Why did Kelis move to Kenya? Singer details struggles after fleeing US 

Kelis discussed her relocation to Kenya in a June 2025 Earn Your Leisure interview, explaining that she bought a 300-acre farm in the country after deciding that the United States was no longer where she wanted to invest. She said that as a Black business owner, her work and contributions had not been given the same value at home, citing systemic inequities and limited long-term returns. She said that Kenya offered more opportunities and a closer connection to her personal sense of purpose.

Kelis also described Kenya as a growing economic and cultural center. After more than two decades of touring, she said she was looking for a life that felt grounded.

“I needed something real. Not just money,” she shared.

Recent reporting noted that the transition had not been entirely smooth, and Kelis acknowledged that she faced challenges after moving to Africa.

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Kelis details life in Kenya after relocating from the United States

Kelis, who lost her husband to cancer in 2022, had been living on 150 acres just outside Nairobi, with plans to expand her property as her farming and hospitality projects grew. While she had spoken openly about how fulfilling the move to Kenya had been, she also acknowledged that the transition came with challenges. According to reports by the Daily Mail, the singer broke down some realities in a viral video in which she listed the top three downsides of her new life abroad.

She pointed first to the condition of the roads.

“Some of the potholes, they will literally take your car apart,” she said.

She added that many of the speed bumps were unmarked and nearly invisible at night.

“And they have these speed bumps and these speed bumps are in the dark, they’re not marked, and you will hit a bump and leave your soul behind you, so the roads definitely take a little getting used to.”

Kelis went on to criticize the drainage system, saying that heavy rain led to severe flooding because “it doesn’t work.” She then showed footage of trash lining streets and open areas.

“The waste management here is trash. It’s absolutely awful, it doesn’t exist.”

Another difficulty, she said, involved the cost of shipping and importing goods.

“If you want to live like an American here, it’s definitely gonna cost you like triple the price,” she explained, adding that imported goods from Europe were marked up as well. “Anything imported. Not just American, but European, anything brought into the country, they’re gonna jack you.”

Buying a car, she noted, had been particularly difficult. She described the process as “an absolute nightmare” and said finding a brand-new vehicle at a reasonable price was nearly impossible.

“I think if you think you’re gonna come here and live like an American, definitely triple the price,” she warned.

She did point out that some expenses, such as healthcare, were actually more affordable than in the U.S.. Despite the frustrations, Kelis said she and her three sons were happier than ever since relocating to Africa.

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Kelis says racial & political realities prompted the move from U.S. to Kenya

Kelis discussed her move from the U.S. to Kenya during a June interview on the Earn Your Leisure podcast, saying that political and racial issues influenced her decision to relocate.

"It's at the stage right now where it's like, if I'm continually investing in a place that doesn't make space for me, to me it's just not good business," she said.

The singer stated that she found it easier to pursue business opportunities in Africa.

"I can do things here on the continent that I can't do in the States," she noted, adding that she faced challenges obtaining business loans in the U.S. despite her earnings.

Kelis said her children were also a factor.

"I look at my kids. I've got these beautiful black kids and I put so much energy and time and money and schooling into them, and then I'm gonna give them to a nation that's just gonna s**t on them? It makes no sense to me!" she said.

She also said she felt her children were safer in Kenya.

"I don't have to worry about them getting shot or getting arrested," she said.

She added that although problems existed everywhere, the environment felt less hostile.

"They're not immediately hating my bloodline and my lineage… that's worth its weight in gold to me."

Kelis encouraged others in the diaspora to reconsider investing in the U.S.

"Why are we putting all of our education and all of our time and all of our energy and all of our money into a place that doesn't have anything for us, I have to fight for a loan in the States. Why? I make enough money. It's dumb," she shared.

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