How Sauti Sol got conned KSh 1 Million by private Congolese promoter (Video)
In as much as entertainers never speak about their setbacks regarding performances, concerts or even just private events, many have been victims of con artists.
Kenya´s most admired boy-band, Sauti Sol today speak success, they speak International recognition, they speak the African culture. They are legends.
Their success leaves us baffled but what many have never known is that they have previously been duped thousands of shillings.
Speaking about their #ConStory, the band´s lead vocalist, Bien-Aime Baraza recalled a time they were invited for a mega-performance in DR Congo only for it to turn out a scam.
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The four band members had previously made history in the African country, staging a mega-performance that saw them get overwhelmed.
We´ve previously been conned. I´m sure every artiste has ever been conned. So we had a show in Congo this one time in a place called Goma and it was so successful mehn! We played in a stadium that was packed and we always had a dream of going back coz we thought that would be the norm.
KSh 1 million dupe
However, that was not going to be the case of their second visit to the West African country. This time, a private promoter was out to swindle the group off some hefty price.
But the second time we were invited to play in Goma was by a private-like promoter who had just seen our show previously and was like ´these would be the guys to bring to play on Christmas Eve. So it was the 23rd of December we were to pick our flight from Kigali, Rwanda and everything went well.
They got to Congo, checked in but received zero service. The artistes let that slip.
On getting to Goma, we first checked in in a hotel and the vibe looked promising. The promoter became a little bit sluggish, every time we ask for food they are like ´this promoter has to first pay for your rooms before you guys get food and stuff like that´. So there were a couple of red flags.
So the day for their scheduled performance came and Sauti Sol headed for the venue, one shockingly graced by countable individuals and backed with a messed up sound system.
Either way they still did what they do best – kill the performance.
On the day of the show now we head to the venue at like 10 in the night manze. Eh! the venue was a ghost town. There were like 15 people in that place and the sound was whack but we still staged a stellar performance regardless.
The chase
The second red flag that also slipped off their hands was after their show when the promoter gave all sorts of reasons as to why he would not pay them that very moment.
After the show he was supposed to give us I think $10,000 as a way of finishing up the payment. S0 he was like ´I´ll finish off in the morning before you guys go to the airport because it´s late right now and I need to get up early in the morning, go to the bank, etc´. And he knew that we needed to take the bus from Goma to Kigali first of all, then take the flight to Nairobi.
Remember, the group was due KSh 1 million from the previous night´s performance. So they called it a night and waited for the next morning, only to get embarrassed in the hotel for allegedly not paying up.
Mark you hii ni 24th December sasa. So tunaamka 24th December asubuhi, kuenda kutoka kwa hoteli manze, tumefungiwa kwa hoteli, promoter hajalipa hoteli. Nkt!
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The guitarist and singer could not believe that something he read on the media that happens to Reggae artistes in Kenya, was actually happening to them in a different country. Plus, this was Christmas Eve.
So now everyone is so desperate, I don´t even care about the money. I want to leave. So somehow the hotel manager got a hold of him and they sorted it out, then he´s like ´wait for me I´m coming with the cash to give you the remainder of your payment.
The situation had gotten so bad and so tiring to the extent Sauti Sol had already given up on their KSh 1 Million, with a hungry desire to just come back to Kenya and enjoy their Christmas.
And I thought to myself: Do we take this money or we just go home and have Christmas with our families? Because my mum was already waiting for me.
So this promoter kept telling the artistes to wait for a few minutes while pressure to avoid missing their evening flight was simultaneously building up.
Eventually, it got to 1pm, with no sign of the promoter and Bien was disgusted by these. They then decided to leave for Kigali and caught their flight at the nick of time and came home for Christmas.
Then that guy forever went MIA.
Advising his fellow artistes and entertainers, Bien had one word:
Before you perform anywhere, 90% deposit, 10% before you get on stage because after you get on stage, you´re in God´s hands.
