Shockwaves hit the gospel music industry on February 7 as Dennis Mwangi aka Papa Dennis's star plummeted in finality, taking him with it to a desolate end. It is said depression brought about by fall from grace made Papa Dennis jump to his death but are we being told everything?
Author: Pink Umbrella
At his prime, Papa Dennis’ pictures were all over. He was forced down Kenyans’ throats. Even though many cared less about his opinion or what he did, newspapers and a selection of blogs featured him until he was nationally known.
His music got airplay until people started liking him. Sadat Muhindi used all his influence, and vast resources, to ensure that everyone knew who Papa Dennis was.
While many did not understand why he was being made famous, industry players say his manager was making an investment hoping to make a return. But this was the worst bet Sadat Muhindi ever made. Papa Dennis failed to deliver and they went separate ways.
Before parting ways, Papa Dennis had everything an artist dreams of. Unrivaled production quality and content delivery in gospel music, Papa had under his belt the Nigeria Entertainment Award for African Male Artist of the Year (Non Nigerian), 2016. This distinction was the platter on which his head had to rest when Herod forsook him and bent to his evil mistresses wish.
Abandoned by friends, family and foe in his trying times, Papa forged a coping mechanism to keep the gospel and the fanbase alive but they too rejected him, as is only natural.
At his worst, he was spending his nights in a studio in Ngara, with nothing to his name. The 50 million he once bragged about having in his three bank accounts had vanished into thin air and he was a shadow of his former self. As he lay dead in the mortuary today, artists are struggling to raise 650,000 for his funeral.
Was Dennis Mwangi a depressed man who couldn’t live with the fact that he would have to forget about his short stint in Lavington and travel back to Matunda where he grew up in abject poverty? Some think he is a martyr and a bloody sacrifice made in the name of an industry riddled with filth, decadence and deceit slowly unveiling to the horror of its spectators.
Rather than abandon his true calling to the gospel, Papa stuck to his guns. His finances were withdrawn on claims of contractual agreements, industry players claim he refused to sell his soul to the devil, or chickened out last minute.
One has to wonder, what is the true cost of being a true believer in faith and works? The industry rewarded base shenanigans peddled by Bahati and Willy Paul but when it was time to pay the price, they ditched it and went secular. It is a miracle they walked out alive.
Close friends have recently surfaced and are actively planning the burial ceremony as a signature of their combined loss and devastation first as an industry then a family. As Papa Dennis chills in City Mortuary one Simon Mwangi, his twin, is left to stare the hypocrites dead in the eye, smile and agree with their dictations during these daily meetings for three hours before going back to their shared house with Dennis and grieving at the cost Papa paid for an ungrateful people.
For a community eking a living spreading the gospel of Christ who insists on treating your neighbors and brother right the gang of zealots has set a new low. It's a no brainer that the aloofness and dejection they all say characterized Papa Dennis's last days was brought on by their betrayal and flat out hate of the brother.
Kenyan gospel music industry does not embody the spirit of what it pretends to pass across, take stock of how many sell out when it's time to pay up in deeds and walk the music.
It is not lost on us that Kaberere was electrocuted to death at his prime. Rose Muhando was literally driven insane and has spent significant amounts of time in hospitals. Is gospel artist the worst job description of the day?
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