The music of Uganda is broad and diverse, ranging from traditional indigenous music to Ugandan versions of many contemporary genres.
In Africa, Uganda is now ranked third when it comes to music, comedy, nightlife and entertainment at large. Ugandan musicians have embraced digital music platforms such as Spotify, iTunes and DJ Erycom - a local music promotion platform.Erycom Uganda is home to over 65 different ethnic groups and tribes,Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2016), The National Population and Housing Census 2014 – Main Report, Kampala, Uganda and they form the basis of all indigenous music."Uganda the country and the people". face-music.ch. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
The first form of popular music to arise out of traditional music was the Kadongo Kamu style of music, which arose out of traditional Kiganda music. From the 1980s to early '90s, Kadongo Kamu was influenced by musicians such as Peterson Mutebi, Dan Mugula, Sebadduka Toffa, Fred Ssonko, Livingstone Kasozi, Fred Masagazi, Baligidde, Abuman Mukungu, Gerald Mukasa, Sauda Nakakaawa, Matia Luyima, Herman Basudde, and Paulo Kafeero.Retrieved 24 January 2018 Music genres drew from Kadongo Kamu, making it the most influential style of music in Uganda. In the late '80s, the late Philly Lutaaya released his Born In Africa album that would later dominate the airwaves. Lutaaya also released Merry Christmas that consisted of eight songs. This album is still popular and many of Philly Lutaaya's songs are now anthems amongst Ugandan music lovers.
In the early 1990s, a new music genre – afro ragga, locally called Kidandali – was formed by Rasta Rob, Kid Fox, Ras Khan, Messe, Shanks Vivid, Menton Summer, Ragga Dee, Bebe Cool, Jose Chameleone, Bobi Wine and Steve Jean - who would later produce their songs. In 1997, Emperor Orlandoh and Menton Summer were the darlings after their song "Sirikawo Baby" becoming a national hit.
In 1998, Red Banton rose to fame with his album Noonya Money. He became the first Ugandan artist to travel to the United Kingdom on an Artist Visa.
Because of the effects of globalization, Uganda, like most African countries, has seen a growth in modern audio production. This has led to the adoption of western music styles such as Dancehall and Hip Hop.
Uganda's most travelled and popular DJ, Erycom, real names Mutebi Erycom, was the first Ugandan to own a Youtube channel and is one of the first two Ugandans to make Ugandan music circulate online digitally.
DJ Erycom has used the availability of the internet to promote Ugandan music and Ugandan artists, hence the reason as to why Ugandan music has reached every corner of this digital world.
A number of performing artists have joined the Uganda Performing Right Society which has furthermore improved Uganda artists music and benefits through its role as copyright administrator.
Traditional music from different regions of Uganda Uganda is divided into four regions – Central, Northern, Eastern and Western. Each region has distinct traditional music as per the tribes and ethnicities.
Uganda's nationalities are diverse and spread evenly throughout the country. Native music in Uganda, as in most African regions, is mainly functional. This means that most music and music activities usually have specific functions related to specific events such as marriage, initiation, royal festivals, harvests and war among others. The music is performed by skilled tribesmen and women performing folk songs and traditional dances with various traditional instruments.
Central
The Baganda are found in Buganda in the central region; they are the largest native nationality in the country. The kingdom is ruled by a king, known as a Kabaka. The kabaka has traditionally been the main patron of the music of Buganda. Musical instruments include various forms of drums, making percussion an integral part of the music).
The massive and sacred royal drums are just one of the many drum types. The engalabi is another common drum and it is a long round shaped drum."The drum of the Black Africans". face-music.ch. Retrieved 31 January 2017. The drums are used in unison with various other melodic musical instruments ranging from chordophones such as the ennanga harp and the entongoli lyre, lamellophones, aerophones, idiophones and the locally made fiddle called kadingidi.
Music is played for dancing in the community. The call and response style of singing is common with the Bantu from the 19th century.Raymond O. Silverstein, "A note on the term 'Bantu' as first used by W. H. I. Bleek", African Studies 27 (1968), 211–212, doi:10.1080/00020186808707298. The Baganda have a variety of vibrant dances that go along with the elaborate instrumentation. The bakisimba dance is the most common and most performed; others include the nankasa and the amaggunju. The amaggunju is an exclusive dance developed in the palace for the Kabaka.
Northern Uganda in particularly Acholi had a powerful Vocalist name Ojara Eddy in the late '80s.
Eastern To differentiate Eastern region from other regions. This region has several tribes, namely Bagwere, Basoga, Banyoli, Bagisu, Jopadhola, Iteso, Sabin, and Basamya. Each tribe has its own kind of music. In the '90s, these tribes produced music using their own made instruments. For example, the Bagwere had an instrument called kongo, basoga had xylophones (mbeire), Jopadhola and Banyoli had fumbo, and Iteso had adungu. During that time their music was different in production and composition according to which tribe was singing. In the 20th century, many tribes have tried to adopt to modern production while still making their songs in their tribe’s native language. There are many artists from several tribes. Bagwere has Waisana, Benenego, rapper Sky Dee, Area B, Waikere, Bluzman etc. Bagisu has San Sea, Ben, Nutty Neithan etc, and Basoga has Crazy MC, Racheal Magola, Maro etc. Most of these tribes have kings that have helped in the promotion of culture and music at large. The Bagwere king is called Ikumbania, the Bagisu king is called Omukuka, the Basoga king is called Chabazinga, and the Iteso king is called Emorimori. Lastly, the Eastern region has several districts.
