Khaligraph Jones explains why he didn’t attend Chris Kantai’s funeral

 Jones with the late Kantai [Photo: Courtesy]

Rapper Brian Ouko popularly known as Khaligraph Jones has opened up as to why he missed veteran rapper Chris Kantai’s funeral.

Speaking at an interview, the 30-year-old disclosed that he was blocked from attending the burial after rumours had it that he had something to do with Kantai’s death.

The Yes Bana hitmaker revealed that Kantai’s mother was made to believe that he is the one who got Kantai depressed that later contributed to his death.

“Even after his death a lot of things were said, that ooh Khaligraph you went and worked with him and when he was suffering, I just left him to suffer. They are always looking for someone to blame when there is a crisis,” he said.

“Do you know I wasn’t allowed to attend his burial in Ngong. Apparently, this is what was being said about the whole ordeal, Kantai’s mom was made to believe that I’m the one who made Kantai go through depression and eventually passing away,” he added.

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According to the award-winning rapper, people ‘cooked’ baseless stories in order to tarnish his name. He added that he was being accused of running away with Kantai’s style of music.

“That’s why I’m telling you, when you rise to certain levels in life and you have influence over people and you are making it, you are successful people will always have bad intentions. It is said that I’m the one who took Chris Kantai’s style and ran with it and now I left him to suffer, instead of helping him out. It is said that I owed him money from the song we did together,” he narrated.

Admitting that it hurt him, Khaligraph further added that he was also accused of not fully paying the deceased, hence contributing to the depression that sent him to the grave.

“That I didn’t pay him and now he passed away and it’s all because of me. And now the mom gave directives that Khaligraph should never be allowed to attend Kantai’s funeral. That is how it happened. It hurts but, it is what it is” said Khaligrah Jones.

Kantai, who was famed for songs such as 'Issues', ‘Huu ni Nani G’ and ‘Ting Badi Malo’, the latter a collabo with Khaligraph Jones, passed on in February 2019.

Before his death, Kantai was battling alcoholism but in 2016 he made a comeback in the music industry with “Ting Badi Malo”. According to his family, Kantai’s death was caused by acute peptic ulcers.

He honed his craft as a teen and came into the limelight in early 2000 to become one of Kenya’s pioneers in the hip-hop scene.

Kantai is credited for introducing Norway-based Kenyan artists Stella Kimani aka STL to the industry with their first collabo Happy. He enjoyed a private life away from the media.