This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
Reggae fans in Kenya are not taking kindly to city lawyer Donald Kipkorir's recent claim that Alaine and Morgan Heritage are not popular in Jamaica. The assertion was made on Twitter, where Kipkorir shared his experience of traveling across Jamaica and asking locals about the duo.
According to Kipkorir, none of the Jamaicans he spoke to knew Alaine or Morgan Heritage, leading him to conclude that Kenyans have a knack for making stars out of non-stars.
However, Kenyans on Twitter were quick to dispute Kipkorir's findings, pointing out that Morgan Heritage has won a Grammy Award and that Alaine has collaborated with Kenyan artists.
Some Twitter users even suggested that Kipkorir's findings were faulty due to his inability to communicate effectively with the locals, with one user joking that he should have tried speaking in a more understandable accent.
Others took a more lighthearted approach, poking fun at Kipkorir's assertion that Kenyans have made Morgan Heritage a Grammy-winning group.
As the debate raged on, one thing was clear: Kenyans are fiercely proud of their reggae heritage and will not let anyone disparage their favorite artists without a fight.
I was in Jamaica for one week & travelled across the country. I asked the drivers I used & waiters in the restaurants I visited if they knew Alaine or Morgan Heritage.. None of the Jamaicans I asked knew them … They are unknowns in Jamaica.. Kenya makes “stars” of non-stars. — Donald B Kipkorir (@DonaldBKipkorir) July 16, 2019
