Kenyan rapper Khaligraph Jones is facing public backlash after leading a delegation of members of the creative industry, to visit Kenya’s Deputy President, at his residence in Karen. Just a day after the controversial visit, the rapper dropped his latest hit Luku, which has garnered less than 100K views on You Tube, on its first day of release. This is unlike his previous numbers.
His last release (Punguza Kasheshe) three weeks ago hit above 100,000 YouTube views on its first day of release. However, his latest, ‘Luku’, dropped this morning, has performed dismally, with just 53,000 views, on its first day.
Could this be as a result of meeting DP William Ruto on Saturday? A senior government official accused of being part of a gang that has looted the country, since 2013, when the Jubilee regime took over from President Mwai Kibaki.
On Saturday, accompanied by some members of the creatives industry, Mr. Jones met DP Ruto and asked him to intervene on current Covid-19 restrictions imposed by his government. The meeting, however, continues to draw mixed reactions and criticisms from fellow artists and members of the public.
A number of musicians, including Hip-Hop moguls, Octoppizo and King Kaka have criticized Mr. Jones and his group, accusing them of falling for the usual web, of political lies every election year. Taking to Twitter, Octoppizo, the Namba Nane legend, called the artists opportunists, and betrayers.
His tweet caught the attention of King Kaka, who has been at the forefront trying to re-awaken the political consciousness of the masses, with his song ‘Wajinga Nyinyi.’
“Haha I also thought you were there, turns out you are true,” King Kaka wrote. Following it by a quoting Mark Twain.
Other musicians have also expressed their views on the visit to DP Ruto’s Karen residence, including Noti Flow, another prominent rapper. ”How can people be so blind? We clearly know after the elections you’ll never see these people pretending to be with us now ever again. We need a lifetime solution. Not some peanuts to solutions now,” she wrote.
Adding, “We want something substantial for the people; like jobs for the youths, for instance, to sustain them in the long run. These artists should stop being sell-outs, so cheap. Think about the millions of people suffering underground and not just about yourselves. Selfish like the politicians, #theydontreallycareaboutus.”
