Kenyan musician Bahati has addressed growing online criticism following accusations that he ignored the late Gengetone artiste Kevin Mburu Kinyanju, popularly known as Shalkido, before his untimely death.
Speaking during a radio interview on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Bahati dismissed the claims as misinformed and misleading, clarifying that the viral screenshots shared online were not personal messages, but conversations between Shalkido and his management team.
“Everyone was posting just because it is Bahati. I didn’t ignore him. That screenshot was between Shalkido and management. He was responded to, and we had planned to work on a song this week,” Bahati explained.
The controversy erupted after Bahati shared a tribute post on Monday, October 6, expressing grief over Shalkido’s passing and revealing that the two had recently been planning a music collaboration.
“You had just talked to my management on our collabo and we had planned to enter the studio this week. Rest well, young king. Tutaonana baadaye,” Bahati wrote on Instagram.
In his post, Bahati included a screenshot of a message Shalkido had previously sent, politely requesting a collaboration. However, the post sparked mixed reactions, with some fans accusing Bahati of clout-chasing and using the tragedy for attention.
Bahati, however, maintained that his tribute came from a place of respect and genuine sorrow, emphasizing that he had every intention of working with Shalkido.
Shalkido’s Passing
Shalkido, a former Sailors Gang member and rising Gengetone talent, tragically died on October 6, 2025, following a motorbike accident. He had been admitted to the Kenyatta University Referral Hospital ICU, where he succumbed to his injuries later that evening.
His family confirmed the heartbreaking news in a TikTok video, with his cousin and father urging fans to support the family during their time of mourning.
The music community continues to mourn the loss of Shalkido, whose artistry played a key role in shaping Kenya’s Gengetone music movement.
