The Ugandan music industry is very vibrant and plays a big role in the social and economic lives of many people. Popular musicians in Uganda are the biggest local celebrities. Musicians have in recent years increasingly used their music, regardless of genre, to relay a message and encourage social and economic change. The main choice of language that cuts across all the music genres is Luganda, with some artists mixing it with English and more recently Swahili to reach a wider audience. This text provides an overview of some of the key popular genres in Uganda.
In Uganda, music is different from one region to another. Ugandan Music enjoys its roots from more genres that have been passed from one generation to another. Due to varieties in music, popular music has been created from such a large variety thus forming the hybrid music enjoyed by the people of Uganda among them is Kadongo Kamu tunes. Uganda is now ranked number three in Africa as far as music and entertainment is concerned. Uganda is home to over 65 different ethnic groups and tribes that form the basis of all indigenous music.
The first form of popular music to rise out of traditional music was the Kadongo kamu style which rose out of the traditional Ganda Music. From the 80’s till early 90’s, this style of music was dominated by musicians such as Peterson Mutebi, Dan Mugula, Sebaduka Toffa, Fred Sonko, Livingstone Kasozi, Fred Masagazi, Baligidde, Abuman Mukungu, Gerald Mukasa, Sauda Nakakaawa, Matia Luyima, Herman Basudde, Livingstone Kasozi and Paulo Kaffero music genres drew from Kadongo Kamu, making it the most influential style of music in Uganda. In the late 90’s a new music genre called Bax Ragga was formed by Abdu Mulaasi Currently, due to the outcomes of globalization, Uganda like most African countries has witnessed a growth in modern audio production. This has led to the adoption of western music styles like Dancehall and Hip Hop.
Musicians are the main celebrities in Uganda and all entertainment content from the mainstream media will most times be about music. The private lives of musicians are closely followed by many Ugandans. Music concerts at times called as album launches are very popular. Many companies spend lots of money on sponsoring these music concerts and advertisements for concerts are very common on Radio and Television.
Music Genres
Kadongo Kamu
The first popular music style is the Kadongo Kamu style of music which emerged from traditional music in Uganda. “Kadongo Kamu” is a Luganda word meaning “One Guitar”. The music is given this name because of the role played by the bass guitar which most times is the solo instrument used in creation of music. Because this style of music is best enjoyed by cultural loyalists in the Buganda region, this style of music is almost always guaranteed to have an audience. Other genres drew from the Kadongo Kamu style and it thus became the most influential style of music.
Among the pioneers was Fred Masagazi, the first musician to play a bass guitar and sing alongside it in the early 1960s, soon after Uganda was declared an independent state. Christopher Sebaguka and Elly Wamala are considered the founders of this style of music and were both involved in the musical events at the 1962 independence celebrations. Their brand of educative singing won them many fans and they are one of the few musicians who were involved with Uganda’s independence in 1962. They were followed by a number of musicians who kept true to the style and sound of the music. These include Herman Basude, Fred Ssebatta, Bernard Kabanda and Paul Kafeero. They are all deceased but their music still lives on. Dan Mugula is one of the few surviving pioneers of this style of music. This kind of music is still widely played as it is marginalized in favour of more recent styles of music.
Kidandali
Kidandali is a music genre that currently is arguably the most popular genre of music in Uganda. The roots of this genre can be traced back as far back as when Uganda got its independence and bands sprung up in the various parts of the country. This musical style followed closely behind the birth of Kadongo Kamu and was almost a modern style of the Kadongo Kamu. However, the term “kidandali” is not universally agreed on as the name of this genre with some local sources preferring instead to use the very simplistic term “Band Music” while others prefer the term Afrobeat, although the music shares no similarities with Afrobeat. The roots of this genre can be traced back to the bands that sprung up after Uganda got her independence in 1962.
The Cranes Band, which later gave birth to Afrigo Band are regarded as the first group in the evolution process of this style of music. This was the first band to emerge that has stood the test of time who released their first album ‘Omutanda Gyali’ in 1994 and became the first group in Uganda to release their music on CD. This music was highly influenced by Soukous and Congolese artists like Franco which by then was dominant all over the African Continent. Along the way, there were other bands like Rwenzori Band, Big Five Band and Simba Ngoma Band but Afrigo Band was the most prominent and most enduring especially throughout the political unrest of the 1970’s to 1990’s
Artists like Joanita Kawalya and Rachael Magoola were part of Afrigo Band and helped to lay the foundation for modern day Kidandali, alongside other bands like Kaads Band. The turning point, however, came with the formation of the record label Eagles Production which was responsible for producing artists like Mesach Semakula, Geoffrey Lutaaya, Ronald Mayinja and Haruna Mubiru.
In the 2000s, the genre became identified with the Eagles Production label. The label continued to produce more talent, especially female artists like Catherine Kusasira, Irene Namatovu and Stecia Mayanja. Another turning point was around 2007 when David Lutalo broke through with the hit song ‘Kapapala’ creating the way for the genre to move beyond the Eagles Production label and for other solo artists to join the fray.
The emergence of Kidandali also came with younger renowned musicians like Bobi Wine entitled as the “Ghetto President”. Coming from a humble background, Bobi’s style of music and the content therein resonates with rural and urban people alike. His closest rivals are Dr Jose Chameleone and Bebe Cool.
