Willy Paul retaliates against Otile Brown for disparaging Kenyan musicians

Singer Willy Paul has responded to fellow artist Otile Brown’s recent remarks about the state of Kenyan musicians’ international recognition.

At a press conference and brand meetup unveiling BoomFest 2024 on March 14, Willy Paul, known affectionately as Pozze, wasted no time addressing Otile Brown’s comments. He asserted that he refuses to carry the burden of others’ struggles.

“Don’t bring me your problems. I am too international. Please don’t project your issues onto me. If doors have closed for him to go international, he shouldn’t blame all of us,” Pozze stated firmly.

Expanding on his position, he declared, “No one should point fingers at others. Kenyans have immense potential. We will conquer the world.”

This response follows Otile Brown’s recent challenge to East African artists, urging them to step up their efforts to compete globally.

In an honest interview with Oga Obinna on YouTube, Otile Brown emphasized that there isn’t currently a single East African artist recognized on the international stage.

“We have to fight for this international title because right now the industry is stagnant. Let’s not deceive ourselves; in East Africa, there’s no international artist. We’re all stagnant; there’s no international artist,” Otile Brown asserted.

He further highlighted the remarkable success of Nigerian singer Ruger and noted the absence of a comparable figure in East Africa.

“Let’s face reality. We have a lot of work to do. Let’s not pretend that we need to repackage ourselves and make noise. Some artists just recently gained prominence, they’re not in my league, people like Ruger and others. A newcomer who recently emerged, yet no artist in East Africa can rival Ruger on the international stage,” he emphasized.

BoomFest 2024 will feature performances by several Kenyan artists, including Nameless, Ssaru, Fathermoh, Buruklyn Boyz, V-Be, Arrow Bwoy, Nadia Mukami, Willy Paul, Boutross, and DJ Lyta.