The internet was left in stitches on Sunday, January 25, after a clip of soul artist Charisma making fun of Bensoul went viral.
The clip surfaced after Arsenal succumbed to a 3:2 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.
At the beginning of the video, a humbled Bensoul, dressed in an Arsenal Jersey, is seen sitting on a couch, “tail between his legs” with musician Charisma singing provocative chants aimed at provoking the Lucy hitmaker.
Charisma, who supports Manchester United, could not hide his joy over the victory and was mostly seen jumping and shouting in the video.
Later on in the video, Bensoul finally took ownership of the defeat as an Arsenal fan but ended up climbing on a stool to remind Charisma that Arsenal were still the league leaders.
This, however, did not shake Charisma as he continued with the chants directed towards Bensoul.
Relationship between Charisma and Bensoul
The creative partnership between Bensoul and Charisma is one of the most enduring bromances in the East African music scene, rooted in a shared history within Nairobi’s live music circuit.
Long before they were household names, the two crossed paths during the mid-2010s while Charisma was the frontman of the boy band Le Band and Bensoul was a premier songwriter and bassist for Sauti Sol.
Their bond was forged through a mutual respect for technical musicianship, often supporting each other at intimate “Unplugged” sessions and acoustic sets that defined the city’s soulful renaissance.
This brotherhood solidified as they transitioned into solo stardom, particularly through their work with the Sol Generation ecosystem. Although Charisma remained an independent force while Bensoul became the label’s flagship artist, they operated as the epitome of Kenyan urban soul.
Their synergy is evident in their frequent collaborations, most notably on the hit single Trust Issues and tracks from Charisma’s debut album, The Motions.
The two are part of a music collective known as Kodong Clan, formed in 2024 and consisting of musicians Bensoul, Okello Max, Coster Ojwang, Charisma, Mordecai Dex, Ywaya Tajiri, and Onyach.
