From the heart of South London's tumultuous streets to the relentless spotlight of social media, the controversial figure Kidavelly —who intentionally spells his name with an L-L-Y to distinguish himself from others who have been "cancelled"—sat down with host Mide Oni on TREND CENTRL’s "OFF THE RECORD" platform. This highly candid interview sought to unravel the complex motivations behind Kidavelly's viral fame, his troubled past, and his determination to focus on a music career despite being known for "controversial" commentary.
Mide Oni introduced the guest, noting that Kidavelly's face has been "popping up on the timeline continuously", with some viewers finding him funny and others finding him "crazy". Kidavelly (whose full government name is Leroy Tapiawa Maswa) admitted his social media journey has been "mad," going "half good and half bad". The positive side is that it "helped me get out there," but the negative is that he is often "seen in a bad light", despite his intention being solely "to do music". Kidavelly maintains that he never goes on the internet to start verbal disputes but only "to back myself" and "defend myself" if people are saying "certain things" about him or his loved ones.
A significant portion of the interview focused on the recent, highly volatile appearance on the RTM podcast, which led to Kidavelly currently trending. Kidavelly dismissed the RTM hosts, including Young Spray, as "just a bunch of clowns that just love acting for the camera". His main issue, however, stems from a six-year-old grudge (dating back to 2019) with Raful, who allegedly sold him a dream regarding the release of an earlier interview.
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The RTM segment escalated into an altercation with Young Spray after Kidavelly made comments regarding religion. Kidavelly claimed he was only "back in my religion" and that Young Spray and others got "triggered too easy". He stressed, "I've never said nothing disrespect about Islam" and confirmed he has "a lot of Muslim brothers" who support him. Kidavelly revealed he converted from Catholicism to Islam because he found Islam to be "the truth" and respected the Quran as the "most powerful book" that has "never been changed" but later converted back to Christianity for personal reasons he refuses to share on camera. When the tension peaked, Young Spray allegedly tried to "grab me up," causing the cameras to cut out. Kidavelly said they "nearly got it cracking" but stressed that Young Spray is a "freaking coward and a fraud man" for constantly talking about Giggs for years without taking real-life action.
Kidavelly was also candid about his past, which includes serving time for armed robbery, P.W.I.T.S. (possession with intent to supply), and GBH charges. He got onto the roads at 13 because he "grew up poor" and wanted "to make money". His longest sentence of seven years (serving four and a half), during which he spent "80%" of the time in segregation, was a pivotal experience that helped him plan his future and focus on his children, making him realize jail is a "waste man thing".
In one of the interview's most shocking confessions, Kidavelly spoke about black magic, or juju, asserting that "80% of your friends do juju". He said he knows this because he has "seen them doing some mad prayers and that only worshiping the devil bearing candles in the dark". He also claimed to have witnessed friends "turn into cats". Friends tried to bring him in, saying it would help his "wealth" and "fame," but he always refused. He believes he is alive today due to the "spirits and the angels of God that kept me alive not them man's black magic".
The conversation concluded with Kidavelly's reflections on his rich father in Zimbabwe, who had "three successful car businesses" but "never sent a goddamn penny" to his mother in the UK. Kidavelly's father died in 2012 while Kidavelly was in jail. He received "not a single penny" of inheritance. Kidavelly admitted that if his father had contributed, he "wouldn't have needed to be on the roads and going to jail". This failure, however, inspired him to be a better father: "I've done a better job than he's done".
Kidavelly concluded that while he has mental health struggles and flashbacks, he is learning to control them. He is focused on his "main priority 100%", which is music, and is working on his third mixtape alongside launching his own podcast, all while being unapologetically himself. Mide Oni acknowledged the intensity of the shared story, thanking Kidavelly for using the TREND CENTRL platform to speak his truth.
