Kabaka is an Obsessions fan

HAPPY: The Obsessions' mugongo dance makes Kabaka happy

May all the Obsessions fans raise-up your hands, please…
Ah, I can spot an important hand and it’s from the direction of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi.
And trust me, I’m spot on because even a source in Mengo can confirm to me that the Buganda king is a fan of the group, especially the singing girls.
I am aware that the King “ordered” to have Jose Chameleone and the Obsessions perform while he is in presence during the Enkuuka Y’omwaka concert in Lubiri come December 31.Kabaka usually leaves before artistes start to perform but he has, this time, “ordered” that Chameleone and Obsessions perform while he is still around, a source has told Rafshizzle.

Akon coming to Uganda?

There’s rumour that Akon could be coming with the Brick & Lace singing duo who will usher Uganda into 2008. But I ask everybody to remember Akon is a world star.
I won’t say much about those promising to bring him in here alongside Brick & Lace but they should remember that we know he is not that cheap to come as ennyongezza!
Mind you: he was paid deposit of $7000 for the Kenyan concert, which was supposed to take place on December 22, but he dodged on grounds of insecurity.
He had a point because there is normally violence in Kenya during elections but then who tells you that Akon can come to Uganda just like that.
If he comes, the better for us but it shouldn’t be taken like hope – call it a dream that is hard to come true!

Welcome Mother Xmas Juliana

There is no denying musicians have a fair bit of cash.
So it’s nice to see that many of them are quick to help a person in need. In fact, giving is on the up. But who was around this Christmas to remember the needy ones?
Juliana Kanyomozi is the name I can find in the box and big kudos to her…
A little birdie tells me that Juliana visited IAM children’s family ministries, an orphanage in Lungujja and threw a Christmas feast for the needy kids at place.
And not only did she give free items worth Shs3m but Juliana also engaged in preparing an Xmas meal for the kids.
Hummm…I would love to taste a Juliana-made meal, banange! Lucky kids…
And publicity aside, the IAM caretaker Ms Suzan Rwakatare had only praises for the Kibaluma star – calling her “a bighearted lady.”
“She has such a big heart, and I think it’s why God made her a star,” said Rwakatare.
Rafshizzle is satisfied with celebrities this year as far as giving is concerned.
This year: One of them is helping that homeless guy on the street and the other is preaching for peace.
And whether it’s a penny or a fiver, anything helps.
So we give a big kudos to those celebs helping to better all those around them.

Bebe becomes an Oga!

TAKE THIS...: Bebe gives free beers to his Jinja fans

Some of us are saying, “Santa baby, leave a big cheque under the tree, for me...”
But several of Jinja people are not among us because they already got something from their “in-law” Bebe Cool.
December 22 was the perfect eve of Christmas for them as Bebe Cool turned into a Nigerian Oga and started splashing free cash to them.
He was performing at the Bell Lager carnival in Jinja.
And like how you see Ogas doing in Nigerian movies, Bebe Cool who also has a song called Oga, splashed cash notes to revellers he referred to as “bakko” (in-laws).
He told them that Jinja being the land where he got his wife (Zuena), “Christmas time is when every man gives something to his in-laws and here I give this to you.”
He splashed out more than Shs2 million and a number of beers.
I’m not envious but I wish…

Akon in Kenya, snubs Uganda again

EXCLUSIVE:

Our heads have been working overtime, praying for this one concert.
And finally we are glad to announce that Akon is at last coming to perform…
But wait to cheer because this is a heady mix of excitement and sadness.
Actually, the chart-topping hip-hop star will for the second time snub Uganda when he comes to perform in Kenya this Saturday.
Akon snubbed Kenya and Uganda when he came for a concert in Tanzania last year and now he is set to perform at Impala Grounds in Nairobi on December 22 but he won’t come to Uganda though other theories state that he would jet into the country with the Brick & Lace duo who will perform in Kampala on December 31 and January 1 2008. Brick & Lace are signed to Akon’s music label, Konvict and he is their producer/executive manager.
The Nairobi-Akon show is being organised by Bushstock Entertainment and being supported by Easy FM, which is the Kenyan sister station of KFM. Brick & Lace are being in here by Majo Entertainment supported by KFM.
And there is also another story that Akon might have something to say on the microphone in Uganda days after the Bricks & Lace show.
After the Kenyan concert, Akon will proceed to his homeland Senegal for Christmas with his family before going to three other African countries – that automatically means Uganda still has a slight chance but only if they can pay $150,000 (around Shs260m) for a concert.
Hullo, everybody back on your knees for more prayers...

Busoga artists get Grammy nod!

