In a candid sit-down on the Daddy X Mo Podcast, gospel heavyweight Daddy Owen and veteran media personality DJ Mo peeled back the curtain on the brutal toll public scandals take behind the scenes.
The two stars, both no strangers to controversy, shared raw and emotional accounts of how viral storms shook their mental health, strained their marriages, and threatened their careers — exposing the often unseen cost of life in the spotlight.
DJ Mo’s Two-Day Hell
DJ Mo recounted one of the darkest moments of his life, when a scandal exploded while he was having lunch with his wife. Suddenly, his phone began lighting up with screenshots, messages, and damaging allegations.
“It feels like your stomach is tied to your oesophagus,” he said, describing the anxiety that instantly took over. Even holding the phone became unbearable.
Overwhelmed and unsure how to face the world, the couple chose to check into a hotel instead of going home. DJ Mo admitted the pressure completely broke him down mentally.
“I forgot how I was feeling… it’s like I was sweating but not sweating. I didn’t shower for two days,” he revealed, painting a haunting picture of emotional exhaustion.
Daddy Owen’s ‘Illuminati’ Nightmare
For Daddy Owen, the storm came in a different — but equally traumatic — form. The gospel singer recalled what he called the “mother of all scandals,” when rumors spread that his music was linked to the Illuminati.
After more than 20 years in the industry, Owen said he experienced one of his most painful moments during a school mission in Nairobi. Invited as a surprise guest, he expected cheers and excitement.
Instead, he was met with dead silence.
As he took the stage, students began standing up one by one — and walking out.
A teacher later explained that a pastor had spent the weekend warning students that Daddy Owen’s songs, hair colour, and dance moves were demonic. DVDs were even circulated claiming he was an Illuminati agent sent to recruit students.
How Daddy Owen Survived the Storm
Shaken but determined, Daddy Owen shared how he fought back:
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Fact-checking his lyrics: He consulted language experts to confirm that Lingala words in songs like Tobina and Kapungala had no hidden meanings.
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Growing a thick skin: He admitted the incident nearly pushed him out of music, but ultimately hardened him for future attacks.
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Choosing silence: Rather than fighting publicly, Owen often stayed quiet, believing that explanations only give critics more fuel.
“If you never understand my silence, you will never understand my words,” he said.
Lessons from the Fire
Both men agreed that scandals are emotionally draining but ultimately shaping. They warned fellow public figures against blackmail, stressing that paying extorters only traps you further.
In the end, Daddy Owen and DJ Mo said the storms didn’t break them — they molded them, turning pain into resilience and survival into wisdom.
