Talent aside, Jose Chameleone understood the game, stepped into it, conquered and he is here to stay on top of it as long as he still lives. If you haven’t given him his flowers, what are you waiting for?
For 25 years and counting, the legendary musician whose music career speaks for itself, no longer needs to prove to that he is one of the best to ever step on an East African stage.
However, last Saturday night, as he celebrated 25 years in music, he came to prove that he is who he thinks he is. He did this before his adoring fans who filled Serena Hotel Kampala’s Victoria Hall to witness his greatness.
Chameleone took to the stage at 9:10 pm, backed by a 12-man band. Clad in an all black outfit, garnished with a king’s robe and a crown, he set everything in motion. From older songs that made him a darling such as Kipepeo, Beyi Kali, Mambo Bado, Ekinuma, Befuula and his breakout single Mama Mia among others.
But sometimes Chameleone is full of surprises, he is not shy of embracing his controversies and living with the scars out of them. For instance, considering all that his ex-wife Daniella Atim has written about the artiste, him performing Daniella, the song wasn’t one of the things the audience anticipated or throwing in Fuga Bbi on the playlist.
His performance, unlike the past was a semi-live set, it takes a lot of discipline and for Chameleone and his chaotic performances at times, this was off the charts.
But it wasn’t just his day alone, this was a throwback, during the break, artistes Melody (under Leone Island), Mesach Ssemakula, and Chameleone’s younger brother Pallaso performed for the crowd before he returned for an action packed second round a few minutes after 11.
He continued with Valu Valu, Badilisha, Tubonge, Basiima Ogenze, Bayuda, Baliwa, Nzigulira, Bolingo Ya Nzambe, Kuuma Obwesigwa, Sanyu Lyange, Yono (cover by Chagga) and lastly Vumilia before he took another brief break and left the stage for Red San (a veteran Reggae and Dancehall artiste from Kenya), Bebe Cool and Weasel (his other young brother) to perform too.
While performing, Bebe Cool said he was asked by Chameleone to specifically sing Agenze, a song released when his wife Zuena left him in 2009. Chameleone has often said that Agenze is Bebe Cool’s best song.
In the third round, he performed Bomboclaat alongside Weasel and Ferooz (from Tanzania) Sivyo Ndivyo, and Mateeka.
“I might not have everything but I have music. When you see Chameleone you see music. Ugandans are cowards they don’t know they have great people like me”, he said and also complained how the government isn’t giving him support yet governments in other countries like Congo, Tanzania, and Rwanda do support their great artistes.
“Tell the president that he spent a lot of time in the bush trying to liberate this country, I also spent many years in the bush liberating my country by bringing original sound in Uganda.“ He added and resumed his energetic performance singing Owakabi, Jamila, Nawumia, Shida Za Dunia, Mama Roda collabo alongside Bushoke (from Tanzania) whom he gave a few minutes to perform, followed by Dj Michael and rising singer Hozaambe.
The final round saw him perform Fighter (collabo) alongside Mun G followed by a brief awards session where he awarded special people that have been important in his music career namely Bebe Cool, his former manager Sam Mukasa, Red San, Weasel, Pallaso, his mother, Ogopa Djs, Dj Micheal, Producer Paddy Man, Chagga, Dj Rota and Solid Band before ending the concert performing Gimme and Wale Wale at a quarter to 2 AM.
The concert has many things to talk about like Chameleone’s mind-blowing fashion for the event, Zari turning down the event host, MC Daggy Nice’s 5K notes’ offer, Hozaambe making a surprise appearance on stage, Weasel overpraising Zuena, wall of a screen as the stage’s backdrop, renowned tailor Latif sewing a dress for Zuena in less than 10 minutes among other things but those are stories for another day.
It was nothing but an amazing night that the attendees who stayed on their feet dancing and singing along his songs throughout his performance must still be talking about.
The stage, lighting, sound and production were done near to perfection and it’s like Fenon Events had come to prove a point after some local artiste dragged their ability “give a show with good sound” through the mud recently.
