Once considered one of the most talented rappers in South Sudan, rapper Kuong Deng, better known as K-Denk downed the microphone in December 2013 and picked up the gun.

The rapper shocked his fans across South Sudan when declared he has joined Riek Machar’s led rebellion in 2013. He took his fans by surprise on this life risking move.

He flooded his Facebook page with warring attitude, tooting AK 47 rifles and boasting about his comrades’ victories in the front-line. His actionsprompted a backlash from his East African fans who couldn’t agree with his decision since he was viewed as a national figure who shouldn’t take sides in the country’s conflict.

The rapper all along has argued that his actions to join Riek Machar’s rebellion were justified because he was only doing it for self defense after the massacre of Nuer civilians in Juba.

However, the rapper who was pictured brandishing AK47 on FB at the onset of South Sudan’s conflict has recently changed his earlier hardline position to support rebellion and declared having disassociated himself with the rebels or any political side in the country. He spoke to Talk of Juba’s Mariak Bol about his decision to abandon the rebellion.

“I joined the rebellion to defend myself because of the killings of the people.” He told Talk of Juba’s Mariak Bol in a telephone interview in Kenya.

“I have now left the rebellion and I have to focus on how to reconcile our people,” he added.

The rapper said he managed to sneak out of Juba and sought refuge in Ethiopia when the crisis worsened in December 2013 to save his life when targeted Nuer killings happened in Juba. He first escaped to Nasir which was under rebel control then and found his way to Addis Ababa where he spent almost two years.

K-Denk, says that he has had enough of being branded a rebel and wants to concentrate on music.

“As a musician and public figure, I’m only entitled to sing, send my voice out there with the sound that is informing, educating and entertaining,” he declared.

The Former South Sudan Tusker Project Fame contestant who is currently Nairobi, Kenya promised to work for peace in the country.

“My voice should be an encouragement to peace and that is I will do from now,” he said.

The rapper now says he is working on numerous musical projects with Kenyan producers and will soon shoot a music video for his song called “Loving Nature”.

The former South Sudan’s representative to the Tusker Project Fame reality show, now says he wants nothing to do with politics and crisis in South Sudan.

Via Talk of Juba