Ugandan music star Bebe Cool has returned from a successful media tour in Kenya and Tanzania, where he promoted his latest album, Break the Chains. During his two-week trip, he met with fans, artists, and media professionals, and came back with valuable insights about East Africa’s music industry.
In a heartfelt message, Bebe Cool thanked fans and media houses in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam for the warm welcome. He recalled his early days in Nairobi, when East Africa was a strong cultural hub in Africa. He said that back then, artists from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania worked closely together, creating powerful collaborations that made the region a music powerhouse.
“In the past, we had real unity. Artists like Nameless, Redsan, AY, Lady Jay Dee, and others often collaborated across borders,” he said.
Bebe Cool himself was part of the East African Bashment Crew alongside Nazizi and Wyre from Kenya, a group that once ruled the region’s airwaves. However, he now feels that this unity has faded. As artists became successful, many stopped working together, which weakened the region’s musical influence.
He expressed concern that while places like Lagos (Nigeria) and Johannesburg (South Africa) have taken the lead in African entertainment, East Africa has lost some of its spark.
Bebe Cool believes it’s time for East African artists to rebuild that bond. With a combined population of over 300 million people, he says the region has the numbers to succeed in the global streaming era.
“If just 50 million of us started streaming music regularly, the world would be forced to pay attention to East Africa,” he added.
He also praised the media in Kenya and Tanzania for their professionalism. He was impressed by how well they prepared for interviews and how much they embraced digital platforms like YouTube. Bebe encouraged artists to invest in media, highlighting examples like Diamond Platnumz, who owns Wasafi Media, and Ali Kiba, who runs Crown FM.
Bebe Cool ended by urging fellow musicians to tour the region more often.
“Even one visit per year to each country could make a big difference. We need to connect with the media and fans across East Africa,” he said.
