Comedian and former radio presenter MCA Tricky has opened up about one of the most difficult periods of his life, revealing how he navigated raising his son after the death of the child’s mother.
Speaking to Chris the Bass on the Tubonge podcast, Tricky reflected on the emotional challenges that followed the loss and admitted that he initially struggled to understand how to cope with the situation.
The comedian described the period as confusing and emotionally overwhelming, particularly because he had to deal with his own grief while supporting his young son.
“We lost the mother to my kid. It was a very confusing moment,” Tricky said.
He added that the experience left him worried and unsure about what to do next.
“It was crazy. After that, I was just gloomy. I didn’t even know what to do. It was a very difficult moment, but it taught me a lot,” he said.
Tricky said losing his son’s mother also changed his understanding of what it means to raise a child. Before the experience, he had viewed parenting largely through the lens of financial responsibility.
“I thought raising a kid is all about money,” he said.
The comedian explained that the loss forced him to confront the emotional and practical responsibilities involved in bringing up a child, particularly when the child is dealing with the absence of a parent.
“Now you see the weight you feel. You work times three,” he added.
One of the most difficult challenges, Tricky revealed, was answering his son’s questions about his mother after her death. He recalled how painful it was when his young son would ask about his mother shortly after the family had buried her.
“That time was crazy because, you know, the young kid asks you about the mom, whom you’ve just buried,” he said.
The situation became even more complicated because the boy had to continue interacting with other people who might not have known what he had experienced.
Tricky said he had to be particularly careful about how people spoke around his son, especially in school.
The comedian said taking his son to school became another challenging part of the experience. He had to explain the circumstances to teachers so they could understand the child’s situation and avoid unintentionally putting him in difficult situations.
“The most difficult point of it all is ilikuwa nikimpeleka shule. Lazima nieleze walimu,” he said.
Tricky explained that children and adults could raise ordinary topics without knowing that they might affect his son differently because of his loss.
“In school and public spaces, people forget and start talking about general issues,” he said.
He added that someone could unknowingly direct a question at his son that touched on his mother.
“Then a kid, you will touch a topic without knowing; they will ask, or they direct something towards that kid,” Tricky explained.
Despite the challenges, Tricky said his son has grown into a strong child who now understands what happened.
“The guy is a soldier, man. Amazing. He’s a soldier,” he said.
Tricky explained that his son is now older and has a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding his mother’s death.
“The guy is now big. He understands everything,” he said.
