After two weeks in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam promoting his Break the Chains album, singer Bebe Cool has shared some of the key lessons he picked up from the experience.
In a lengthy post, the Cheque singer expressed gratitude to his fans and the media in both Kenya and Tanzania for the warm reception they extended to him during the tour.
He noted that when he began his career in Nairobi, Kenya, the East African region was a cultural force on the continent—prominent in driving cultural exchange. However, he expressed concern that things have since changed, and that East Africa now lingers in the background as events shaping the continent unfold elsewhere.
“Nairobi remains vibrant in 2025, but it no longer dominates the continent’s cultural scene. Areas like Johannesburg and Lagos have taken the spotlight, raising the question: how did we watch the spotlight move?” he asked.
Bebe Cool recalled how, back in the day, Tanzanian artists like AY, Mr. Nice, TID, and Lady Jaydee—as well as Kenyan stars such as Necessary Noize, Nameless, and Redsan—frequently collaborated with Ugandan artists, making East Africa an entertainment powerhouse.
Nazizi and Wyre of Necessary Noize teamed up with Bebe Cool to form the explosive East African Bashment Crew, one of the region’s biggest music groups of its generation. Similarly, Jose Chameleone had collaborations with Professor Jay, Bushoke, AY, and many others.
“I observed that the brotherhood that once fueled artists such as Lady Jay Dee, AY, Redsan, and Nameless—or the synergy behind Necessary Noize and the East African Bashment Crew—has faded. For years, these collaborations united fans and amplified our regional sound. However, after becoming successful, we stopped working together, weakening the regional power that once made East Africa a force,” he said.
Bebe Cool emphasized that East Africa must reignite that spirit if the world is to once again pay attention to its art.
He also spoke on the opportunity East Africa has in leveraging its population in the streaming era.
“Together, our combined population exceeds 300 million. If just 50 million of us became music consumers through streaming, the world would have no choice but to take notice, given the strength of our numbers,” he said.
The Motivation singer applauded the media in Kenya and Tanzania for their professionalism, noting that they asked hard but relevant questions, demonstrating thorough background research. He also expressed admiration for how the two countries have embraced digital platforms like YouTube.
Bebe Cool further called on artists to invest in sectors that support the music industry, such as media. He commended Tanzanian stars Diamond Platnumz and Ali Kiba for owning Wasafi Media and Crown FM, respectively.
His two-week media tour was widely covered by various media platforms across Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. He concluded by urging fellow artists to make an effort to appear at least once a year in every country in the region, to engage with media and music lovers alike.
