Shalkido’s last moments with Commentator and his chilling confession on suicide
By Steve Ireri, October 9, 2025Before his tragic death in a grisly motorbike accident, former Sailors Gang member and Gengetone artiste Shalkido had shared a deeply emotional confession that has now left many Kenyans shaken.
In what has turned out to be one of his final interviews with YouTuber Commentator, the Wamlambez hitmaker opened up about his struggles, painful childhood, and a past suicide attempt that he narrowly escaped after receiving unexpected help.
In the video dated August 27, 2025, Commentator is seen visiting a dilapidated house where the singer had been staying. Inside, Shalkido had laid a thin mattress on the bare floor as his only resting place and Commentator is captured comforting him while encouraging him to share his story with the public and explain why he urgently needed financial assistance.
That was when the 26-year-old singer, amid tears, spoke about being abandoned by his mother when he was only two months old.
He revealed that he was rescued from a public toilet and raised by his grandmother, an experience that inspired his stage name Shalkido Ga Cucu, meaning ‘Shalkido of the grandmother.’
“My mother left me when I was only two months old and abandoned me in a toilet before I was rescued. That is why I call myself Shalkido Gacucu. I have never met my mother, and even now she is not doing well, so life has been difficult,” Shalkido shared.
Suicide attempt
The artiste also disclosed that he had once come close to taking his own life after losing hope in the music industry and being ignored by people he had reached out to for help.
He explained that on the day he texted Commentator, he had already decided to end his life if no one responded to his cry for assistance. When Commentator later shared his story on social media, the post went viral, drawing empathy and support from fans, which he said gave him a reason to hold on.
“I was hoping people would help me. The truth is, the other day I texted you, Commentator, asking for help, and when you replied, you saved me because that same day I had planned to take my life. When you posted about my situation and people began sharing it, it spread widely, and I started receiving help from well-wishers. But I had already decided that if my plea for help did not reach anyone, I would rather die so that people could help my family after my death,” he shared.
The interview also painted a picture of the difficult living conditions the musician had been enduring. Despite his fame from the days of Sailors Gang, he revealed that he was living in a low-income area under harsh conditions, often hiding his identity to avoid being recognised by neighbours.
“The music journey is tough. Where I live, life is not good at all. It is not a proper place to stay, and since I became known as a Mugithi singer, people would never believe I live here. Sometimes when I go to bathe, I have to wear a cap so that people do not recognise me,” Shalkiddo added.
Days after the interview was recorded, the tragedy struck.
Shalkido was involved in a fatal motorbike accident along Thika Road, which left him in critical condition. He was rushed to the Kenyatta University Referral Hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Despite doctors’ efforts to save his life, he succumbed to his injuries on the evening of Monday, October 6, 2025.