Can we please have a moment of silence? Uganda lost one of her consistent talents from the Mayanja singing family, Emmaneul Mayanja aka AK-47 early this week. The lyrical gun got into the limelight after featuring on the Bayuda remix with his eldest brother Jose Chameleone.
While the unending stories and social media posts about the cause of the deceased dancehall artiste’s demise go on, here at the Sqoop desk, we look at the legacy he was building through his music.
Just before he passed on, his dancehall jam Ebaluwa (Letter) was catching momentum. Well on this song, he tells a story of a girl who stole his heart though he couldn’t reach her, so he scribbled sweet nothings in a letter. Deeper into the song, AK-47 embeds a nursery melody into the song. If one went to nursery school then they must be familiar with the song that goes, “I sent a letter to my friend, but on the way I dropped it, one of you has picked it up and put it in his pocket…” This was a smart move as this song would command would get to toddlers lips.
He also adds very danceable instrumentals, a characteristic he had from the year he started his career. Even when he left unfinished work, music lovers will appreciate his contribution to our musical industry. May his soul rest in peace.
— Joash Yose