KS ALPHA: Sulaiman Alpha Kamulegeya better known as KS Alpha, has been performing for more than 15 years. He meets his fan Halima Nandugga and they talk music and life.
You have been quiet for the past couple of months. What have you been up to?
I had a tour in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban, recording a new album titled Di Conqueror, which I will be releasing on September 22. I am also working on a fashion line called ‘Yes Iam Afrikan’, coming out at the end of the year as well as doing high school projects for ‘Stay in school with music and basketball’.
If it were not music, what would you be doing?
I already do charity in schools with my IT/production company, Alpha Effects.
Tell us about your music journey.
I do not know how many years I have done this, but what I can say is that it has been challenging like any other thing. Good thing is I am still here and rolling big.
We are seeing young musicians rising fast. What is your fate?
I am not God to tell you what is going to happen but all I can say is you need to have real game. The question you need to ask me is how I still have music I released 10 years ago moving people in the clubs. Until some of the young ones can do that, then we can talk international presence. Yes, some have gone where we have not gone, but I can tell you that by 2006, I had two videos playing both on MTV and Channel O and in 2010, I performed with different international artistes. I shared a stage with D’banj in Lake Kivu before you guys knew of him and Jamaican music. The list is endless.
How did you link up with the Jamaican artistes; Tanto Metro & Devonte, and Collie Buddz on the collabos you have?
It is through friends such as Hemdee of No End Entertainment and other friends, but I should say it is quality music that takes you places. Even with connections, when you are musically weak it cannot help.
What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?
Just one; media houses hiring people who do not know music to make musical decisions just because they are cheap to hire. At the end of everything, whoever can pay his way to the airwaves will be the star, which has killed a lot of good talent. In short, there is more corruption in the music industry than in the government.
What is your view about today’s Ugandan music industry?
At the moment, it is like a house with nice paint on the outside and very dirty on the inside. We have popular people who cannot sing, so I think we should work on the fundamentals. Today, everyone is shooting clean videos with weak audios. Look at all the big artistes all over the world, it has been audio not video because you can have an audio without video but not videos without audio.
Tell me about your top five tracks at the moment and why.
I do not have top tracks. I take every tune the way it comes. I will be listening to this today and that tomorrow.
Where do you see your career in the next three years?
Like I said before, I am not God to say what is coming tomorrow. All I do is work hard, stay focused and expect the best. Last year, my song Bilingi was one of the sound tracks in the Queen of Katwe movie, so how would I tell it will happen? All I do is work hard.
What inspires your music?
Life and friends around me, so my music is about me or people around.
Tell me about your family background?
I was born to Moses Kasita and Janet Namugambe. I am their only child, but I have step-brothers and sisters.