Dancehall
Dancehall music in Uganda is modeled after Jamaican Dancehall. It is among the most influential styles of music in the Ugandan pop music industry. Most dancehall artists will perform in their local language but always will try to mimic Jamaican patois. During the early to mid 1990s when Uganda’s pop industry was just beginning to be formed, the first international music to make an impression on Ugandan artists was the Raggamuffin music in Jamaica at that time. Artists like Shabba Ranks and Buju Banton became the inspiration for Ugandan artists like Shanks Vivi D, Ragga Dee, Menton Krone and Rasta Rob. The predominant beat that was used by these artists was the Dem Bow beat which was created by Shabba Ranks. This beat became the foundation on which all of Ugandan dancehall was to be built on later, just like it did with Reddaeton. In the late 1990s new artists like Mega Dee and Emperor Orlando joined the fray.
New artists like Chameleone, Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine joined the scene and consolidated it. But they did not create any improvement in the quality and sound of the music they found as it remained simplistic and heavily based on Dem Bow. The quality of music became commensurate with the quality of production available. Chameleone was the first dancehall artist to try to fuse this raga sound with other genres like Soukous and Kadongo Kamu.
Jamaican dancehall had already taken a sharp turn away from the harsh ‘ragga’ sound based on chatting over simplistic riddims and there was a new wave of dancehall DJ’s like Vvbz Kartel and Busy Signal who were working over more advanced riddims. Artists like Dr Hilderman came into the scene with new words like ‘Double bed Mazongoto’ and have continued to grow. New Ugandan artists have come up like Rabadaba, Sizza and Fidempa create a more modern version of dancehall.
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop culture has influenced the young people in Uganda in more ways than just music. Modeled after American hip-hop, the mostly young fans of this genre have embraced hip-hop culture including style of dressing, walking and even speech. Klear Cut and Bataka Squad were two of the first hip-hop groups in Uganda emerging in the late 1990s. Back then, hip- hop was not easily accepted and most of the music groups were forced to change their style. Despite the initial resistance, artists like Navio and Babaluku persisted with this genre. It was not until 2008 that hip-hop really gained popularity with the unveiling of GNL Zamba. Hip-hop continues to be a growing trend in Uganda with more and more artists adapting the style. There is no much difference between American and Ugandan hip-hop though the Ugandan’s started performing in Luganda. This gave rise to the term ‘Lugaflow’ to describe the fact that hip- hop music can still flow and be just as entertaining in languages other than English.
At present hip-hop remains one of the most popular genres in mainstream media. The most influential hip-hop artists in the country today are Keko, who is one of the most outstanding female artists and Navio, who sometimes performs alongside former band mate The Myth.
Gospel
Gospel is another genre of music that has recently grown highly in Uganda. It has been adapted from praise and worship music sang in church choirs and bands, especially in the Pentecostal churches or the Born Agains locally known as ‘Balokole’. The number of gospel artists to have emerged in the country since the 1990’s is now on a par with that of musicians in the other popular genres.
Just after the turn of the century, the styles in gospel became more diverse, with various groups like Sauti and First Love adding to the urban sound created by Limit X. Others like George Okudi and Father Musaala had hits over the Radio circuit and worldwide.
Gospel, however, started having a notable impact on the music industry when Judith Babirye broke through circa 2007. Babirye, whose music was similar to Mukasa’s, was an instant hit and her song “Beera Nange” was among the songs of the year in its year of release. Later on, she was followed by Pastor Wilson Bugembe another musician who was readily embraced by the listening public with his songs becoming national hits, cutting across all demographics. They have since been joined by various new artists spanning various genres.
Exodus is a group of younger musicians who can perform numerous other genres, but whose music is nevertheless often categorized as gospel. Judith Babirye and Wilson Bugembe also embrace other genres, such as kidandali and soukous, but are still associated with gospel. Judith’s ‘Yesu Beera Nange’ (2005) and Exodus’ hit ‘Igwe’ (2008) have long been enjoyed far beyond church walls.
Jazz
Jazz music is not too widely spread in Uganda and few people identify with it. It has a growing audience with musician Isaiah Katumwa taking the risk to hold one concert after another not just to entertain but also to educate Ugandans about the beauty of this genre of music. Jazz music is mainly performed by full bands, one of the most respected in Uganda being the Fusion Band. They perform some original compositions alongside popular Western tunes with a jazz twist. They are mainly invited to perform at functions as well as hold weekly shows at major hotels. More recently, a number of top jazz musicians’ from around the world have been invited to Uganda to hold performances. The sight and sounds of these big music giants have paved the way for local talent with a love for jazz to flourish.
R&B
The last music genre in Uganda that encompasses the musical style of most of the artists is R&B. This genre allows all the musical experimentation in whatever language and accommodates all the upcoming as well as renowned musicians in Uganda. The most prominent musicians in this genre include Iryn Namubiru, Julianna Kanyomozi, Naava Grey and Maurice Kirya, to mention but a few. Some of these musicians drift at the border between soul and Afro-pop. Their music style resonates well with the Ugandan population, with most of it performed in local languages. Many of the musicians have recently started to sing in Swahili, as well as a mix of Luganda and English to reach a wider audience. Julianna’s ‘Nabikowa’, Iryn’s Nkuweki and Grace Nakimera’s ‘Nkwagala Kufa’ are some of the biggest hits in this genre to date. Maurice Kirya of the Maurice Kirya Experience has made a name for himself bordering between gospel and R&B genres. His song ‘Boda Boda’ held the number one spot on local airwaves because its message cut across regional and tribal allegiances.