  

School hypeman

Jones who grew up in Kondele, Kisumu county attended Kondele Primary School before joining Usenge High School in Siaya county where an interest in entertainment was piqued.

Jones was the school hypeman and DJ. It is at this time that he realised that music had the power to move the crowd and relieve stress. So, it is at this point his passion for being a deejay was born. 

After his secondary education in 2010, he proceeded to Multimedia University to pursue Journalism and Mass Communications, since he wanted a course that would draw him close to the media.

“He had a passion for music for so long, but deejaying equipment were rare to find in Kondele.

Nonetheless, this wasn’t enough to kill his enthusiasm. After his Form Four, he frequented disco parties just to learn how to man the DJ turntable,” Mercy shares.

“On joining university in 2013, Jones got more exposure to music and deejaying despite enrolling for a journalism course.

He couldn’t afford a deejaying course, so he had to learn majorly through observing other DJs doing their thing,” she adds. 

Just after his university education in 2015, Jones took up casual DJ jobs earning Sh200 a night.

It was tough as Jones had to host his sister in Nairobi during school holidays. Also, after she completed her secondary education, Mercy joined him in Nairobi.

“Having three meals in a day for us was a privilege. We started selling popcorn in Rongai to put food on the table and get bus fare,” she says. 

When their father saw that his son had a passion for deejaying, he bought a set of DJ equipment with which he perfected his talent.

He then got employed as a resident DJ at a local club earning Sh15,000 a month, which he did for one year before quitting. 

“In 2016, he decided to do street DJ mixes, which had the biggest platform in the streets, matatus, and markets.

This is where he got his breakthrough and grew from a regular street DJ to one of the top DJs and and best-selling names currently in the industry,” Mercy says. 

Astounding growth

Recently, he started music production and video directing having released popular Gengetone hits such as Rieng Remix, Zimepanda, Wale Mang’aa, Amplifier featuring Wyre and many more through his record label, Superstar  Entertainment Kenya.

He is also mentoring and managing some young talents to venture into music. 

Mercy who runs a clothing business and studies Public Relations at Mount Kenya University tells how the story of his brother has inspired her to be persistent and patient.

“If there’s is one thing I admire and have learnt from my brother, it is dedication.

If you want something, then go for it and do it with passion. Commit yourself to whatever it is that you want to be and you will surely get it,” she says.

In his free time, Jones loves listening to music and developing his skills on the decks.

Mercy likes the fact that Jones wills to learn new things each day. He is also generous —he is ever ready to help when he is in a position to. 

 “Seeing him soar gives me so much joy since I feel he deserves it. He earned the crown the right way. I have seen him break his back, so I’m a proud sister,” she avows. 

Mercy is also proud that she has been a pillar to Jones. She supported him psychologically during those times he felt like giving up — when life was giving him lemons.

“I kept him going, I have never stopped to believe in him,” she says in ending.