James Victor MacKenzie (born 6 January 1986, Chingford, London, England), better known as Kenzie or MC Kenzie, is a British rapper and former member of 10-piece UK pop-rap band Blazin' Squad. He now makes a living as a personal fitness instructor in Fairlop.
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Kenzie grew up in Chingford, East London and attended Highams Park School.
Blazin' Squad was a ten-piece UK pop-rap vocal band. Despite avoiding the typical 'boyband' image, they appealed to a similar pre-teen female fanbase. They enjoyed moderate success in the UK, achieving six consecutive Top 10 hits, including a UK Number One single 'Crossroads', a cover version of the Bone Thugs-up Now or Never failed to reach the UK Top 40 Album Chart. While in the band, he went by MC Kenzie.
The group subsequently split in 2005. MC Kenzie, MC Flava and MC Strider, went on to form the band, Friday Hill (as Kenzie, James and Mus). Friday Hill split up and on 14th June 2009 five of the original Blazin' Squad members released a single ('Lets Start Again') since reforming. It peaked at No. 51 on the UK Singles Chart .
In 2005, Kenzie appeared in Celebrity Big Brother and finished as the runner up, losing out to dancer and musician Bez. At the time he was the youngest contestant to ever enter the house. He appeared in a "Rock and Pop Special" edition of The Weakest Link, alongside Kelli Young and Rick Wakeman.[1] He also appeared on that show's 1,000th episode, but was voted off in the fourth round for answering too many questions incorrectly. Kenzie also appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks in March 2005 and again in March 2006.
Kenzie released his autobiography in April 2005, published by HarperCollins, titled Kenzie: My Life.[2]
In autumn 2006, Kenzie appeared in the Sky One reality show Cirque de Celebrité. In week ten of the show he was eliminated, coming third (losing out to model Emma B and Big Brother 7 housemate Grace Adams-Short). In September 2008, he was a contestant on the ITV reality show CelebAir. He was eliminated in the second episode, shown on 9 September. He also appeared on an episode of Ready Steady Cook which aired originally on 12 March 2009. He competed against, and defeated, Chico Slimani.
Kenzie is also a fully qualified personal trainer for Studio 23 gym, and stars in The Active Channels "Star Trainer" where he trains celebrities such a John James (Big Brother), and Crispin Coulson, Senior Marketing Manager of POWER-GEN Europe Conference & Exhibition.
On September 23, 2010, he appeared on ITV2's Celebrity Juice programme, alongside Keith Lemon and Verne Troyer.
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