Are Ugandan music media personalities out of touch with the industry?

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Yesterday, I told a colleague that one of the biggest problems Uganda’s music industry is suffering from is not necessarily the music or the artists. But the presenters, the media personalities and media houses.

The media is being steered by people that are too old to build the industry.

For instance, when Straka started doing her show, she was in the age bracket of the people she was hosting, the likes of Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine and Chameleone…. They were all young, chasing dreams in their way. – The hunger from both sides gave us a great industry.

Then there was an era of Douglas and Katogo, Kasuku, Ibra K, that era had Radio and Weasel, GNL, Mun*G, Young Mulo, Eddy Kenzo, Rabadaba, Swangz Avenue… (the Whistle Song and Mr DJ days) still, this era saw agemates promote agemates…. Good music was delivered again.

It’s basically what Brian Kella McKenzie and friends at Hot 100 did for Ugandan rappers, peers promoting peers.

But now here we are, the guys that pushed Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine and Chameleone in 1998, are still on radio, either as presenters or influencing things in one way or another. The guys who came with the Radio and Weasel in 2007 are also still here, on the mic and screen, even the guys that came in 2013 with King Saha, Diana Nalubega and Gravity are solidifying themselves.

What that means, we likely have a bunch of people that are probably disconnected with the industry but are discussing it.

That could explain why we have presenters who dismiss artists with questions like ‘Oyo ayimba wa?’, ‘Bwetugenda ku kasawe bamumanyi?’ or asking artists to beef because the industry needs vibe.

Written by

Kaggwa Andrew

Ugandan Arts and Culture Journalist. Film and theatre enthusiast. Photojournalist.

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