CAPTION: The face of the Ugandan CD nominated for a Grammy

EXCLUSIVE:
Forget about Jose Chameleone’s profile on the Grammys website – true, his story was the site’s lead feature last week.
But in this case, Rafshizzle is having drum roll for the artistes from Busoga region who have been nominated by the Grammys for their joint work in a fight against HIV/Aids. The group recognised as Various Artistes, has been nominated in the category of Best Traditional World Music Album (Vocal or Instrumental) for their 14-track CD titled Singing For Life: Songs Of Hope, Healing, And HIV/AIDS In Uganda.
The CD comprises songs by traditional artistes like Vilimina Nakiranda and The Bakusseka Majja Group, NACWOLA Iganga, Mzee Mata Nasani/Akadongo, Kanihiro Group, Bright Woman Actresses, Negro Angels Bamalayika, Bukona Woman’s Group, Kibaale Village Embaire Ensemble, Centurio Balikoowa, MUDINET Drama Group, Walya Sulaiman/PADA, Meeting Point Kampala and Jumbo Theatre Group.
The CD was recorded/produced by Vanderbilt University’s associate professor of ethnomusicology and anthropology Gregory Barz on his visit to Uganda last year.We’re keeping our fingers crossed until February 10 for the Grammys main ceremony…

Glamour girls entertain Lyttle

Sometimes I like a sing along.
So in the words of the pop king MJ in his song Dirty Diana…
“She likes the boys in the band…Every musician’s fan after the curtain comes down…”
Such tunage could have been written about Kampala’s glamour girls.
Let’s just say they have lust for every musician who comes to town – from Shaggy to Sean Paul and it was no exceptional as Kevin Lyttle came last week.
The Turn Me On star first told a press conference prior to his concert that he was “single and searching.”
And oh dear, a horde of girls mobbed him from the moment he arrived at Kati Kati for his concert up to the after-party at Sway Nightclub. And it was the same case in Entebbe two days later.
Each of them was whispering to him like they had met years before – we don’t know what they were asking secretly.
I understand what being “star-struck” is and surely this was not!
I actually, suspect one of the girls kissed Lyttle as booze started showing its influence on them.
Well, Rafshizzle gives the chap full marks for creativity because he managed to juggle all the girls giving them an impression that he would leave with them all.
Hope he didn’t leave pregnancies behind – Shaggy has.

Gaetano Still Cares for Abby?

You can always count on your ex-nearest to wade in with an opinion on your life – whether you want them to or not.
Just ask former BBA1 housemate Abby Plaatjes, whose former lover Gaetano has been sticking his oar in.
Yep, Gae has a lot to say... chatting about Abby’s relationship with Tanzania-based Italian tycoon and now about her second pregnancy.
And imagine saying all this in the earshot of Rafshizzle.
Perhaps I am sorry for delaying to tell you that Abby is pregnant again but the newest story now is of Gae whom we heard telling his friends that he feels very disappointed in the way Abby is taking her life.
Gaetano’s concern is that Abby might lose her “good body shape” by giving birth rapidly.
It’s barely two years after Abby had given birth to her first baby but she is expecting her second kiddo in less than five months and Gaetano thinks she is not being considerate.
Gae, trust us, Abby reads Rafshizzle so consider it message delivered!

Fauzia Nakiboneka’s new job

Fauzia Nakiboneka is a very talented lady as far as acting is concerned.
And now Nakiboneka has yet another skill to add to her CV – singing!
She has just finished recording her maiden track, which will be released next year, a source revealed to Rafshizzle.
The source said that Nakiboneka wants to show people that she can do more than act and she would release a full album mid-2008.
Nakiboneka, who is now one of The Ebonies lead actresses, has already showcased her vocal talents in the group’s latest productions, singing during their shows.
But we are still keen to have a listen of her commercial music, as we are all aware such ventures can have a slight cringey factor.But I don’t want to discourage you, Naki, please go on and give us a tune!

Chameleone’s controversial film role

You know chameleon, an animal but please let’s teach you a new phrase – Chameleone.
It describes a lad whose artistic colours can fit in any environment.
After bagging himself a number of music accolades, two-time Pam award-winner Jose Chameleone has set his eyes on awards in the acting world, he has told 24-Seven.
But don’t think he would simply sit and wait for the awards to come by themselves.
He has already written his first film, which is about music legend Philly Bongoley Lutaaya, who succumbed to Aids in 1989.
In the movie, Chameleone acts the main character, an HIV/Aids-infected person who helps pass-on information to the public about how to avoid the horrendous pandemic.
Good cause of course, however, a source has said that the lanky star is wary that people might start associating him with the character in the film because of his size.
Yeah, some characters are better written than acted.

Gashumba is moulding an Oprah

BUDDYING TALENT: Sheila files a Chogm story from the media centre on Imperial Royale Hotel.

Prepare for a headline you had never thought you would see – something like, “a Ugandan Oprah is born…”
I'm not dreaming.
It’s Frank Gashumba who has revealed that he is moulding his 11-year-old daughter Sheila Gashumba into becoming the “Ugandan Oprah Winfrey.”
Rafshizzle bumped into Gashumba and the daughter at the Chogm Business Forum at Royal Imperia Hotel last week and he told me: “You see she is the youngest journalist around covering the Chogm and I want this to continue until she is as big as Oprah.”
Sheila was the youngest of all Chogm reporters and her father had to add her one more year since the required age for one to cover Chogm was 12.
She had her articles published in Daily Monitor’s Chogm Teens, a special project for teens who covered Chogm.
Sheila also presents a teens’ show on WBS TV yet she is the only kid to have been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey’s crew who came for the Aisha Nabukeera’s documentary.
And all Sheila told Rafshizzle, “I think I can do what Oprah and Tyra Banks are doing. I want to use the media to help suffering people.”
Well, Sheila, join me in singing Nas’s song, “I know I can be what I wanna be…”