Bebe Cool recently worked on a new collaboration with Kenya's top band Sauti Sol dubbed Mbozi Za Malwa, back in April 2017, though the music video hasn't received many views on YouTube as anticipated, it received a lot of positive feedback when it was dropped.
This was the first time the reggae and ragga singer has worked with a Kenyan artiste, despite being in the industry for more than a century, but why did he take such a long time to make this move?
Well, in a recent interview, with Insyder, Bebe Cool was asked who his top 3 Kenyan artistes are, and the answer was not what anyone expected, at all.
The African Gal hitmaker revealed that the only singers he can rate and recognise from Kenya are BET nominees, Sauti Sol, because it's the only group that has been able to spread their wings both in East Africa and Africa as a whole.
To tell the truth there is Sauti Sol. I would definitely tell you I don’t think I can rate anybody else. Coz basically apart from the old legendary it’s only Sauti Sol that has made sure they have made a name in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Africa.
Bebe Cool revealed that he had only met mellow-voiced singer Dela recently, at Coke Studio and applauded her talent and amazing voice, but reiterated that he would not have known or heard of her if it wasn't for Coke Studio.
I just met Dela recently and I haven’t even listened to her music (before) so that means Kenyan artistes are a little bit lazy, I usually say that and I’m never shy about it. Because I haven’t heard of Dela before Coke Studio, if Dela has management she has to think twice and move (market themselves internationally) because that is how I will know you. I won’t know when you are there, however good your music is. Success also comes with business and marketing.
According to the musician, Kenyan artistes are somehow lazy and need to work on their marketing and management if they want to be recognised in other countries in Africa and internationally.
He however appreciated and congratulated Sauti Sol on their resilience and how they have strived to get accolades all over African and globally, and their enterprising nature too.
This comes after Nigerian singer Iyanya revealed that singer Jaguar was reluctant after their One Centimeter remix, saying that he didn't make an effort to market his song in Nigeria or introduce himself to the press, which he told him to do 2 years ago;
I don’t know if he was expecting me to do his job for him, he was just lounging around for over ten days. He did not even make any effort, not even a newspaper interview.
