Kenyan Gengetone artist Shalkido, real name Paul Koigi Mungai, has died.
Shalkido succumbed to his injuries after being involved in a grisly motorcycle accident along the Thika-Nairobi highway, according to family members.
The former Sailors Gang member was reportedly returning to Nairobi on his motorbike after a late-night performance in Thika when the accident occurred around 4 a.m. Witnesses say he lost control of the bike and suffered severe head injuries.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital and later admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in critical condition.
Reports from close friends, including media personality Oga Obinna, indicated that Shalkido had been declared brain dead before his passing.
The artist’s motorbike was impounded by police as investigations into the cause of the crash continue.
Shalkido’s death comes just months after he had opened up about his financial struggles, revealing that he had been working odd jobs and even considered joining the boda boda business to support his young family.
He had previously appealed to fellow artists and Kenyans for help, saying life had become unbearably difficult since his exit from the music spotlight.
Born and raised in humble beginnings, Shalkido rose to fame as part of Sailors Gang, one of the pioneering groups behind Kenya’s Gengetone wave.
Their hits, including Wamlambez and Pekejeng, helped define the genre’s explosive rise in the late 2010s.
After the group parted ways, Shalkido ventured into Mugithi music, aiming to reinvent his sound and revive his career.
Fans and fellow artists have flooded social media with tributes, remembering him as a talented, humble artist who never stopped fighting to rebuild his life.
