Singer Bebe Cool has taken a swipe at those criticizing him for not siding with Bobi Wine when his recent music show was blocked, saying nobody should pose as being more supportive to Bobi Wine’s music career than he (Bebe Cool) has been.
The Gagamel boss on Saturday said that he made Bobi Wine the artiste since he collaborated with him on his very first music project.
“I’m the maker of Bobi Wine. I made him musically,” Bebe Cool said while appearing on Capital Gang, a political talk show on Capital FM on Saturday morning.
The ‘Love you Everyday’ singer revealed that Eddy Yawe, brother to Bobi Wine offered him (Bebe Cool) a studio for his very first music rehearsal.
“When he [Yawe] saw me making a move in life, he called me one time and told me ‘Can you also work along with my brother [Bobi Wine]?’,” Bebe Cool said.
While he did his rehearsal sessions in studio, Bobi Wine peeped through a key hole, “very interested in this guy who had a rough voice”, Bebe said.
“So, for all these years, I have been in support of his career. Even the competition that we have is supportive of each other. If I chose to ignore Bobi Wine, he would be dead musically”.
The two afropop singers whose careers span over two decades have been at loggerheads for almost as long as their singing careers. For many years, Bobi and Bebe have thrived on music battles, known popularly as ‘beefing’.
Bebe Cools says his involvement in such battles built Bobi Wine musically, and vice versa.
“When he sent a word and I replied, I was building him as he was building me,” he said on Saturday.
He was responding to comments made by Kampala Mayor, Erias Lukwago, who accused him of ignoring the “persecution” that his fellow musician (Bobi Wine) is being subjected to by blocking his recent concerts.
The comments come at a time when Police has been at the receiving end of criticism for denying Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi) also Kyadondo East MP the freedom to organize or perform at numerous music shows in recent months. On Boxing Day, both Bebe and Bobi had organized shows but only that of the former took place.
This has divided public opinion, some accusing Bebe Cool, a strong supporter of President Yoweri Museveni of riding on the privilege of State favours. Bobi Wine’s fans say Wine is being witch-hunted for his strong criticism towards Museveni.
However, Bebe argued that he enjoys the same rights to perform anywhere as Bobi Wine, adding that there is no reason he should feel pity for Wine when he (Bobi Wine) kept silent when his fans pelted bottles at him at a music concert in August.
“The Lugogo concert was a musical concert and the song I sang was ‘Love you Everyday’ (which wasn’t political). Who gives who a right to throw bottles at me to send me off the stage?”
The self proclaimed ‘Big Size’ also father of six wondered why Bobi Wine never at one occasion came out to condemn his fans for the Lugogo incident which forced him (Bebe Cool) to cancel music performances for three months.
He argues this is a double standard since he too depends on music for a livelihood and has a family among other dependants to take care of.
“I never saw Hon Kyagulanyi or musician Bobi Wine, the event organizer or even the music society, protect Bebe Cool a Ugandan musician. Why is it that you want Bebe Cool to feel pity for Bobi Wine if he didn’t feel pity for me,” Bebe Cool said.
He attributes the blocking of Bobi Wine’s Boxing Day concert to the singer’s failure to secure the requisite permissions as required by law. He claims Bobi Wine had deliberately not advertised the said show until three days to the d-day since he was aware it hadn’t been approved.