Rapper GNL Zamba of Luga Flow applauded singer Alien Skin and his record company Fangone Forest for organizing a benefit concert on September 22, 2023 for budding musician Champion Gudo.
He added that Alien, alias Patrick Mulwana, and his management did something for his peers that other prominent artists, who are regarded as the best in the country, have not been able to do.
According to Alien, who made the announcement at a press conference on September 19, the performance, titled The Return of Champion Gudo Twagala Champion, will raise money to assist Gudo’s mother in building a house, making the young guy the youngest landlord in Uganda.
But because so few people showed out to celebrate, the concert was a disaster.
“When I founded Baboon Forest Entertainment Ltd. years ago, I collaborated with and signed three artists, breaking the mold in which most established artists solely promoted themselves and kept other talents as stooges and minions to ‘the king’. I continued to work with labels, plan events, secure endorsements, and manage these artists—sometimes even at the expense of my own career. When the organizers wanted my up-and-coming artists to play before me, I occasionally refused to take the stage. They eventually gave in to the pressure, according to GNL.
He said that this endeavor was responsible for the ascent of rappers like Bigtril, Mun*G, and Keko.
They gained notoriety and became well-known. We made many errors while working and discovered our lessons the hard way, but we never ceased offering excellent entertainment or leaving a legacy of helping others or sharing the spotlight. I want to thank Alien Skin for continuing the torch by rewarding another artist, which is unique in Uganda. We have individuals with careers spanning more than 18 years who have never organized or bestowed such an honor onto anyone other than themselves,” GNL said.
He added that Ugandan musicians don’t assist or promote other musicians because they fear competition.
“These young artists frequently splinter off because of a lack of true support, only to compete with their former bosses who accuse them of being unappreciative for the chapati they purchased for them (but was it really a chapati for a song?). We all understand that most big artists retain talented performers under their wing for years without giving them their own show, deal, or spotlight due to exploitation, ingrained fears, and business blindness. You can criticize me for a lot of things, but I did everything humbly and without hesitation,” he continued.