Western Musician from the era Sister Charity, Chance Kahindo and Rasta Charz to the years of Ray G, Jolow, Allan Toniks, Seyo, T Bro, Emily Kikazi, Muzz Joe, T Paul, Rachael T, Mat Henry, CJ Champion to Penny Patra, Amani Amaniga, Carol Kay, Prettie Immaq and other newer artists.
After the success of a one "Omusheshe" song of Ray G & Spice Diana, Runyankole was embraced in major parts of Uganda. Central artists too teaming up with western Uganda's artists on songs like "True man hood" Allstars ft T Bro, "Tikikushemerire" of Gen Geeon ft Jose Chameleon, "Yeele" Geosteady ft Ray G, "Ninkukunda" Ray G ft Voltage music, "Mbarara boy" Mc Kacheche ft John Blaq, "Elevate" Rachael T ft Colifixe, "Sagala" T Paul ft Cosign. These too have boosted the industry to the national level.
Television and radio stations such as 97.7 FM Record radio are also supporting talent. The development of radio from the region's first broadcaster "Voice of Tooro" to Radio West, Messiah Radio in Kasese,Messiah Radio in Kasese Voice of Kigezi to Endigyito, Voice of Kamwenge, Kasese Guide Radio,Kasese Guide Radio Rwenzori FM, BFM, Hits FM, and urban radios like Crooze FM, Boona FM, K Town Radio, Ngabu FM and Street Deejays Radio (Online Radio) has seen western Uganda's music grow quickly.
Television development has been slow, though the establishment of TV West and Bunyoro TV has also developed western Uganda's music. The two networks have given platforms to the artists through broadcasting their videos and bringing them to the public eye. Through radio and television MC Kacheche, Kunana MC, Lithan MC and Mr Jay became well known. Kacheche's coming is one of the reasons Western Uganda's music has been embraced in the central region. The growth in music events, especially in bars of Mbarara, Rukungiri, Kabale, Fort Portal, Ishaka, Kasese and Kamwenge gives platforms to new artists to be heard.
Popular music Because of Uganda's turbulent political history, there was never enough time for there to be a thriving pop music industry until relative peace was restored in the late 1980s. By then, Philly Lutaaya, Afrigo Band, and Elly Wamala were among the few Ugandan acts to have had mainstream music success. Jimmy Katumba and his music group the Ebonies were also popular at this time, especially towards the 1990s.
Musicians like, Carol Nakimera, Kezia Nambi, Fred Maiso, Kads Band, Rasta Rob, Menton Summer were on top of the Ugandan music game between 1990 and 1997. Artists such as Livingstone Kasozi, Herman Basudde and Paulo Kafeero also played a great role in bringing live music near to the fans.
According to popular Ugandan music promoter DJ Erycom, in the year 1998, Uganda experienced the biggest change musically, due to musician Red Banton (the Five star general) who rose to fame with his hit song "Noonya Money" that played countrywide. Red Banton ruled the Ugandan music scene until the year 2000 when Jose Chameleone returned from Kenya with his song "Mama Mia" that turned into a National anthem in Uganda and East Africa at large.
The 1990s saw Uganda's love affair with Jamaican music begin when artists such as Shanks Vivi Dee, Ragga Dee, and others were influenced by Jamaican superstars such as Shabba Ranks. They imported the Ragga music culture into Uganda and, although they faced stiff competition from other African music styles and musicians at the time, in particular Soukous from Congo and Kwaito from South Africa, they formed the foundation of the pop music industry. But it was not until the 21st century when musicians such as Chameleone emerged that a pop music scene really began.
By around 2007, there were a number of musicians practicing varied styles of music, and the role of western and Congolese/South African music had greatly diminished. Today, Iryn Namubiru and King Saha are just two of the many pop musicians in the Ugandanan pop music scene. The pop music duo of Radio & Weasel, the Goodlyfe Crew, are well known around Africa, being nominated in the continental MTV Base awards in 2010 and BET awards in 2013. In June 2015, Eddy Kenzo won the award for "Best new international artist" at the 2015 BET music awards.
Kadongo Kamu
The word "Kadongo Kamu" is a term in the Luganda language that means "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 the music. Perhaps the first well known artist of the genre was Fred Masagazi in the 1960s."Kadongo Kamu from Uganda". blogs.voanews.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017
The late Elly Wamala contributed a lot in making urban Kadongo Kamu style. Christopher Sebadduka popularised the genre and perhaps this is why he is considered by many to be the Godfather of Kadongo Kamu. Elly Wamala abandoned this genre because it was also instrumented by non elite such as Christopher Sebadduka. His brand of educative singing won him many fans and he is one of the few musicians who was 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.
Herman Basudde was a very popular kadongo kamu musician in the 1980s and 1990s. So was Bernard Kabanda. Dan Mugula is one of the few surviving pioneers of the genre. Fred Ssebatta and Paulo Kafeero made their mark in the 1990s. Today, the genre is marginalized in favor of more recent styles of music. But because the music is loved by cultural loyalists in the Buganda region, it is certain that there will always be an audience for kadongo kamu."Down the memory lane with Kadongo kamu greats". monitor.co.ug. Retrieved January 31, 2017