Tonny Ssempijja, the prominent figure in the realm of old-time music promotion, highlights a disturbing trend of violence permeating the contemporary Ugandan music industry, attributing it to the influential impact of the so-called triumvirate of artists.
Popularly known as Jajja Tony and serving as the Coordinator of the Uganda Music Promoters and Venue Owners’ Network, Ssempijja emphasizes that a significant number of emerging Ugandan artists resort to violence as a means to establish their presence, mirroring the tactics employed by the big three—Bobi Wine, Bebe Cool, and Jose Chameleone—in their prime.
Ssempijja points to Alien Skin as a pertinent example, describing him as orchestrating a clandestine network of hoodlums responsible for violent assaults on those who oppose him. Drawing parallels, he notes the striking resemblance to the modus operandi of Bobi Wine’s Fire Base era.
Illustrating his point, Ssempijja cites reports of Fangone summoning individuals to his location for punishment, employing teams to apprehend those who criticize him online. This echoes the historical role of Bucham Man at Fire Base, where it was his duty as Vice President to locate and discipline individuals speaking ill of Bobi Wine.
Recalling past incidents, the music promoter references occasions when Bobi Wine dispatched gangs to disrupt Jose Chameleone’s performances with firecrackers, leading to physical altercations between the two artists.
The contentious actions of Alien Skin and his cohorts have left a trail of conflicts, including notable incidents with Pallaso in May and Andrew Mukasa Bajjo in November of the previous year. This troubling trend raises concerns about the escalating violence within the Ugandan music landscape and its potential repercussions.
