10 Things You Didn’t Know about Vanessa Mdee
Vanessa Mdee is a Tanzanian singer-songwriter who has managed to become a TV personality. In recent times, interested individuals might have seen her name come up in the news because she is expecting her first child with her fiance Rotimi. She’s a singer and a songwriter, she’s a television personality, and she is a rapper in the music business.
1. Tanzanian
As mentioned earlier, Mdee is Tanzanian. For those who are curious, that means she came from a country on the East African coast, which has Uganda and Kenya to the north as well as Zambia to the south. There was a time when the Tanzanian mainland was included in German East Africa. However, German rule was replaced with British rule following the First World War. In the early 1960s, Tanganyika and the Zanzibar Archipelago became independent, with the result that the two came together to create the country of Tanzania that exists in the present time. Nowadays, the country is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, though it is a republic rather than one of the Commonwealth realms that claim Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state.
2. Born in Arusha, Tanzania
In any case, Mdee was born in the city of Arusha in the country of Tanzania. There are a number of things that stand out about the city. For example, it is situated close to a number of national parks, which explains why it is sometimes called the safari capital of the world. Similarly, it has a prominent role in international relations, seeing as how it is home to the East African Community. On top of this, Arusha is a very diverse city, being home to indigenous African, Arab-Tanzanians, Indian-Tanzanians, as well as small numbers of both Europeans and North Americans.
3. Raised in Several Places
Having said that, Mdee was raised in not just Arusha but also New York City, Paris, and Nairobi. As such, it is no exaggeration to say that she has been familiar with a wide range of cultures in a wide range of place since her childhood. Something that presumably helped her in her rise to prominence on the international stage.
4. Went to the Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Education-wise, Mdee went to the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, which can be found in the city of Nairobi. Given its name, it is perhaps unsurprising to learn that said school started out as a graduate school of theology in the mid 1980s. However, it has since broaden its focus, with the result that it now teaches a much wider range of subjects to a much wider range of students. To name an example, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa opened its Faculty of Law in 2004.
5. Studied Law
That last point is relevant because Mdee studied law. Interested individuals might be surprised by this because law isn’t the first subject that comes to mind when people think of entertainers. However, this is an excellent reminder that people tend not to fall into neat and convenient categories. She didn’t go into law, but her hip-hop career is thriving.
6. Auditioned to Become a MTV VJ in 2007
Mdee headed to Dar es Salaam in 2007. Those who are unfamiliar should know that this would be the capital city of Tanzania, which is home to more than six million people. As such, Dar es Salaam is the single biggest city in not just Tanzania but the entire region of East Africa, meaning that it exerts enormous influence over business, culture, and other spheres. Regardless, Mdee was there for the purpose of auditioning for the position of MTV VJ. Her success was what got her started on her way in the entertainment industry.
7. Has Supported Staying Alive
It is interesting to note that Mdee has been known to support various nonprofit organizations. To name an example, she has supported Staying Alive, which is a U.K.-based initiative that exists for the purpose of combating the HIV epidemic. As such, the initiative has a number of goals. For example, it seeks to promote safer lifestyle choices, which reduce the rates at which the virus spreads throughout the world. Similarly, it seeks to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV, which is one of the factors that make it difficult for governments as well as other organizations to come to grips with it. Staying Alive produces full-length programming as one of its methods, which is perhaps unsurprising when it is associated with MTV International.
8. Has Supported Malaria No More
To name another example, Mdee has also been known to support Malaria No More. Said organization is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, which is to say, a nonprofit organization focused on ending deaths caused by malaria. The parasite responsible for said disease has been around for a very long time. For context, it is believed to have existed as far back as 50,000 to 100,000 years ago before seeing explosive growth approximately 10,000 years ago, which would be around the same time that humans started settling down because of the agricultural revolution. Nowadays, we have better methods for combating it than ever before, with examples ranging from mosquito nets to spraying insecticides. However, availability remains a serious issue, thus the need for such efforts.
9. Has Been a Judge on East Africa’s Got Talent
Mdee’s success as a singer-songwriter can be seen in how she was chosen to be a judge on the inaugural season of East Africa’s Got Talent, which is indeed a part of Simon Cowell’s Got Talent franchise. The show is broadcast in four East African countries at the same time, so Mdee was the Tanzanian judge in the same way that the three other judges came from Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
10. Has Matching Tattoos with Her Fiance
The public has known about Mdee’s relationship with Rotimi since November of 2019. Since that time, the two have made their fondness for one another known in various ways. One excellent example would be how they have matching tattoos. She has Rotimi’s name on her chest. Similarly, Rotimi has her middle name Hau on his right wrist. Furthermore, both of them have the number “1045” on their wrists.
