Bebe Cool: Save for Myself, Chameleone and Bobi Wine, Shaka Mayanja has not Made any Significant Contribution

By Jako David Waluluka

Local singer Moses Ssali aka Bebe Cool, has labeled his counterpart and ace promoter TShaka Mayanja of ‘Twelire Obulo bwafe’ song fame as a peddler of foreign talent that has not made any significant contribution to local talent.

This retribution was arrived at after TShaka Mayanja, while appearing on a local TV station with Bebe Cool, retorted that the so-called top  artistes in Uganda, are devoid of artistic talent and only ride on bubble gum music, tactical drama and controversy (stunts) to allege supremacy in the field.

To further drive his point home, TShaka went on to say that ‘it’s only by sheer luck and credit to the Ugandan busy night life which is the biggest in Africa, that those ‘fake’ top artistes claim their bubble gum music is quality and worth a second listen’

‘None of the trio (Bebe, Chameleone and Bobi) can play on an international stage or tour because their music is just a token of the required international standard. If it wasn’t for the stunts and paid media, there are artistes like Myco Ouma, Samite, Maddox Ssematimba , Naava Grey and the late Geoffrey Oryema, who can actually played on international stages and been appreciated yet are shunned here.

Irritated and angered by the bluntly jaw dropping comments, Bebe Cool, shot back saying that TShaka has never made any contribution to local music industry and has no claim whatsoever. “He has instead been ripping big from promoting and hosting international musicians here, instead of Ugandans… he is a sellout” 

It should be noted that there has been a storm brewing in a tea cup for several years ever since TShaka attacked Bebe Cool, for not  crediting both Michael Fingers and Esther Nabasa, who were behind his chart bursting song ‘Love you every day`.

Bebe at the time, on August 31^st 2014 to be exact, penned a damming post on his social media pages thus;  Just to correct Shaka mayanja of jazz safari,if u want to know who wrote love u every day,at your age,u should not nose around since u know who sang it and u have his number,call him and ask otherwise stop misleading people by under looking BEBECOOL .Michael fingers wrote half the song and I did half and mark u, u are in for surprises if u thought u new me well. THAT SHOWS HOW BAD THEARTED UGANDANS CAN BE. Instead of appreciating an artist, they will look for things just to bring them down. LETS SAY ESTER WROTE LOVE U EVERY DAY, IF SHE SANG IT, WOULD U HAVE CARED ABOUT IT OR LOVED IT? GROW UP. LOVE YOU EVERY DAY

Indeed, TShaka through his Jazz Safari gigs and promotion agency deals, has been responsible for the local tours of hundreds of international artistes like, Spanner Burner, Asward, Shaggy, UB 40, Third World, Buju Banto among others here.

TShaka, is arguably Uganda’s leading reggae artist. With more than 500 songs born Winston Mayanja, TShaka has made his mark in Africa, as a reggae singer, songwriter, producer and promoter. He has done countless Radio and TV interviews in Africa, including on Channel O.

In February 2012, TShaka was contracted to be a Judge for both the auditions and the finals of East Africa’s biggest Reality TV Music Talent Search; The Tusker Project Fame project. The TV show was to find talent across the three East African nations; Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. 

In 2004, Mayanja released his album `Dark Chocolate` under Black Roots Unlimited, a group started by him. In 2006 he released Reggaegology: Bass After Dark, which contained 13 tracks.

TShaka plays several instruments including bass guitar, piano, drums and percussions. He still insists that Bebe Cool and his cohorts should not brag about being the most talented artistes in Uganda, while the later thinks otherwise and advised his nemesis to eat humble pie and live in reality on the ground.