Joyce Wanjiru Karumba, the wife of celebrated gospel decks master Fredrick Karumba, popularly known as DJ Krowbar, has passed away.
In a formal statement released on Monday, the family confirmed that Joyce, affectionately known as “Joy,” died in the early hours of Monday, January 26, 2026.
Her passing follows a courageous and highly public three-year battle with kidney disease.
The Karumba family has been transparent about Joyce’s health since her diagnosis with kidney failure in 2022, which occurred shortly after the birth of the couple’s third child.
After a successful public fundraising campaign that raised over Sh9 million, Joyce underwent a kidney transplant in mid-2025.
While she initially showed promising signs of recovery, she faced a series of medical setbacks in the following months.
According to the family, an infection late in 2025 was successfully managed, but her condition deteriorated again in early January.
She had been briefly discharged to her home for two weeks before being re-admitted for the final time.
The family described Joyce as a woman of “immense courage and deep faith.”
Beyond her role as a supportive spouse in the gospel industry, she was a professional fashion designer and a pillar of her community.
“While we are deeply saddened by this profound loss, we find comfort knowing she is now at perfect peace,” the family stated, quoting Psalm 31:5: “Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.”
Joyce is survived by her husband, DJ Krowbar, and their three children: Toria, Riri, and Imani.