In a recent development within the music industry, Kenyan rapper Khaligraph Jones has taken to social media to accuse Tanzanian Bongo star Diamond Platnumz of emulating his distinctive coffin stage entrance concept.
The controversy ignited following Diamond Platnumz’s performance at the Wasafi Festival, during which he astounded the audience by emerging from a coffin onto the stage. Diamond Platnumz’s elaborate entrance entailed a pathway illuminated by lanterns and adorned with hanging skeletons. Dressed in somber attire, pallbearers solemnly carried the coffin to the stage, accompanied by melancholic music to set the mood. Positioned vertically alongside other coffins, the Bongo star dramatically emerged from it, commencing his performance, with dancers soon joining him on stage.
The unmistakable resemblance to Khaligraph Jones’s 2017 performance cannot be overlooked. In 2017, during his rendition of the song “Mazishi” at the Jameson Connect event, Khaligraph Jones astonished his fans as a coffin, accompanied by pallbearers dressed in dark attire, made its way to the stage. From the coffin, he emerged to deliver an electrifying show. At that moment, the audience stood in awe, unsure of what to expect. As the coffin settled into place, Khaligraph Jones emerged, exuding vitality and energy.
In a media interview at the time, Khaligraph Jones elucidated his unconventional stage entrance, asserting that it was a creative decision aimed at enhancing the message he wished to convey. He sought to present two contrasting facets of the narrative, with the coffin serving as a potent symbol to achieve this goal.
“I believed that the message I was endeavoring to convey would be more impactful with a casket on stage because I was attempting to portray two distinct sides of the story,” explained Khaligraph Jones.
In response to Diamond Platnumz’s recent performance, Khaligraph Jones asserted that he had executed the same concept six years prior and urged recognition of his artistic originality as the “OG” (original gangster) in the realm of coffin stage entrances.
