Kenyan gospel-turned-secular artist Bahati has come under fire from fans and fellow artists after admitting that he ignored a collaboration request from the late Shalkido, a member of the once-celebrated Sailors Gang, before his tragic death.
The revelation — which Bahati himself shared through screenshots of their conversation — has ignited a wave of backlash online, with many accusing him of ‘clout-chasing’ and using the young artist’s death to appear sympathetic.
The controversy began shortly after Shalkido’s death was confirmed. Bahati took to social media to mourn the artist, posting what appeared to be their last conversation.
In the shared screenshot, Shalkido can be seen reaching out to Bahati’s management, expressing interest in a musical collaboration.
Bahati captioned the post with an emotional message, recalling how the two had recently discussed plans to record a song together.
“You had just talked to my management on our collabo na mkapanga tuingie studio this coming week. Rest well, young king, tutaonana baadaye,” Bahati wrote.
At first glance, the tribute appeared heartfelt. But social media users were quick to note that the message from Shalkido — a simple plea for a collaboration — appeared to have gone unanswered.
Screenshots shared by Bahati didn’t show any replies, prompting questions about whether the singer had indeed ignored Shalkido’s request while he was still alive.
Within hours, Bahati’s post had drawn widespread criticism. Many Kenyans on X and Instagram accused him of trying to use the tragedy for publicity.
Others expressed disappointment, saying it was insensitive to share private messages after someone’s death, especially if there had been no acknowledgment or support when the person was alive.
One fan commented, “Bahati is always quick to post screenshots after someone dies. Why didn’t you reply when he was alive? You wait for people to die to show fake love.”
Another wrote, “This is becoming a trend. Someone dies, and suddenly everyone has a DM with them. If you cared, you should have responded when he reached out.”
As the backlash intensified, Bahati issued a clarification through a separate post and in interviews with entertainment outlets.
He insisted that his post was not meant for publicity but as a tribute to a fallen artist he genuinely respected.
Bahati explained that Shalkido’s message had been directed to his management, not to him personally, and that discussions for a potential collaboration were already underway before Shalkido’s untimely death.
“People are misinterpreting things. The message was to my management, and we had actually planned to get into the studio this week,” Bahati said. “I didn’t post that for clout. I was just paying my respects. Shalkido was a young, talented artist with a bright future.”
Despite the explanation, the response did little to calm public sentiment.
Critics continued to argue that Bahati’s post felt opportunistic, suggesting that if a collaboration had truly been planned, it should have been announced or followed up publicly before Shalkido’s passing.
Public perception is that such gestures often serve to elevate the living rather than honor the deceased — a form of digital performance that turns grief into engagement.
Still, some of his supporters defended him, saying the post was genuine and that people were being unfairly harsh.
They argued that sharing the conversation highlighted the tragedy of lost potential — a reminder to support and uplift young artists while they’re still alive.