Bebe Cool Seeks To Turn A New Leaf

Mar 06, 2003

The artiste with trademark tap-root dreads has had enough of his bad boy image and is calling it quits.

By Sebidde Kiryowa
The artiste with trademark tap-root dreads has had enough of his bad boy image and is calling it quits. That’s the controversial conduct not the music. No more run-ins with the law, no more threats to beat up media people, no fights with other musicians backstage and, most importantly, an end to that infamous stripping on stage to reveal his underwear.
Bebe Cool, who has featured in the press more for his risqué escapades than artistic achievements, wants to leave the disreputable Fire Base Crew, young artistes who banded together to counter Chameleone at the height of their conflict with him. The other members were Bobi Wine, Tool Man and Black Boy.
In January, the artistes agreed to put their differences aside and reunite. A show code-named ‘Reunion 2003’ was subsequently held at the Nile Gardens in honour of their new agreement.
They agreed to change from ‘Fire Base Crew’ to ‘Most Fire’ to incorporate the interests of Jose Chameleone. They also told journalists they would perform as a group. Bebe Cool says one of the conditions Chameleone gave for the reunion was that Fire Base Crew stop their infamous stripping. But Cool says his colleagues did not honour the agreement. That is why he is backing out.
“When we reunited, some people were not genuine. Personally, I accepted the reunion because I was tired of the childish wars. I committed myself to that and even offered my house as a meeting place, but it seems everyone had his own aim. We totally agreed to clear up our image and apologise to the public. We would stop bickering in public and behaving like we were on drugs. We contended that as artistes, the public would have a low opinion of us if we went around stripping and showing our bums and underwear on stage. But on the day of the reunion itself, Tool Man showed his G-string,” the singer says.
Bebe Cool, whose real name is Moses Ssali, adds, “So, I told them I was not going to be a part of their commotion any more and quit Fire Base Crew. If any member of the crew wants to behave like a nuisance, that's them. As Bebe Cool, I’m out!”
Cool says Most Fire is a sham: “Nobody really seems to be interested in working together. Chameleone has been working alone since that reunion, so has Bobi Wine,” he says. Cool himself has just returned from Nairobi, where he has been working with the Ogopa DJs on his latest single Twezinire, which will soon be out. All notwithstanding, Bebe Cool reiterates that there is no renewed fight amongst the artsites.
"There is no hostility between us anymore. All I'm saying is that I'm going back to every artist for himself and the audience for us all. We perform at the same concerts but have separate payment arrangements."
Bobi Wine could not be reached for comment. However, Chameleone says in his own opinion it is a power struggle between Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine. "Bebe Cool demands a lot of respect from Wine. He maintains he is a bigger star and cannot be rated same as Bobi Wine. Wine on the other hand wants recognition as a star in his own right. There is no mutual respect."


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