UPDATE: Furaha Fest organizers have addressed the chaos that ensued at the concert after a fight between Willy Paul and Diamond Platnumz.
According to one of the organizers Willis Raburu, they made every effort to accommodate Diamond and his team, but his team’s behaviour and demands were unnecessarily overbearing.
“While we acknowledge there was a minor security issue involving another artist, we swiftly resolved it and ensured that the event continued in a safe and professional manner.
“We believe in treating all artists equally and maintaining high-quality standards for everyone involved,” stated Raburu.
What was meant to be a night of music, fun, and good vibes at the Furaha Fest turned into chaos after a dramatic showdown between Kenyan artist Willy Paul and Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platinumz.
The festival, which had promised electrifying performances from artists like Mejja, Khaligraph Jones, Zuchu, Rayvanny, and Diamond Platnumz, didn’t exactly go as planned.
From organizational hiccups to last-minute performance changes, things spiralled out of control, and fast.
Also Read: Etana Forced to Cancel Performance After Clash with Diamond’s Event
Drama Between Diamond and Willy Paul
The drama began when Diamond, who was supposed to close the show as the headliner, reportedly requested to perform earlier.
However, this didn’t sit well with Willy Paul, whose time slot would have been affected.
“Why should he take my slot? That’s just disrespectful. These people want to arrest me because I refused to allow Diamond to perform before me.,” Willy Paul fumed backstage.
Things quickly escalated when Diamond’s bodyguards, Onesmo and Sallam K, confronted Willy Paul and his team as went on stage for his performance.
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Eyewitnesses claim the bodyguards got physical, beating up Willy Paul, to prevent him from performing.
Diamond Platinum, who was waiting in his designated car outside, drove off without performing. According to his manager, he could not take that kind of disrespect from Willy Paul.
“I was invited to perform here by the organizer of this show, but other people around him did not seem to care much about my performance.
“My photo was even downplayed on the billboards, and I was not involved much in the campaigns. There has come a time in Kenya when you are great or do the right thing, they want to bring you down,” said Willy Paul in tears.
Also Read: Diamond Platnumz Lands in Style, Makes a Promise to Nairobians
Fans at Furaha Fest React to the Chaos
Willy Paul took to social media to air his grievances. “These people want to arrest me because I refused to let Diamond perform before me. Why are Kenyans being disrespected in front of Bongo musicians? This is sad.” he posted.
Fans at the event were caught in the middle of the drama, with many expressing disappointment.
Others were quick to, some defending Willy Paul for standing up for Kenyan artists, while others sided with Diamond, saying his star power deserved priority.
While some performers tried to salvage the show, the clash between the two artists was the hot topic of the night.
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