Since the release of Circumference, the first single off his highly anticipated album Break the Chains, singer Bebe Cool has been making major moves both locally and internationally and now has sat down with BBC and told his heartfelt story from how his journey started.
Following up with his second single, Motivation, the Gagamel boss has been on a relentless promotional run, including a recent feature on BBC’s This is Africa podcast with UK-based Nigerian media personality DJ Edu.
During the interview, Bebe Cool reflected on his musical journey, recalling his early struggles in Kenya. He revealed how he moved there after obtaining the contact of top producer Ted Josiah, only to fail to meet him. Stranded, he ended up living with a security guard before crossing paths with a man named Mohammed, who owned a private studio.
"Someone told me that there is a man who has a private studio, so I knocked, and he welcomed me. He asked what I wanted to do for a living, and I told him I sing. I had a CD with eleven instrumentals, so I freestyled on all of them. He told me to find a producer and come back to record," Bebe Cool recounted.
He later met Lucas Bikedo, a co-founder of Ogopa Deejays, and his career took off. His popularity grew after performing at Miss Kenya pageants before teaming up with Redsan and Jose Chameleone to form the first Bashment Crew.
DJ Edu acknowledged the impact of Bebe Cool’s collaborations with Necessary Noize’s Nazizi and Wyre, noting that songs like Fire Anthem, Combination, and Africa Unite introduced a fresh sound to the Kenyan music scene.
Bebe Cool also revisited the traumatic experience of being shot in 2010. He recounted witnessing a confrontation between Good Lyfe artistes and a police officer. When he and his friends approached, the officer, thinking they were intervening, opened fire.
"Since I always move with security, I sent my man to talk to him, policeman to policeman, but he simply opened fire. It was traumatic—five people got injured," Bebe Cool narrated.
The incident left him in a wheelchair for almost a year after undergoing surgery. Months later, he narrowly survived the tragic Kyadondo Rugby Club bomb blasts, which occurred during a World Cup viewing party where he had performed.
"I did not get any therapy after that because our country was not yet at that level. I said, ‘Let me use this to become a stronger person,’ and yes, it made me stronger at heart," he said.
Bebe Cool also spoke about his new album Break the Chains, explaining his decision to embrace Afrobeats. He believes the genre is what the world is currently listening to and sees it as a way to promote Ugandan music globally.
Listen to the full interview below:
