The year was 2005, the local music industry as we know it today, was finding its footing. Jose Chameleone had consolidated his position as the most revered local artiste.
Bebe collaborated with the dynamic duo of Nazizi Hirji and Kevin Wyre, who, together with Necessary Noize formed the East African Bashment Crew. Bobi Wine, on the other hand, had just achieved his crossover success with Mama Mbire.
It was also the year Eagles Production, thanks to Mesach Ssemakula and friends, became mainstream. Some of the music released in 2005 is still dominating airwaves and formed a bigger part of what defines Ugandan music.
The year 2005 was the first time most of the popular local artistes found themselves on the campaign trail of the 2006 elections. Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine and Juliana Kanyomozi were on campaign trails of different politicians. Today, we look back at some songs from 2005, many of which you may not know are turning 20 years old this year.
Maama Mbire
This particular song was released a few days after the 2004 Christmas. The song was commissioned by businessman Charles Mbire as a dedication to his mother Tereza Mbire in celebration of her 70th birthday. Mbire told Bobi Wine and Juliana that the song was bigger than just a birthday and advised them to take it to radio. Maama Mbire was the second collaboration between Bobi Wine and Juliana Kanyomozi, which cemented both their statuses on the local scene.
The song contributed to Juliana’s crossover appeal to the mainstream music and was partly the reason she dominated 2005. Around this same time, Bobi Wine worked on an album Wendi. Maama Mbire won Song of the Year at the Pearl of Africa Music Awards in 2005.
Nabikowa
Off the success of both Taata wa Baana and Maama Mbire, Juliana ventured into Luganda songs. With the help of Silver Kyagulanyi and her trusted producer, Steve Jean, Juliana gave Ugandans Nabikoowa, a stark difference from her final solo output, Seven Days. She went on to release more songs such as Kanyimbe, collaborating with Tanzanian singer Bushoke and launching herself onto the East African scene. She did not stop at this. She later became a judge on Tusker Project Fame. It is also hard to imagine how it would have panned out had Juliana not continued releasing English songs in 2005.
Sigwe Onsimira
It is not clear whether this song is Mesach Ssemakula’s masterpiece in all his music, but it is one of his most important songs. Sigwe Onsimira came at the right time; Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine and Chameleone got into a bar brawl and one of them got injured. Much as there is no bad publicity, the constant fights got press and industry stakeholders condemned the three. Some media houses had threatened to avoid their music, but Gen Salim Saleh intervened. Amidst this chaos, Mesach released Sigwe Onsimira, a song whose right video, pacing and production captivated Ugandans. Sigwe Onsimira was nominated for Song of the Year but lost to Maama Mbire. To date, it is that one song that plays and the audience run mad.
Ruckus - Navio/Peter Miles
Navio and Peter Miles joined forces for Ruckus. It was fresh, funky and hip hop. At the time, when MTV launched their franchise MTV Base in Africa, Navio was one of the most sought after artistes that in 2006. He was one of the six African artistes MTV that went to the UK to meet then British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Ruckus came at the time when the world was trying to tap into Africa’s pop culture and it helped Navio cross paths with some of the biggest names. When MTV Base launched in Africa, an event was held in Kampala with 2Face as the headlining artiste, Navio and Chameleone performed at the event. Later Navio, Peter Miles and 2Face linked up with Klear Kut to record a remix of Ruckus, probably the first Ugandan/Nigerian collaboration.
Mother Africa - Hip hop Canvas
The story of the Hip hop Canvas is long, but it started as a project and somehow became a movement. Shadrack Kuteesa who later managed Keko was at the helm of some of their productions and concerts. Mother Africa was a lead single off the first album of Hip Hop Canvas, bringing together burgeoning artistes such as Lady Slyke, Lyrical G, Saint CA, Young Nick, Qute Kaye, Nick Nola and GNL. Mother Africa started a movement of on the streets and media, hip hop got the spotlight.
Kipepewo - Jose Chameleone
Chameleone was untouchable at the time he released Kipepewo and he knew his status. The song, however, came at the heel of his endless fights that for the first time, his throne was threatened, but it was still a popular song.
Bomboclat
Bomboclat was the song that ushered Weasel into dancehall music. In this song, he went out of his brother’s shadow, when he released songs such as Doreen and Nakujali, all the songs sounded like Chameleone throwaways. Bomboclat started what would later complement Moze when they became a duo as Radio and Weasel. The song also sampled Ferooz and Professor Jay’s Starehe without their permission and it took the Tanzanian two years to complain after being invited to Uganda for a show. The result was a collaboration, Ndivyo Sivyo.
Digi - Ngoni
Ngoni had teased a lot of music at the beginning of 2005; from Bana City to Welcome to Kampala City, they kept poking the urban scene. But they eventually landed with Digi and it was a banger. Probably it was intentional or not, the culture of launching a song and an accompanying dance soon became a hit. People launched songs and soon a dance followed, Digi, Omwana wabandi, Stamina, Badilisha and all this was before TikTok.
Jangu eno Maama - Chagga
This was the lead single off Chagga’s first album after leaving Jose Chameleone’s Leone Island. The song became a massive success although majorly played to Jose Chameloene’s strength and signature. To date, Chagga is mainly known for this song.
Hitaji - Blu*3
Straight from the reality show Coca Cola Pop Stars, Blu*3 released Frisky, Kankyakyankye and embarked on a nationwide schools tour. The trio would later start crafting an album Hitaji, and yes, compared to what other East African groups from the competition were releasing, it was safe to say Blu*3 took an early lead on many fronts. They dropped hits and dope videos. Hitaji landed Blu*3 on the East African radar that Kenyan and Tanzanian media started following the girls.
