Veteran Kadongo Kamu singers have expressed their disappointment with UNMF president Eddy Kenzo, after claiming credit for revolutionizing the Uganda music industry.
Eddy Kenzo recently appeared in an interview, where he compared the old and new generations of the Ugandan music industry.
It is here that Eddy Kenzo revealed that the old generation of artists lived a very miserable life and, despite working hard, couldn’t afford the life they deserved, always finding it hard to do something for themselves, like building a home.
He noted that the industry was initially regarded as a career for failures, with people stereotyping every artist as a drug addict, drunkard, or living a reckless life of fighting in bars.
He, however, credited artists in his generation for changing the narrative by working on their looks and influencing fellow artists to invest in their public image.
Unfortunately, Eddy Kenzo’s remarks didn’t settle well with several Kadongo Kamu singers, including Lord Fred Sebatta, Willy Mukaabya, Kibijigiri, and Fred Ssebaale, among others.
Speaking during a press conference, Fred Sebatta expressed his disappointment in Eddy Kenzo, alleging that Eddy Kenzo undermined them and described their efforts in the music industry as fruitless.
He revealed that he is one of the musicians who laid a strong foundation in the music industry to dispel the stereotype of musicians as failures in life.
RELATED: Eddy Kenzo Compares Old and New Music Eras, Shares How His Generation Brought Respect and Clean Image to the Industry
Sebatta noted that, unlike the new generation of artists who receive financial support from different stakeholders, their era was marred by challenges, including high-interest loans that saw him choke on debts to the present day.
The Kadongo singer further revealed that seeing industry leaders like Eddy Kenzo downplay the contributions of veterans like Dan Mugula left him disheartened, prompting him to contemplate quitting music before breaking down in tears and exiting the meeting in disappointment.
