Photo of Mbappe and Kao Denero, AI-generated

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Usman Fambuleh

Claim: A Facebook post by The African Experience claims that Sierra Leonean rapper Amara Denis Turay (Kao Denero) met French football star Kylian Mbappé, using a selfie of the two together to promote Kao Denero’s Europe Tour 07/25. 

Verdict: False. The image is AI-generated. There is no credible evidence that Kao Denero met Kylian Mbappé or took the selfie shown in the post. The image contains several signs of AI manipulation, and no reliable media outlet or official account has reported such a meeting. 

Full Text

On Facebook, The African Experience shared a post that reads: “Europe, Get Ready: Kao Denero Kicks Off Tour 07/25. Get your tickets now!”

The post includes a picture showing Kao Denero smiling beside French football star Kylian Mbappé, apparently taken in a football stadium filled with spectators. 

The image attracted thousands of reactions, with many users believing that the two personalities had met. However, some commenters questioned its authenticity. Due to its potential to mislead, DUBAWA examined the image to determine whether it was genuine. Similar claims were also posted here and here. 

Verification

DUBAWA contacted Amara Denis Turay, alias Kao Denero, directly via WhatsApp to verify the image. He confirmed that the photo is fake and that he has never met Mbappé in person. 

Screenshot of WhatsApp chat with Amara Denis Turay/source: DUBAWA

DUBAWA also searched for credible reports or official posts from credible news channels showing that Kao Denero met Kylian Mbappé. No such evidence was found. Neither Kao-Denero’s verified social media pages nor Mbappe’s official accounts have shared the photo or announced any meeting. Likewise, no credible sports or entertainment news outlet has reported such an encounter. 

To further verify the image itself, DUBAWA subjected it to an AI forensics analysis using aiornot.com, which found an 84% likelihood of digital manipulation. 

A closer visual review supported this finding. The facial features and skin texture appear unusually smooth and artificial. The hand resting on the man’s shoulder has unnatural proportions and blending. Parts of the stadium crowd appear repeated and distorted, which are common features of AI-generated images. Additionally, the lighting and shadows on the two individuals do not perfectly match those of the background. 

Conclusion

The claim that Kao Denero met Kylian Mbappé, as suggested by the Facebook photo, is false. The picture is AI-generated, and there is no credible evidence that such a meeting took place.