Uganda’s award-winning musician Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleon was recently in Rwanda to participate in a music festival aimed at fighting drug use among the youth. The New Times’ Doreen Umutesi with whom they talked about various issues, including allegations of his drug use and the relationship with his brother Wiesel. Below are the excerpts. You have always confessed your love for Rwanda, anything special to which you attribute this? To me, Rwanda is like a second home. I have been very observant. I observe Rwanda’s development and whatever happens here so I just love the country and its people. People here are warm and, besides, as I was trying to build my music career, I lived in Rwanda, so there is that relationship that I have once lived here. It’s nothing else than that. When exactly did you live in Rwanda? I started singing around 1992; eventually I met a friend called Jackson Mvunganyi who is currently working with Voice of America Radio, he asked me to come with him to Rwanda, it was around 1995.

I managed to catch up with a man called Buddi who had a band that used to play at Piano Bar next to Pan Afrique (downtown Kigali). I started singing with their band while trying to forge a music career for myself. Eventually I was recognised by Cobra , the proprietor of Club New Cadillac, who asked me to be an MC in his club. So I lived here for a little while after that. Valu Valu is a song that is currently loved so much in Rwanda; what does it mean? Valu Valu is a Swahili word meaning a complicated situation. The song is about a relationship where by one doesn’t know if the person they are in love with love them back. And you can’t say they don’t love you back because it’s complicated. It’s basically a situation one can’t explain. You have been in Rwanda for the ‘Kesha Festival’ aimed at fighting drugs why did you participate in the campaign?I featured in the campaign against drug abuse; honestly a lot of young people think that using drugs is cool, it is something like swag or something like that, not knowing that it’s ruining their focus for the future. I’m a parent, I have two sons and a daughter, I wouldn’t want to see my children using drugs because this antagonises with their future.

So when Ever Binamungu (Promoter of Kesha and Next Entertainment) approached me asking me to come and told me the purpose of the festival was aim at fighting drug use amongst the youth, I felt much honoured to be part of such as a good cause.  There are allegations that you use illegal drugs. What is your say?Being a celebrity, people can say anything about you; because I’m public property. But I mean if I was using drugs, would I have the kind of focus I have today? Drugs don’t make you upright, the way I am. So I don’t use drugs.  How do you rate the Rwandan music industry now compared to the time when you lived here?The entertainment fraternity has grown, I mean just look at the way they advertised ‘Valu Valu’ and the Kesha Festival, such never used to happen here before. Besides look at how many curtain raisers we had (for the Kesha Festival), we had many established and upcoming artistes.

There is a lot of variety and that means that the Rwandan music industry is growing and positively. Before one could only hear of Masamba and Samputu but now there are lots of young people coming up. How has the music industry facilitated East African integration?When you research you will find that musicians have a network just like any other fraternity fostering integration. For example most of the musicians in Rwanda are my friends so is the rest of East Africa. It has promoted our cultures differently because music represents who we are and where we come from. So when we merge together, it’s a beautiful thing.

Technically music has brought people together. For example if Rafiki comes to Uganda, he will showcase his Rwandan culture just like I perform from here music which speaks about my culture so music has unified East Africa big time. Do you have plans of working with any Rwandan artiste? If yes with who?Truthfully, I’m very open to talent. I will never refuse to do a ‘collabo’ with artistes, but apparently nobody has come to me asking for collaboration. If any of them comes and it is worthwhile then we will have it since we are trying to promote music industry.  What message do you have for your Rwandan counterparts?The prime message for the upcoming artistes in Rwanda is that they have to believe in themselves. No body can be like them. What I mean is that they have to be original. There is nothing as good as originality.

Honestly when you look around East Africa, no body sounds like me because when I do my music I’m me, I don’t try to try to be Jayz because he is already there! They should also try to sing music that will benefit the community. They should never mislead the community. What is the beef that you have with your brother Weasal of Goodlyf? Weasal is my brother and that cannot be changed. When I have a misunderstanding with my brother it doesn’t imply that the family tie is broken.

He will always be my little brother that I have to lead. I have to keep him on track so I can’t let him misbehave. I love him and that is what it is. What is message do have for your fans?First, I thank them so much for supporting me for the last twelve years and I’m proud that they participate when I perform for them. I’ am still Chameleon and I will continue making them proud.