2017 is just a few hours away. So we thought we could take you through a memory lane of sorts, remembering some of the things our celebrities did in 2016 that we did not like, those we liked and what they should do better next year. Isaac Ssejjombwe takes you through some of those things.
The things we didn’t like
The Fille and Kats saga
Mc Kats is commonly known as a top MC but aside hosting events, he’s also a TV personality and was even the fiancé and manager of artiste Fille. The two also have a daughter. Kats is half responsible for putting Fille’s career where it is today and their relationship was all good until the drama started.
Kats organised a concert for Fille on November 25th but a month to the concert, they hadn’t yet gotten sponsors and the finances to hold it on their own. Time was running out on them. This is when the games began. Kats posted his pictures with a story that Fille had beaten him up. Social media became awash with this news. The next thing we knew, Fille called off the concert and their relationship as well. However, a few weeks back we saw Kats promoting Fille’s music and some pointers on Facebook that convinced us these two had definitely deceived us to get our attention from the concert.
Khalifa Aganaga’s Thursday concert
Emma Carlos is Khalifa Aganaga’s manager. Before he took him on, he was Coco Finger’s (where’s that guy by the way?) manager also as well as Dream Girls. This would mean he knows a thing or two about the entertainment industry. So whatever he was thinking to have Khalifa’s concert on a Thursday is something that we haven’t figured out yet ourselves.
It was May 26th, 2016 when Khalifa held his one ‘Manyi ga kazindalo’ concert at Theatre Labonita. Because it was a Thursday, the artiste registered one of the biggest flops ever by a Ugandan musician. Reason was, no artiste has concerts on Thursday because Friday is a working day. Ugandans are used to attending events starting on Friday through Sunday.
The Tubonga Nawe fracas
2016 was a year of the poll and the heated up presidential elections saw artistes getting involved, not directly but by showing their support to certain candidates. Bebe Cool, Chameleone, Catherine Kusasira, Goodlyf, King Saha, Pastor Bugembe, Rema Namakula, Mun G, Juliana, Iryn Namubiru were some of those. They even composed a song titled Tubonga nawe for the President and also went ahead to campaign for him. It angered many people. What we hated was the chaos, ugly words and insults this project brought out. All said and done, we think people have a right to make a choice on whom they support.
Bebe Cool’s haircut
He’s at liberty to do whatever he wants and we agree that sometimes artistes can make crazy statements but Bebe Cool’s hair cut is something we don’t like at all. He has changed his hairstyle many times, sometimes tinting the dreads and the beard, or trimming it but this new look is something that we don’t like.
He trimmed half of his hair on each side of his head, leaving only a few dreads on top. He really looks like he’s having a long bad hair day.
The Wizkid hoax
The last time Wizkid was in Uganda, he did a track with Mowzey Radio and Weasel but before that in 2013, he had had a show that left many Ugandans thirsty for more. It was a small show at a small venue which might be the reason Star Times and Face TV decided to book him for a mega show on December 3rd. The Nigerian award-winning artiste didn’t turn up, giving us some mumbo jumbo on a video about the organisers not coordinating things well and his not-so-good health. A new date for his show has not been established yet as doctors have reportedly advised him to take a rest for two more months.
The closure of WBS TV
It’s not news that WBS TV is no longer airing. Instead, another station called Kwese Sports is airing on the channel. It’s such a shame that the station that groomed many TV personalities went under. It was the station that gave birth to presenters like Mckenzie, Kazoora, Straka, Web Daniel Ssebakigye, Flavia Tumusiime, MC Kats, Mildred Tumuhaise and Esco Star among others. But 2016 went with it.
Things we liked
Sheeba’s shines
What more can we say? The Nkwatako artiste has really given male artistes a run for their money; she has stayed focused and consistent form the beginning; she has won awards; she had sell-out concerts; her songs have gotten a heavy rotation not only on Uganda’s media but also globally; she received her first ever MTV nomination. This is the first time a female has dominated the scene ever since Juliana and Iryn Namubiru in their days.
Bebe Cool’s bounce back
He spearheaded the Tubonga nawe project but unlike other artistes who were shaken by the boycott and later apologised, the Gagamel boss stayed strong throughout this whole campaign, defending his ideology of supporting the President. He was abused. People threatened not to attend his concert. But he stayed put and the only way he got past all the threats was to release song after song some of which impressed the audience, songs like Kabulengane, Ki ekiganye, Tombawala and Sente among others. He had a successful concert and is the only one who remained consistent.
The rise of new talent
Every year comes with new artistes but 2016 has been a little extraordinary as it has brought us so much talent and we have a good feeling the entertainment industry will grow in 2017. This year has come with artistes like Da Agent, Fefe Busi, Roden Y, Winnie Nwagi, B2C, Kent and Flosso and Ceasorous. Some might have been in the game before, but they have stepped up their game this year.
More international presence
This year, we have had many Ugandan artistes feature on international stations like Trace, MTV and others. This can be attributed to the nice videos they have made this. And not only have they featured on those stations but they have also been nominated more this time round. Just in the MAMA’s, which are the biggest in Africa, Uganda had three nominees in Bebe Cool, Eddy Kenzo and Sheebah. This was a good thing.
How our artiste can be better in 2017
Borrow a leaf from artistes outside Uganda
In order for our industry to be better, Ugandan artistes need to borrow a leaf from what others are doing, artistes like Diamond Platinumz, Wizkid and so on. We need to shoot more quality videos to compete with Nigerians and South Africans. We need to get out of our comfort zone (kidandali) and do other styles of music more. We need to be aggressive like they are. By doing that we will be at a better position to overtake them.
Yes, it’s possible.