Kenyan singer Kelvin Bahati has issued a heartfelt apology to Tanzanian Bongo Flava icon Diamond Platnumz on behalf of fellow singer Willy Paul, following the duo’s explosive fallout that unfolded during and after Nairobi’s Furaha Festival in December 2024.
Speaking to Wasafi Media on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, Bahati called on Diamond to let go of the grudge and forgive Willy Paul, insisting that the controversial remarks made by the Kenyan artiste were not deeply intended and should not be taken to heart by the Bongo Flava legend or his management team.
“He might not always be listened to, but he is my brother, and I want to say sorry on his behalf — he is a good guy. You know, sometimes even I have to ground him and bring him back to focus, you understand — he is not malicious; he just makes mistakes like any young man trying to find his way. I believe Tanzanians should give him another chance.
“Diamond, you are a big brother in the game, and I ask you not to take it personally — we have been through so much as an industry, and sometimes there are many moving pieces behind the scenes. I feel like this is something that will pass. I honestly do not believe he holds anything personal against you,” Bahati said.
Bahati’s conversation with Diamond
Bahati further explained that he had personally reached out to Diamond just days after the incident, after realising how deeply the tension had begun to spiral out of control.
He revealed that he felt compelled to step in, as the clash no longer looked like a mere disagreement between two artistes, but had back then ballooned into what many were already viewing as a symbolic rift between Kenya and Tanzania.
“I think the main issue was a misunderstanding, and people — including Willy Paul — reacted emotionally,” he said, adding, “I remember calling him and telling him this storm will pass, let us not blow it out of proportion. Personally, I also did not want Diamond to carry bitterness, so I spoke to him too. The thing that really made it worse is that we allowed the fans and media to fuel it into a country-versus-country battle — it became like flags were fighting, Tanzania versus Kenya, and we went too far. I truly believe it was just a misunderstanding.”
Bahati, who did not hesitate to crown Diamond as the king of music in East Africa, also linked the artistes’ dispute to the recent diplomatic tension between Kenyan and Tanzanian MPs over the detention of activists, saying he hoped such matters would never spill over and affect the long-standing camaraderie between the two countries.
He added that Tanzania and Kenya are brotherly nations bound by a shared language and cultural fabric, and insisted that there is no reason why artistes from both sides should continue harbouring vendettas or keeping emotional fences standing.
“Diamond is someone we were listening to even before stepping into the music scene — that is for sure — he was an inspiration,” Bahati said. “And at the end of the day, we are one people. I have seen politicians stirring the pot lately, but I believe what we share is much deeper than politics — we share culture, history, and sometimes even love interests.”
Unfollowing campaign
Bahati also weighed in on social media reports that Tanzanian fans were planning a mass unfollowing campaign against Willy Paul, urging them to take a gentler approach, as he believed the matter had been stretched far beyond its original context.
He acknowledged that Willy Paul might have made some mistakes, but was adamant that the artiste’s intentions were not as harmful as perceived and that he remains a good person at heart.
In the same breath, Bahati also brought attention to a recent collaboration between Willy Paul and Tanzanian singer Sarafina, expressing disappointment over the negative comments that had flooded the song’s release due to the ongoing tension.
“I would not like to see people unfollow Willy Paul, because Tanzania is a market he genuinely wants to connect with as an artiste,” he said. “Secondly, we all keep evolving and growing — I was personally happy when he did a song with Sarafina. I saw people in the comments saying, ‘But Diamond, this is your boy, one day give him a collabo’ — and honestly, I believe he would love to work with you. From what I know of him, I do not think he is a bad person.”
Genesis of beef
The whole fallout, which had seen Willy Paul and Diamond engage in heated online tirades in the days that followed, began after Diamond failed to perform at the event despite having been paid Ksh19.4 million in advance.
Following that, Willy Paul came out publicly to throw shade at Diamond and his security team, claiming that the Bongo Flava icon’s management had approached him backstage during the event, requesting to alter the headliners’ line-up at the last minute.
He went on to accuse Diamond’s team of disrespecting Kenyan performers by failing to show up on stage, while also expressing frustration that local organisers had sidelined him in favour of the Tanzanian act.
“Tanzanian artistes are being given priority at this event. This is disappointing. Why are Kenyans being disrespected in the presence of Bongo artistes? I am being mistreated at the concert. They are allowing Tanzanians to perform first and are changing things last minute. Why are Kenyans accepting this? Kenyans are being looked down upon,” he wrote.
What followed was a flurry of back-to-back social media jabs, where Diamond insisted that Willy Paul was deliberately fuelling a conflict because he knew very well that the controversy would boost his engagement and draw public attention to his name.
