Bien Aime Baraza, the lead singer of Sauti Sol band, has sought to end a fierce war of words with fellow musician Otile Brown, marking a turn towards reconciliation in what had become a widely publicized beef.
In a gesture aimed at peace, Bien took to Instagram on Thursday evening, August 1, 2024, to extend an olive branch to Otile Brown.
“I’ve come to my senses. I have no business beefing with a hard-working brother. I’d like to apologize for anything offensive I’ve said or done to diminish our art. Sorry Otile,” Bien stated in his post.
Genesis of the beef
The conflict between Bien and Otile Brown had intensified over the previous weekend, capturing the attention of fans and followers across social media platforms.
The tension began with Otile’s critique, which, while praising Bien’s talent, took issue with his social media conduct.
Otile had suggested that Bien should focus on his latest musical collaboration featuring Prince Indah and Adenkule, asserting his own dominance in the industry without resorting to social media theatrics.
This sparked Bien’s retort: “Otile, you don’t have any money… who are you talking like? He released an album that didn’t go far…”
The escalating exchange saw Otile Brown respond on Instagram, refusing to debate with those who equate popularity with quality.
“I can’t argue with people who think any popular song is a good song, and that’s how you ruined the game. Now you have to shake your hips on social media to push a product that will only last for a week or two…” he posted.
Otile emphasized his dedication to creating original music while criticizing Bien’s focus on a niche audience.
“…you make music for a small group of people in the city who consider themselves to be very knowledgeable about life,” he remarked, suggesting Bien’s appeal was narrow and disconnected from broader audiences.
In a bold challenge, Otile compared their recent hits, claiming his own superiority in terms of quality and impact.
“Look at your last hit song and look at mine,” he declared.
“It’s still the biggest hit in the country in terms of comments. It’s the best music video in the country for almost a year, and I didn’t need to shake my waist on social media,” he added.
Kenya lacks international artistes?
The clash between Bien and Otile Brown is not a new phenomenon.
In June 2024, Bien criticized Otile for claiming that Kenya lacks international artistes.
During an interview on Obinna TV, Bien urged Otile to reconsider his statement, highlighting the global achievements of various Kenyan musicians.
“It irks me a bit when Otile says that because people are busy building, and I can understand him saying that because he has never ventured beyond,” Bien remarked, suggesting Otile’s comments were limited by his own experiences.
Bien pointed to artistes like Sofia Nzau as examples of Kenya’s international talent.
“Who is Sofia Nzau to you? Have you never heard of ‘Mwaki’? It has 100 million views on Spotify, and she even performed in South Africa. Is she not an international artiste?” he posed.
Additionally, Bien referenced the iconic Swahili song ‘Jambo Bwana’ which has been celebrated internationally for many years.
He argued that Otile’s perspective was too narrow to encompass the broader success of Kenyan artistes.
“I have been on tour all year abroad, I have played in Kenya only once this year, and I have played over 20 shows. I have been touring and selling out everywhere. I have visited parts of Europe and Australia, so I don’t know what Otile means by an international artiste,” Bien asserted.
With Bien’s heartfelt apology, fans are keen to see if the two musicians can move beyond their public feud and continue to enrich the Kenyan music scene with their talents.
