Otile Brown Questions Bien’s Edge Over Willy Paul, Sparks Fresh Debate

Otile Brown has sparked a fresh debate about talent and recognition in the local music industry after questioning whether Bien-Aimé Baraza is better than Willy Paul.

Speaking during an interview on the Over 1M Podcast hosted by Tony Mwirigi, Otile argued that Willy Paul, popularly known as Pozee, is often denied credit because of perceptions surrounding his character rather than his musical ability.

According to Otile, conversations about music should focus primarily on talent and performance rather than personal differences.

“Do you think Bien is better than Willy Paul? No, mtamnyima Pozee haki yake lakini yeye ni mdeadily,” Otile said.

He went on to emphasise that his comments were strictly about musical ability.

“Haijalishi mi nazungumzia mziki, talanta.”

Willy Paul responds

Otile’s remarks quickly caught Willy Paul’s attention, prompting the gospel-turned-pop singer to respond on social media.

Willy Paul appeared relieved that another artiste had publicly acknowledged what he considers his contribution and talent, while questioning the relevance of criticism about his ethics.

He compared his experience to that of Nigerian superstar Burna Boy, arguing that controversial behaviour does not necessarily prevent an artiste from receiving recognition for their work.

“Somebody finally said it, ethics kitu gani? Look at Burna Boy. Anapiga hadi watu kwa stage na bado haki yake anapata. Just because I don’t kiss A*** my efforts zinaogelea tu kwa maji. But you know what? I’m not stopping now. I’ve come this far na chuki yote, but still standing strong, nilishakubali mimi ndio mmbaya wengine ni wazuri,” Willy Paul wrote.

Bien weighs in

The exchange took another turn when Bien joined the conversation in Willy Paul’s comment section.

The Sauti Sol member appeared to agree with Otile’s assessment, writing:

“I agree with him. He’s right.”

Willy Paul, however, responded directly to Bien’s comment with a brief but pointed message:

“@bienaimesol kipara toka hapa.”

The exchange added another layer to an already lively conversation among the three artistes.

Otile and Bien’s history of disagreements

Otile Brown and Bien have previously clashed publicly over their views on Kenya’s music industry.

Their differences became more visible in 2024 after Bien criticised Otile following comments in which the Baby Love singer questioned whether Kenya had genuine international artistes.

The two later traded remarks over music, social media behaviour and the way artistes build their careers.

In July 2025, the disagreement escalated after Bien appeared to reference the departure of Otile’s longtime manager, Mumbi Maina, using a video featuring his song All My Enemies Are Suffering.

Otile responded angrily, accusing Bien of hypocrisy and using social media to provoke controversy. Their exchanges subsequently touched on streaming numbers, industry influence and the broader question of who deserves recognition in Kenyan music.