Free Boy Accuses Music Promoters of Gross Discrimination

West Nile based artiste Free Boy says he is not happy with Northern Uganda music promoters because they have denied him a chance to grow his music career.

In a live Television Interview on Easter Monday, Free Boy criticized the organizers of the West Nile Peace day fete who hired singers like Bebe Cool and Eddy Kenzo and reportedly paid them Ugx 20 million each while Northern Ugandan artistes like him earned a paltry sh.500,000 to perform at the event.

He said the situation showed that their talents are under rated and under valued even in the region where they have more influence than the central Uganda based artistes.

He further said that the Ugandan music industry has lost direction and focus because it only favors artistes from the central region.

“There’s no Ugandan music industry, we have a central Uganda music industry because artistes from upcountry are being denied a chance to make money from their music as things like airplay favors only the Central artistes,” he said.

He said the structure has denied several artistes a share of the national cake which big artistes like Eddy Kenzo, Jose Chameleone and Bebe Cool are enjoying.

“ I come from West nile (Arua) but all the opportunities are being taken by central Uganda based artistes thats why we are forced to sing Luganda, which even our people do not understand,” he argued

Another Northern Uganda based artiste LP Shady said there’s a big gap between upcountry artistes and Central Uganda artistes because the Central Uganda artistes are the ones that are favored most when big opportunities come by.

The artistes are now calling upon the Uganda National Musicians Federation (UNMF) to consider them and help them bridge the gap because they don’t want to be left behind in terms of opportunities like stage performances and other deals.