Sailors' Shalkido fires back at Mwalimu Rachel

A collage of Shalkido and Mwalimu Rachel.

Shalkido, a member of the once-popular Gengetone group Sailors, has addressed their former manager, Mwalimu Rachel, urging her to cease leveraging the group's reputation for personal gain.

Via his Instagram account, Shalkido asked Rachel to disassociate herself from Sailors, suggesting that the group has since pursued other ventures.

"It's about time you move on from Sailors Gang. We as a team moved on long time ago and focused on other things that matter. If you think you were perfect in management, why don't you create another gang and have them release hits like we did," wrote Shalkido.

He added "Stop using our name and our songs to chase your clout. Your fame died the moment sailors stopped releasing songs."

This confrontation follows Mwalimu Rachel's interview on the Mic Cheque Podcast, where she detailed her experiences managing the Gengetone group.

Rachel recounted how Sailors' unity was disrupted when a member, enticed by another record label's promises, breached their existing contract.

"A record label went to one of the members behind our backs and lied to him with wild dreams, stipend, allowances which he, unfortunately, fell for and signed the deal," Rachel said.

She further lamented the challenges faced by Sailors under her management, including disputes over financial compensation for their music projects.

According to Rachel, despite the group's collaborations with well-known artists, Sailors did not receive the financial rewards they were entitled to. She specifically mentioned the lack of involvement in the financial aspects of certain projects, which led to dissatisfaction within the group.

Rachel also said Sailors had approached her with the idea of working with another artist, seeking her approval. Despite her advice to involve management in the negotiation process to ensure transparency and proper compensation, the group decided to proceed independently.

According to Rachel, this decision resulted in a lack of financial clarity and accountability concerning the projects undertaken.

In a previous interview with SPM Buzz, Mwalimu Rachel expressed regret over her time managing Sailors, describing it as one of her "biggest regrets."

Rachel shared her rough experiences, including being detained by police, which she implied was a direct result of her managerial role with the group.

"Managing Sailors is one of the biggest regrets. Have you ever been locked up by the police? I have," Rachel said.

Rachel also recounted the severe backlash she and her son encountered online, including receiving death threats, which stemmed from allegations that she had blocked Sailors' access to their YouTube channel.

This incident, she said, had a profound emotional impact on both of them. "The negativity I have found online has really shaken me. My son and I have received death threats from the fans because of the YouTube channel," she stated.

In 2019, during their fallout, accusations were levelled against Rachel for purportedly sabotaging the group's musical career. These claims led to calls for her dismissal from her job.

However, Rachel defended her actions, insisting she did not harm Sailors' career and criticized the misunderstandings and misrepresentations spread through social media.

"I did not kill their career. People think I did and they have gone ahead and asked my bosses to fire me yet they know nothing about the story," she said.