For more than a decade, Diamond Platnumz and Alikiba have been cast as rivals in Tanzania’s music industry, with fans picking sides, comparing their hits and measuring their success against each other.
But Diamond now says the feud that has defined their relationship was largely manufactured by the industry, fuelled by the media and amplified by fans.
The Bongo Flava superstar says the rivalry traces back to a failed musical collaboration in 2013, when he approached Alikiba to feature on his song at a time his career was gathering momentum after bursting into the limelight in 2009.
Speaking in an interview with Wasafi TV last week, Diamond explained how a disagreement over the song became the spark for what would evolve into one of Tanzania’s most enduring celebrity rivalries.
“I wanted us to work together because he is equally a big name. He found me in the studio, and I played him my song “Lala Salama”, which I had just finished composing. I told him it would be ideal if I deleted some of my verses and let him lay his,” Diamond explained.
Bongo flava star Diamond Platnumz.
Photo credit: Courtesy
However, the collaboration did not unfold as he had hoped.
“But I think he just wasn't ready at the time because, instead of the verse, he said he could only ad-lib to the song, which did not sound well. He refused to do a verse, and I decided to do the song on my own. That was the genesis of our so-called beef,” he explained.
An ad-lib, derived from the Latin phrase ad libitum, refers to a spontaneous or improvised vocal or instrumental flourish added to a song beyond its main written composition.
Diamond said when the news of the disagreement went out, it set the stage for comparisons between the two singers, with fans scrutinising everything, from their music and stage performances to their popularity and lifestyles.
“And so it escalated into this “beef”. But I do not have any problem with Alikiba or anyone. If anything, what I have for him is total respect for what he has been able to achieve all these years. To be able to maintain your name at that top level for all these years is no small feat,” he said.
Despite acknowledging his commercial success, Diamond said he does not discount Ali Kiba's place in Tanzania's music industry. The singer believes his own statistics speak for themselves, but argues that Alikiba's longevity has earned him a permanent place among the country's biggest musical names.
“If you are to provide the data, I have done exceptionally well; that much I know. But I can't take anything away from him for what he has been able to do and achieve. He burst into the limelight long before me, and that is why, despite my statistics, whenever you mention top artistes in the country, Alikiba's name hardly misses,” he said.
Bitter musical rivals Diamond Platnumz and Ali Kiba were forced to unite in desperate moves to protect their multimillion-shilling empires following violent protests in Tanzania over the disputed 2025 presidential election.
Photo credit: Reuters, File | Nation
Interestingly, Diamond believes the rivalry, even if fuelled by external forces, may have worked in his favour.
In his view, the constant comparisons and pressure to prove himself against Alikiba could have pushed him to work harder and achieve more than he otherwise might have.
“A lot of people castigated me for what I did, saying I disrespected him. But on the flip side, I tend to think if there weren't these comparisons and the competition created by fans, maybe I wouldn't be as successful as I am because we all had to do what we had to do to prove just how good each of us is,” he said.
The singer, however, distinguishes healthy competition and what he considers disrespect, saying online trolls can provoke his anger when they cross that line. “Not giving me the respect I deserve is what angers me. I will beat you in my marketing strategy, performance, looks and other things,” he said.
Diamond maintained that he has no personal feud with Ali Kiba, pointing out the fact that he has publicly invited Ali Kiba to perform at his shows, arguing that professional success does not depend on maintaining animosity with fellow musicians.
“I’m very okay with everyone. I am doing well, and I know so much. I respect him (Kiba). If there is any other beef, I do not know about it, but I am okay, and I have no problem with him. As for the comparison, I still don't have an issue with him. I have invited him to my shows. You don't have to beef with me to be big. There is so much market out there instead of us fighting for fans in the country. We have had our fights, but I respect Al for being able to maintain his status all these years,” he said.
Diamond's remarks echo the sentiments he expressed in his 2022 song Nawaza, in which he reflected on the rivalry and questioned whether the differences between them were worth the tension.
Tanzanian musician Ali Kiba.
Photo credit: File | Nation
In the song, he suggested that, after giving the matter considerable thought, he had come to see how disputes over seemingly trivial matters, including fan bases and popularity, could drive a wedge between artists.
Ali Kiba, for his part, has also previously addressed the long-running speculation about their relationship.
In an interview last year on Crown FM, the radio station he co-owns with a Tanzanian politician and currently a cabinet minister in President Samia Suluhu’s government, the singer said he had no personal problem with Diamond, although their approaches to music and celebrity culture differed.
“I know there is always a lot of talk between Diamond and me. It's no secret that we aren't close. I don't subscribe to his methods, and he doesn't to mine. We simply have different approaches.”
