DJ Erycom, East Africa’s finest spinner

He is humble and warm - two qualities that escape many DJs.Yet Paul Eryck Mutebi, popularly known as DJ Erycom, beat all other DJs to become the reigning East African spin master.Last September, DJ Erycom (the sole Ugandan representative) beat Kenyan DJ Pinye in Durban, South Africa to bag $500 as East African DJ of the year 2011. The awards were organized by BET Africa Music Awards that attracted participants from Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, Congo, Gabon and Ethiopia.This year’s awards were on July 2. In Bukoto, near Alfredo’s bar and restaurant, the calm 25-year-old welcomes me with a smile and offers me a drink (something local celebrities don’t often do). Perhaps his humility stems from the fact that he didn’t have intentions of joining the music industry.So far, Erycom’s biggest challenge is also his strongest point – his fans in the Diaspora have misconceived ideas about Ugandan music.“Ugandans abroad rate Ugandan music in a funny way. They think that an artiste with many music videos is always the best. That’s why the Goodlyfe (Weasel and Mowzey Radio) sold a lot in Europe,” he says.“Today Bibuuza by Hajati Madina, Oli wange by Rema are big hits in Uganda, but if you make a mistake and take them to Europe, I’m sure you would make a loss as big as Mega Dee’s flopped shows,” he adds. The Observer

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DJ Erycom, East Africa’s finest spinner