REINVENTING SELF: Since the flop of his concert, singer Kalifah Aganaga has been a little quiet. Last we heard, he had enrolled back in school and also gotten rid of some of his friends. In fact even the beef between him and the Goodlyf boys was squashed. Isaac Ssejjombwe was there as the singer shared time with his fan.
Hullo Kalifah. What is your real name and what does the name Kalifah mean?
My real name is Sadat Mukiibi and Kalifah is an Arabic word meaning entertainer.
How do you call your style of music?
I call it Aganaga style. It is a blend of reggae, Afro, zouk and dancehall.
How did you end up in the music industry?
I have one sibling and we were raised by a single mother. The radio was our only companion and form of entertainment. Listening to music from various artistes motivated me to start singing. I grew up wanting to be the artiste to help our music reach other parts of the world.
What happened to your father?
My father passed on when I was young. I never had that experience of calling anyone dad.
What else do you do outside music?
I am into fashion designing and it is what I was doing before joining the music industry. I used to sell clothes in Owino market. In fact I am soon launching the Aganaga clothing label.
Are you signed to any record label?
I am signed to Twinkle Star. They have helped me to get to where I am today. They help me sell my products in terms of promotions, publicity and also finance both my audio and video production, plus soliciting bookings.
We notice you are no longer involved fights with other artistes. What has driven your transformation?
The LaBonita experience (flopped concert) took us back to the drawing board. Among the things we did was to get rid of all the wrong elements on our team. We are focusing more on quality videos. The recent Gudi Gude collaboration with Goodlyf has introduced us on a regional platform. We are also shooting a video for Kiggunda with Sasha Vybz.
Why has it taken you so long to shoot quality videos?
It has not taken me long really. Only that I have been focusing on the local market, so it is time to target the region as well. If my music could leave my single rented room in Kabowa and hit the Ugandan market, then it can spread to East Africa, Africa and the world.
What are you working on right now?
Pushing my music as usual; we have just released the video of Gudi Gude alongside Goodlyf, releasing a new video in November and we shall have our annual Kalifah can Sing exclusive gig either at Laftaz or Cayenne Lounge.
What is your dream as an artiste?
My dream is to become one of the best musicians ever in this country. I want to bring a brand that can inspire many through music. I want to be in the league of Elly Wamala and Philly Bongole Lutaaya.
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