What began as a night of vibrant musical celebration at Furaha City Festival soon spiraled into a fiery spectacle of ego clashes and bitter accusations, eclipsing what was meant to be an unforgettable night featuring the likes of Mejja, Khaligraph Jones, Ssaru, Femi One, Kinoti, Zuchu, Rayvanny, and Diamond Platnumz, The event was held on December 7, 2024, at Nairobi Polo Grounds.
The drama ignited when Tanzanian megastar Diamond Platnumz, set to headline the festival, demanded an earlier performance slot, throwing the schedule into disarray.
This request sent shockwaves through the event, triggering a fierce confrontation with Kenyan artist Willy Paul, whose own performance time would be compromised.
“Why should he take my slot? That’s pure disrespect!” Willy Paul fumed backstage, the tension palpable as his frustration bubbled over.
What followed was a chaotic escalation. According to eyewitnesses, Diamond’s security team descended upon Willy Paul’s camp, attempting to enforce the change, and soon the confrontation turned physical. The altercation left Willy Paul visibly shaken, his sense of dignity bruised.
With the tension reaching a boiling point, Diamond, who had been waiting in his car, stormed off, abandoning his performance altogether.
The aftermath was a storm of accusations. Diamond’s camp decried the disrespect that led to his exit, with his manager adding fuel to the fire, claiming, “I was not involved in the event’s campaigns, and my image was sidelined,” hinting at deeper, unresolved friction with the festival’s organizers.
Meanwhile, a visibly emotional Willy Paul took to social media, his words laced with indignation as he accused the festival of degrading Kenyan talent in front of foreign stars.
“Why are Kenyans being disrespected in front of Bongo musicians? This is heartbreaking,” he lamented, his voice cracking with frustration.
The audience, who had shelled out premium prices for tickets, were left in a state of disbelief. Some rallied behind Willy Paul, applauding his defense of local talent, while others believed Diamond’s international stature justified the change.
Despite valiant attempts from other performers to salvage the event, the altercation between Diamond and Willy Paul became the night’s defining moment, overshadowing all else.
This bitter fallout serves as a glaring reflection of the larger, simmering tensions between Kenyan and Tanzanian musicians, questioning the boundaries of respect and collaboration in East Africa’s music industry.
And now, fans are left with one haunting question: Can the two superstars reconcile, or will their feud forever stand as a symbol of the cultural rifts threatening to divide the heart of East African music?
