The nightlife is where Tbway finds his mojo

As he stood before the large crowd stretched out in front of him, he couldn’t help but marvel at the vibrancy and energy running deep within the strata of revellers bent on seeing daylight find them in the arena. For a moment, he felt immeasurably proud of himself.

It was in the early hours of September 25, 2020, the date for the showdown of the most anticipated event of the year dubbed ‘Amplified,’ and organised by Str8 Up Vibes. While much of the hype gravitated towards some of the big acts lined up for the occasion, the event’s MC Tbway had a few tricks up his sleeve that would go on to captivate the audience in equal measure.

A palpable air of anticipation made this event one of the most plugged-in in recent memory. With a lineup consisting of Nigerian acts Singah, Wurld and Joeboy - and an added boost of Kenyan heavyweight disk jockey (DJ) Joe Mfalme - it was clear that Dar es Salaam was about to be shut down.

“My people: are you ready?” asked Tbway from the stage as he ushered in the night in spectacular fashion while young girls shrieked. What he gave ticket buyers Saturday night was a mix of ‘Dar nightcrawlers’ coupled with the full force of his party-centric persona: a heady mix from the six-foot four-mc, who comes across as more of a charismatic basketball player than an event host at times.

He made sure he kept the crowd entertained even before the main acts got on stage. Backed by media personality Meena Ally from Clouds Media as a co-host, the energy and chemistry with the insatiable crowd was hard to miss. At the end of the event, it was not only the seamless performance by the artistes and the Str8 Up Live band which left people in awe, but Tbway’s mastery and prowess on stage left a lasting impression.

Tonny Albert - a.k.a. Tbway 360 - was born in Mwanza but spent most of his childhood in Uganda due to his father’s business engagements which necessitated a lot of travel and relocation.

Even though he would, later on, study computer science at the University of Dar es Salaam, showbiz was his affinity from his high school years. “I used to host school events, but not in a million years did I ever think that I’d do it as a career,” Tbway opens.

His exploits in showbiz started in 2012 after finishing his varsity. He responded to a call for auditions by the East Africa Television (EATV). “EATV was looking for presenters. A friend of mine encouraged me to give it a try,” he says.

With proficiency in graphic designing, Tbway’s strategy was to invoke that skill as a Plan B in case he didn’t get chosen as a presenter. “Hundreds of people turned out for the auditions. It was intense,” he recalls.

His knack for the spotlight and his charisma made all the difference. In 2013, Tbway became the official host of an interactive youth entertainment show called ‘5 Select’ broadcast of EATV.

But, after a few years in front of the camera, Tbway felt the need to broaden his horizon. “At a point in life, I felt I needed more. People would ask me if being a presenter was my only plan,” he says. However, in crafting a new path, Tbway didn’t want to deviate far from his line of work. He needed to engage in something akin to showbiz. “I decided that hosting events was the perfect act to go in tandem with my avocation as a television presenter. I had two options: host my own events, or partner up with someone who’s already established in the event management space - and I just come on board as an MC.

In 2016, the self-titled swag police got a chance to host his first gig at the Kili Tours. “I was a bit pensive, yet eager at the same time to get on stage. It was intimidating. But, the moment I got on the platform, I didn’t want to leave. I was in my zone and there’s nothing that has ever felt that exhilarating,” says Tbway.

It is from then on that he knew he wanted the stage life; he wanted the crowd rooting for him.

Off to a strong start, Tbway started looking for more gigs. He started off by hosting club events. But, being the go-getter that he is, he didn’t settle down. “I wanted to host bigger events,” he says.

As he was spreading his tentacles in this new terrain, little did he know that he’d soon be rubbing shoulders with some of Africa’s biggest artistes. In 2017, Tbway got the chance of a lifetime to get on stage as a host for an event which saw Nigerian megastar Davido performing in Tanzania at the Next-Door Arena.

It only went up from there. In 2019, the party enthusiast cemented his legacy as the ‘life of the party’ when he took the stage to host the ‘Stardom Concert’ headlined by the African Giant Burna Boy. “To date, I’m still amazed at the level of energy I exuded that day. When I got off stage, people were asking me if I’d be going back to hype the event after the performances,” he recalls.

It is not every day that you hear a crowd at a concert ask for an encore from a host. But, with Tbway, this has become something of a ritual owing to his infectious vibes which always leave the audience yearning for more.

Tbway is currently under Str8 Up Vibes as the exclusive host of their events - and, so far, he has shared the stage with Big Names in African music such as Joeboy, Wurld, Davido, Burna Boy, Singah, and almost all the Bongo Flava artistes ranging from Diamond Platnumz, and Harmonize to Ruby, among others.

A walking talent factory, Tbway has also had a stint in the film industry, something which he says he looks forward to exploring further. He is credited with acting in the series ‘Sarafu’ which aired on DStv. At the moment, it’s only his tight schedule which has derailed some of his acting plans. But, he hasn’t closed the door on the possibility of doing more projects in film.

Life as a father

In 2020, Tbway welcomed a beautiful baby girl. Only a couple of months old now, the new baby’s father is already feeling an inseparable bond with his angel he christened Sky Tonny Albert.

His nightlife does take a toll on his life as a father, though. But, he does whatever he can to spend as much time with his daughter as possible. “I feel blessed and more purposeful now that I’m a father. I’m more focused now knowing I’m not just doing this for fun, but I’m building a life for someone. Every day I go up on stage I know I’m working hard for my daughter,” he says.

A car enthusiast

Tbway is known in the city not only for his party life, but also for life on the fast lane. He has a predilection for fast cars. “My first car was an Altezza. But, I felt it wasn’t fast enough - so I moved on to a Subaru. In 2016 the adrenaline junkie got into a car accident which ‘totalled’ his Subaru Legacy. He survived the accident unscathed.

He is currently driving a Subaru Impreza WRX, a car he has spent more than Sh9 million modifying to boost its speed. “I like the fast life,” he admits. For now, he seems settled with this car... But, don’t be surprised if you find him cruising around the city in a different road rocket!

Tomorrow - October 3, 2020 - Tbway will again take the stage as a host at Elements in Dar at a show which features another Nigerian singer, Rema, performing in front of a live audience... Cheers!