UB40 scheduled show in Nairobi stirs up controversy
Legendary UK reggae band UB40 is set to perform live in Kenya on February 1, 2020 at the Carnivore Grounds in Nairobi, but the show is already getting Kenyans online talking.
The band was formed by brothers Ali and Robin Campbell in 1978 but split in 2008.
Lead singer Ali Campbell left the band after a dispute with the management and recruited Mickey Virtue and co-frontman, Astro.
Mickey, the keyboardist, later left the group but Ali and Astro continue to tour the world, calling themselves UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell and Astro.
After the trio left, the original UB40 announced they would carry on and unveiled Duncan Campbell as the lead singer.
WAR OF WORDS
The brothers have been engaged in a war of words and legal action since then centering on who has the right to use the name UB40.
Both groups now have their own social media accounts and websites but constantly take small nibbles at each other.
And with the upcoming show in Nairobi featuring Ali and Astro, the original UB40 led by Robin, took to Twitter to warn Kenyans that they are not scheduled to perform in the country, an obviously calculated move to taint the image of UB40 featuring Ali and Astro.
They were responding to a Kenyan who was excited about the fact that the popular band was set to perform in Kenya for the first time and tweeted about it.
This event has nothing to do with UB40! Ali and Astro left UB40 a long time ago…. Please remove your post!
— UB40 (@UB40OFFICIAL) January 7, 2020
But that isn’t just what got Kenyans talking.
The cheapest ticket for the show will be retailing at Sh 5000 with a VVIP one going for Sh 20,000.
At the height of their fame, UB40 topped charts across the globe and sold more than 70 million records worldwide, cementing their position as Britain’s biggest reggae band.