Celebrated Gospel Musician Papa Dennis Dies

Award winning Kenyan gospel musician Dennis Mwangi, alias Papa Dennis is dead.

The Nashukuru hit maker's body was discovered by the roadside in Pangani, Nairobi on the night of Friday, February 7, as reported by K24 Digital.

His death was confirmed by legendary gospel artist Daddy Owen who was present at the scene.

"He was found dead by the roadside near the Jubilee Party headquarters," Daddy Owen informed.

However, what led to the death of the celebrated Kakamega-born and bred musician remains unclear. It is yet to be established whether he committed suicide by jumping off a building or was hit by a vehicle.

By 1 a.m Saturday, February 8, social media was buzzing with messages of grief from members of the public and celebrities alike, with the likes of Terence Creative and King Kaka expressing their sorrow at Papa Dennis' demise.

"Rest in peace Papa Dennis. May God protect us, artists. Something must be addressed," Terrence Creative posted, hinting at the need to establish the deceased's cause of death.

"This month's pages are full of obituaries. Rest in peace Papa Dennis. We will meet again," King Kaka stated.

Known for his flamboyant and flashy lifestyle, Papa Dennis won several awards throughout his career; A trophy in the 2015 Mwafaka Awards, 2016 and 2017 Pulse Video Awards, the 2018 African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA), and the 2019 Dear Award.

He successfully sold his music across Kenya's borders, building a reputation that saw him feature the likes of Tanzanian musician Ray C for the hit,Tornado, and Nigeria's Mr Flavour for the hit, Mayaya Remix.

On June 17, 2018, Papa Dennis was involved in a road accident that left his car completely wrecked and him recuperating in hospital.

He lost his mother in 2006 as he revealed in an October 2018 interview with the Sunday Nation, something that forced his siblings to fend for themselves. 

Papa Dennis leaves behind a twin brother and three other siblings.

Having started out from humble beginnings, including a stint selling second-hand clothes in Kisumu, he sure made something out of himself as indicated by the car he drove, the expensive designer clothing and watches, and notable the international music features.

The Standard Eight drop-out caused a stir in early 2019, when he revealed his wealth during an interview with Pulse Magazine. At the time he stated that he had Ksh50 million spread across three bank accounts.

Upon questioning, he argued that it was not as big a thing as people viewed it, and downplayed reports that he was a braggart.

Papa Dennis always conceded to the inability to fluently converse in English but attributed his success to having a reputable management team.

From Kenyans.co.ke, may he Rest in Peace.

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