Ragga Dee marks 20 years of music
FOR almost two decades, Ragga Dee has been local music’s biggest star. <br>In his 20-year musical career, he has released 17 albums, won numerous Pearl of Africa Music (PAM) awards and also made lots of money.
By Gilbert Mwijuke and Moses Opobo
FOR almost two decades, Ragga Dee has been local music’s biggest star.
In his 20-year musical career, he has released 17 albums, won numerous Pearl of Africa Music (PAM) awards and also made lots of money.
Dee’s debut hit, Mukwano Jangu eno Tulabe,/i>, came in 1988, when lady Mariam (Tindatine) was still a toddler! Since then, he has had a run of modest hits, including chart-toppers like Bamusakata, Banakampala nga Bogera, Carry On, Nugu, Njagala Dance, Letter O, Mbawe, Mpeta, Ndigida, Cissy Komawo, Oyagala Cash and Gwogye Mukyalo.
The year 2006 must have been the singer’s worst when, for the first time in history, he lost the PAM Awards Best Ragga Artiste crown to Peter Miles.
In the wake of this defeat, Dee became something he had not been in quite some time: An underdog. Peter Miles beat him again to the Best Ragga Artiste accolade last year and the detractors wrote him off.
But Ragga Dee is the kind who kicks when he is down. The chubby singer is now vying for a comeback, delivering a brand-new 14-song album that draws on a wide range of musical genres — reggae, ragga, afro-beat, zouk, and hip-hop.
Owakaze Ke is Ragga Dee’s 17th studio album, and it could well be the one that gains him even wider recognition.
The title track talks of how old habits die hard and has Congolese-inspired rhythms, which make it a potential club-banger.
However, quite shockingly, Owakaze Ke has some dull, predictable lyrics, which is a bit disappointing. But what the song lacks lyrically it makes up for in rhythm!
Moving on, Crazy is a saxophone-led story of heartbreak that fuses afro-beat, zouk and ragga.
The heavy bass-line, great use of the saxophone and some digital manipulation conspire to create an interesting song.
But the most interesting offering is the reggae-tinged Ondaaza,/i>, another love story about a woman who is playing hard-to-get.
Owuwo (yours), a purely zouk track that rants at “poachers†keeps thing going before Ragga Dee makes a surprise venture into hip-hop.
He hops on the title of 50 Cent’s 2003 mega hit, In da Club, to create his own version of the same title. Dee is joined on this one by Dizzy Nuts, whose guttural vocals make the song.
Herein lies another surprise. Known primarily as a solo artist, Dee now ventures into the world of collboration. He also features Rachel K and his five-year-old son, Malcom, on Gwe Muntu Gwe N’esize.
Then there is Ma Ladies, a club-oriented track that reminds you of the Bataka Underground Squad. It is a similar story on Siri Muyaaye, on which he contests claims that he is “a lumpen†and Mazzi Mawanvu, which closes the album.
Ragga Dee’s foray into hip-hop is a brave move. But, there is a popular saying that it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
True to this adage, after 20 years of ragga, Ragga Dee cannot be expected to compete favourably on the mainstream hip-hop scene. His strong point still remains ragga!
FOR almost two decades, Ragga Dee has been local music’s biggest star.
In his 20-year musical career, he has released 17 albums, won numerous Pearl of Africa Music (PAM) awards and also made lots of money.
Dee’s debut hit, Mukwano Jangu eno Tulabe,/i>, came in 1988, when lady Mariam (Tindatine) was still a toddler! Since then, he has had a run of modest hits, including chart-toppers like Bamusakata, Banakampala nga Bogera, Carry On, Nugu, Njagala Dance, Letter O, Mbawe, Mpeta, Ndigida, Cissy Komawo, Oyagala Cash and Gwogye Mukyalo.
The year 2006 must have been the singer’s worst when, for the first time in history, he lost the PAM Awards Best Ragga Artiste crown to Peter Miles.
In the wake of this defeat, Dee became something he had not been in quite some time: An underdog. Peter Miles beat him again to the Best Ragga Artiste accolade last year and the detractors wrote him off.
But Ragga Dee is the kind who kicks when he is down. The chubby singer is now vying for a comeback, delivering a brand-new 14-song album that draws on a wide range of musical genres — reggae, ragga, afro-beat, zouk, and hip-hop.
Owakaze Ke is Ragga Dee’s 17th studio album, and it could well be the one that gains him even wider recognition.
The title track talks of how old habits die hard and has Congolese-inspired rhythms, which make it a potential club-banger.
However, quite shockingly, Owakaze Ke has some dull, predictable lyrics, which is a bit disappointing. But what the song lacks lyrically it makes up for in rhythm!
Moving on, Crazy is a saxophone-led story of heartbreak that fuses afro-beat, zouk and ragga.
The heavy bass-line, great use of the saxophone and some digital manipulation conspire to create an interesting song.
But the most interesting offering is the reggae-tinged Ondaaza,/i>, another love story about a woman who is playing hard-to-get.
Owuwo (yours), a purely zouk track that rants at “poachers†keeps thing going before Ragga Dee makes a surprise venture into hip-hop.
He hops on the title of 50 Cent’s 2003 mega hit, In da Club, to create his own version of the same title. Dee is joined on this one by Dizzy Nuts, whose guttural vocals make the song.
Herein lies another surprise. Known primarily as a solo artist, Dee now ventures into the world of collboration. He also features Rachel K and his five-year-old son, Malcom, on Gwe Muntu Gwe N’esize.
Then there is Ma Ladies, a club-oriented track that reminds you of the Bataka Underground Squad. It is a similar story on Siri Muyaaye, on which he contests claims that he is “a lumpen†and Mazzi Mawanvu, which closes the album.
Ragga Dee’s foray into hip-hop is a brave move. But, there is a popular saying that it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
True to this adage, after 20 years of ragga, Ragga Dee cannot be expected to compete favourably on the mainstream hip-hop scene. His strong point still remains ragga!