At only 24 years of age, Jocelyn Keko was well on her way to international superstardom.
The rapper's prominence in a male-dominated hip-hop music industry saw her become a household name, with her signature tomboy-look and stylish Mohawk.
The life of the party, Keko made smoking shisha and cigarettes, drinking alcohol and anything else she did look cool, especially to the teenagers who loved her hip-hop style.
With popular songs such as Make You Dance, Akello and How We Do (featuring Mowzey Radio and Weasel) which also won her a Channel O award, this tall dark beauty from the land of the Japadhola made her tribemates proud to have one of their own represent.
Soon after she broke onto the music scene, she signed endorsement deals with companies including MTN and, Mountain Dew (Pepsi) and the biggest of them all, a contract with SuperSport International.
Who can forget her awesome performance of How We Do on the Big Brother Africa live show? At that point it seemed the only direction for Keko was up, especially after she snagged a deal with Sony Music Entertainment.
She was one of the entertainment scene's A-listers and even influenced many girls' androgynous fashion sense, giving high-top sneakers worn with tight jeans and a jacket an 'it' corporate look only she could pull off.
However, at the apex of her career two years ago, Keko's public appearances lessened and so did her live performances. When she got a mention in the media, it was often for all the bad reasons; no one seemed to know how the Sony deal had benefited her and one thing was for sure; the golden girl was not dropping any more rhymes.
Rumours started to trickle in that Keko was suffering from drug addiction, but many kept their hope alive. Keko and her team, nevertheless, kept mum about the rumours until she completely slipped out of the public eye.
So, you can imagine my pleasant surprise when I recently found her at Hana Mixed Secondary School, talking to students there about where she has been, her battle with addiction and influencing their choices in a totally different line.
Now 28, the emotional rapper was using her life story to change the lives of the students. Apparently, this is her life now; moving around schools to keep impressionable and easily excitable youths out of trouble.
For the first time since she went into hibernation, Keko gave a testimony about her 'triumph' over drug abuse during the third annual youth health camp late last month.
"I was a drug-popper. I did all the drugs and liquor that I could access," she confessed, revealing that she became addicted to Xanax and OxyContin, a narcotic pain medication.
CELEBRITY PRESSURES
Keko's battles with addiction and depression are no different from those of many other celebrities as they struggle with the heights fame thrusts them to.
There have been media reports of another talented artiste, Jackie Chandiru, allegedly battling her own addiction demons, and many local artistes are dependent on one drug or the other, not to mention some being alcoholics.
Keko is one of the lucky ones to have received help in time. She said after recording her first song Alwoo, she became nervous and uncomfortable with being in the spotlight.
"I would drink and smoke before and during my live performances due to lack of self-esteem and confidence," she recalled.
Keko was talking to thousands of students drawn from 16 Ugandan, three Kenyan and two Tanzanian secondary schools. Themed, Life In My Shoes, the camp was organised by Reach a Hand Uganda and focused on engaging the youth on several health problems, career guidance and society challenges.
Keko's turning point came in late 2014 when she returned from South Africa and checked into her room in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb, and took a nap. But a perfectly-timed call from one of her managers saved her life.
"I don't remember anything but I found myself in hospital. Two weeks later, I was moved to Serenity Centre on Entebbe road," she said.
At the centre, where she spent more than six months, Keko was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). She was entered into a recovery program and has not looked back since then.
This, however, was not her first struggle with prescription drugs, alcohol and substance abuse. She admitted to smoking marijuana and suffering the consequences during her days as a Makerere University student.
"It took me a while to graduate. All the facilitation I got for internship was spent on drugs and liquor and I never thought of the health implications," the Bachelor of Commerce graduate recalls.
The rapper, who went to Tororo Girls for her primary and ordinary level education and sat for her A-level exams at St Noah secondary school in Zana, partly blames her downward spiral on "fake friends".
"Unfortunately I now believe I made wrong choices and bad groups as friends after campus," she said, tears welling in her eyes.
"[Fame] can be horrible. For now I want to have a private life as I take a break off music to reach a hand to anyone struggling with drug addictions and add weight to the fight against tobacco," Keko said as she appealed to her young audience to abandon smoking and alcoholism.
It is a known fact that many secondary school students are already addicted to drugs and alcohol, smuggling the substances into even the strictest of school compounds, and risking expulsion if caught. Suleiman Ssengonzi, the deputy headmaster of Hana Mixed, agreed; drugs in schools still remain a big challenge.
However, he said counselling and sensitisation sessions like the one held at Hana Mixed could be more effective in curbing drug abuse rather than expulsions or suspension of students.
Keko, who is looking great but is not too open to interviews, said she has some unrecorded music, but prefers to dedicate her time to helping young people, for now.
TOBACCO CONTROL LAW
Keko's revelations come in the wake of the tobacco control bill being passed into law with penalties such as fining offenders up to 10 currency points or being jailed for up to two months, or both upon conviction.
Dr Charles Wendo, the chairman Uganda Health Communications Alliance (UHCA), sensitized the youth on the dangers of tobacco and the new Tobacco Control Act that came into force on May 19.
The law comes with more stringent measures against public smoking and, if implemented, will force smokers to possibly smoke freely only in their homes.
"It doesn't matter how well-packaged [tobacco] is, you should be aware that manufacturers are targeting the youth," Wendo told the youth.
The week-long health and career guidance camp saw the youth engage in activities including sexual reproductive health activities, fashion nights (for talent and life-skills development), counselling sessions, sports, as well as outreach cleaning exercises in Nsangi township.
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