Music flops and ones on the verge of collapsing

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By Tuhairwe Joab

Our dear Uganda is full of these. Musicians tickle our senses, touch our hearts and enthrall party animals with a new rhythm to jiggle to. While their songs last a long time-a really long time-these fifteen-minute geniuses just fade away to near non-existence. Let’s remember a few of them, shall we?

SYLIVIA NAMUGENYI

The memories we cherish about this charming lady is when she released her first single Mukazi Mufumbo in 2009. Alas, she has  toiled in vain to keep herself in the limelight.
Her body, style and use of comical actors in her videos (for example Amarula’s Paddy Bitama) was not enough to sustain her relevance.
Namugenyi, who sings a ‘bubble gum’ genre of music known to Ugandans as Kidandali has won herself a place among the flops in music as one can hardly identify a single hit since the melodious Mukazi Mufumbo.

QUTE KAYE
This gentleman had a good time indeed. However, gone are the days when he was able to enthrall concerts and have them screaming his name.
Known for his love ballads like Ginkese, Gwendotta, Gyettwasokela and as a tranquil chap who managed to enfuse just the sort of passion people adored, he was compared to R. Kelly. Naturally gifted with a high pitched voice.
But our boy started losing his game way back when he fell ill, was admitted to Mulago hosptial and by 2010, it was over.
Rumour has it he now engages in the field of land transactions as a broker. However he keeps trying to make a come-back hit.
He was last glimpsed in a Kina Uganda film. He might have ventured into movie acting. Any way. He’s got the looks, he’s got the talent, so let’s hope the movie industry will bring him to charts once more.

SAMALI MATOVU
Samali has recorded a couple of other tracks but none has stuck like Omukwano Gunyuma. She appears to be vocally sound and lyrically flowing so the reason she has failed to thrive again is perplexing.
Samali Matovu registered success in 2010, scooping several awards in the Pearl of Africa Music Awards and Diva awards but since then, she has become history. She was rewarded as an upcoming artist in 2010. One wonders if that is still the case.
She was accused of connivance with her producer Paddy man in her debut Omukwano Gunyuma to duplicate the beats of another track.

Once a main stream worshipper in church and a gospel artist, she suddenly ventured into the secular field. Perhaps she tested God’s wrath for going astray.

DON BALAM
Who knows where this Sirikyusa hit maker is?  Mbarara based producer Don Balam, popularly known for his reggae ton style of music as compared to the likes of Daddy Yankee and Don Omar, seems to be steadily vanishing from the Ugandan music chart.
The Sirikyusa and Ntunuride Gwe star, once on the list of Uganda’s favorite reggae tone top artist contenders has slipped off the music scene.
Balam’s great voice and diction has not paid off as he has failed to release a song to follow Sirikyusa.
It may be that he spends most of his time producing for other people and maybe spares no time for himself.

MADOX SEMATIMBA
Sincerely it would be a lie to call this man a one hit wonder. Reggae sensation Maddox’s music sold him across borders and he should be credited for that.
This is attributed to his ability to play instruments that most of the artists don’t, his sweet voice and a wonderful backup band.
Maddox, once a Ugandan artist based in Sweden who would pull Swedish crowds became a flop when he came back to his Uganda.
The Nakatudde singer could not hide his pout when he was whisked off the stage during a concert on allegations of impersonating himself.
People believe that his addiction to alcohol was the reason behind his down fall as he’s rumored to drink himself to the point of forgetting his way back home.
Despite the unforgettable Namagembe, Nakatude and many other hits that he recorded during his golden days, Maddox doesn’t escape the flop list as he can no longer be traced on Uganda’s music charts.

MYA
She’s a great dancer. Perhaps a moderately good actress on account of her good looks and serene personality.
But she is not a singer.
Mya, a former ‘Blue 3’ member, thought she had no option but to go solo when the group fell apart.
Down the road, her former partners Jackie Chandiru and Lillian Mbabazi have proven that they possess the ability to compose and write their own songs with hits like Agasi, Gold Digger and Vitamin, Kawa and what have you.
Each day that goes by, snoops have it that Mya is in the studio recording and is yet to storm the scene but months have come and gone and no single song has been heard on the air waves from this flamboyant lady.

On the verge of flopping.

RABA DABA
Raba Daba, as one of his songs suggests mukyamu”, seemed to live up to expectations when he stabbed an innocent Rastafarian in a bar last year.
This has had serious implications on him and he has failed to release a song to beat Mukyamu.
Sooner or later, Raba just might be a forgotten hero.
GNL
We well know that greatness has no limit. Indeed musical superiority should have no limit.
But is this guy limiting himself deliberately?
Having released hits like Kikankane, Koi Koi, Sesetura etc, GNL emerged as the undisputed King of Luga flow. However, our man seems to be backsliding at a terrific speed, giving room to other underground rappers like Mun G to suppress him.
In all fairness, he has tried to come back with yet another hit Teli Aluleta but it has not been given enough air play so don’t be surprised if you don’t hear GNL any more.
And there you have it. The competition gets stiffer with every sun rise, and popular artists today will have to up their game if they do not want to be referred to as ‘upcoming artists’ in a few years time!