Fans of Khaligraph Jones, widely considered the rap king of Kenya, were left in the dark and in the cold by the artist and Havoc Entertainment, the organisers of the Chuka colour festival event that was supposed to feature the rapper at Tredds Gardens in Ndagani, Chuka on Friday.
The event, which had been advertised for weeks on social media and influenced by local influencers, turned out to be a flop, as the rapper never showed up on stage.
The fans, who had paid their hard-earned money and travelled from far and wide to see the artist, were kept waiting for hours, with no communication or explanation from the organisers. They were only entertained by some local DJs, artists, 'twerkers' and MCs, who tried to hype them up with false promises.
The fans grew restless and impatient, as they checked their phones and watches, hoping to see a sign of Khaligraph Jones.
But their hopes were dashed, when at 4am, the rapper posted a humble apology on his Instagram story, saying "Sorry Chuka people, the show will not happen due to unavoidable circumstances".
This is despite the fact that the rapper had earlier posted an instagram story of himself at Lowlands Hotel, Chuka, revealing he was around. He however did not reveal the reasons behind his no show, but he expressed his regret and love for his fans.
The fans, however, were not impressed by his apology, as they felt that they had been let down by both him and the organisers, since they failed to honour their contracts and deliver their promises. Most revellers blamed Havoc Entertainment for the no show and dishonesty, to the point that some of them demanding their money back.
However, Havoc Entertainment have come out to deny any breach and disrepect on their side, in an attempt to come out clean. Information reaching this publication from Havoc management is that the artist simply refused to perform despite full payment plan being agreed.
According to Havoc Entertainment, Khaligraph Jones was to be paid a deposit of ksh 220,000 which they claim to have paid, and the remaining balance of ksh 220,000 was to be cleared immediately before he stepped on stage, but the artist stood them out citing that he cannot perform past 3 a.m. When asked about their next step and whether or not there'll be refunds, Havoc Entertainment said they have reached out to popular comedian and Mp Felix Odiwuor alias Jalas for help with talking to the artist.
This publication witnessed the chaos and dissatisfaction of the fans who had gathered at the venue firsthand. We spoke to some of the fans, who shared their frustration and anger with us, most of them demanding that they be refunded their money or the event be organised afresh. Tickets went for ksh 400 regular and ksh1000 VIP.
The incident was a big blow to the reputation of Havoc Entertainment, who have organised several successful events in the past. It also affected the relationship between Khaligraph Jones and his fans in Chuka, who felt that they had been misled, mistreated, and disrespected by the artist. Some of them still supported him and hoped that he would come back and perform for them, while others lost their respect and trust in him totally.
The Writer, Peter A. Bishop is a Third Year Journalism Student at Chuka University.
The Campus Review is a Publication of the Chuka University Journalism Club (CUJOC)
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