Ringtone: Diana Marua responsible for split between Bahati and Mr. Seed

Controversial Kenyan Gospel artist Alex Apoko, popularly known as Ringtone, has alleged that Bahati’s fiance Diana Marua is responsible for the split between the EMB Records founder and his former signee Mr. Seed.

Speaking on Radio Citizen’s Mambo Mseto, Ringtone said he has known Mr. Seed and Bahati as best of friends for a long time, adding that the recently rumoured rift between the two could be as a result of Diana Marua’s doing.

“In this whole issue, the bad person is not even Bahati; the bad person I think is Bahati’s wife (Diana). Because they (Bahati and Mr. Seed) have been friends for as long as I have known them. Mr. Seed and M47 were even feeding Bahati at some point when he did not have anything,” said Ringtone.

“So now that God blessed them and they both made it, who could possibly have divided them? My opinion – and I will be forgiven or crucified for saying this – is that Bahati’s wife is creating a rift between Bahati and Mr. Seed.”

Ringtone’s claims come after Mr. Seed recently took to social media to inform his fans that he was no longer signed to Bahati’s record label.

“After 2 successful years being signed under EMB records I have finally decided to go independent and be my own artists for the sole purpose of paving way for other young and (up)coming that Bahati has been taking in that needs more the platform and support that EMB have offered to me and can offer,” wrote Mr. Seed

In an earlier video posted on social media, Ringtone had also alluded the split between the two long-term friends to an incident that happened on December 31, 2018 during an EMB Records concert at Thika stadium.

According to the ‘Ipo Siku’ hitmaker, Mr. Seed’s fiance – Nimo Gachuiri – wanted to set up a tent to sell tea at the event; this however, he alleges, did not go down well with Bahati and Diana Marua who reportedly ordered for Ms. Gachuiri’s tent to be shut down.

The concert manager – identified by Ringtone as Mutua – however refused to comply with Bahati’s order as he felt it was unfair to Mr. Seed and Ms. Gachuiri. When Mr. Seed got wind of this information, Ringtone alleges, he chose to part ways with Bahati for “disrespecting his woman.”

Bahati has since also been accused of refusing to pay Mr. Seed for his performance at the event following the disagreement.

Bahati, on his part, has denied the presence of a rift with Mr. Seed, who is also credited for being the among the first then established Gospel artists to grant him (Bahati) a collabo when he was just starting out.

Also speaking on Radio Citizen, Bahati said Mr. Seed’s music and brand had grown exponentially since signing him and that they both felt it was time for him to fly solo and pave way for another upcoming artist to be mentored by EMB records.