Kenyan singer Bahati has addressed the backlash following his controversial post mourning the late artist Shalkido, in which he shared screenshots of private chats showing Shalkido reaching out for a collaboration before his death. The post quickly went viral, sparking outrage and accusations of clout-chasing, with many fans questioning why Bahati shared the messages publicly instead of responding to them when the artist was alive.
Why Did Bahati Leak the Chats?
Responding to mounting criticism, Bahati clarified that the screenshots he posted were not from his personal conversation with Shalkido but from his manager’s chat with the late singer. He explained that the intention was to show there had been plans for a collaboration in progress, not to exploit the tragedy for attention.
“Kenyans are taking the anger for Seti and copy-pasting it to everything that I do. Now a simple chat of Shalkido with my manager has brought a lot of issues,” Bahati said. “Guys, I am not the only one who has posted a screenshot. Thank God that I have a big brand, but it is like Kenyans have not noticed other people have posted screenshots; it’s only Bahati.”
The Mama hitmaker maintained that he was simply trying to honor Shalkido’s memory and reveal that they were preparing to work together before his passing. “I was just sharing the conversation that my manager and Shalkido had. I cannot now start telling my manager to give me SMS screenshots, call logs, and what they had planned. I cannot do all that. I just shared a simple screenshot to show that something was cooking and it was coming. It is not even my inbox; it is my manager’s. Guys poleni. Let us focus on giving Shalkido a decent send-off,” he said.
Bahati also admitted that he had considered taking down his controversial song Seti after the heavy criticism but decided against it since many fans still appreciated the track.
What Did Bahati Tell Fellow Artists and Critics?
Bahati didn’t hold back on addressing fellow artists and creators who criticized him over the leaked chats. He accused some of them of using his name for publicity and chasing clout through blog reactions. “Let the fans address me. You should be in my DMs asking me how can we keep trending and how my brand can grow. Attacking me, someone that does not care… sijali,” he stated, adding that he didn’t even recognize some of the artists calling him out.
Despite his apology and explanation, Bahati’s post continued to divide opinions online. While some fans accepted his reasoning, others urged him to take a break from social media. One user, lynne.lyn.001, commented, “Unazidi kutupea hasira. Unafaa kujificha kwanza usionekane,” while another, wambui_wa_naivasha, added, “Bahati nyamaza. The fact that the first thing una mention ni huo wimbo wako… says a lot.”
The controversy unfolded as tributes continued to pour in for Shalkido, who tragically died after a hit-and-run accident along Thika Road on October 5. He was hospitalised with severe head injuries and was later pronounced dead on October 6 at 6:30 p.m., marking a heartbreaking loss for Kenya’s music community.
By Risper Akinyi