Kapeke has never been one to whisper his opinions and this time, he turned the volume all the way up.
Kapeke has never been one to whisper his opinions and this time, he turned the volume all the way up.
Speaking during a candid appearance on Rewind, Galaxy TV, the “Kaba” hitmaker weighed in on the buzzing “Morocco Remix,” the international collaboration between Joshua Baraka and Jamaican dancehall queen Shenseea and let’s just say, he wasn’t exactly impressed.
“I Understand the Market Better,” the Reigning Artist of The Year started diplomatically… or at least tried to.
Yes, Shenseea is a big artiste. Yes, she is talented. But according to him, the collaboration left him scratching his head more than nodding along.
“Shenseea? Okay. I will not say she is not a big artiste. She is dope. But doing a song with Shenseea? Honestly? It seems like I understand the Ugandan market better than most people.”
In his view, international features should make strategic sense especially when targeting the Ugandan audience.
His tone suggested less jealousy and more “Are we sure this is the right chess move?”
International Collabo? Nothing New.
Kapeke was quick to point out that global collaborations are hardly groundbreaking anymore.
After all, Ugandan artistes have been crossing borders long before the current Afrobeats wave turned global.
He referenced how Eddy Kenzo linked up with Nigerian star Patoranking, while rappers like Fik Fameica have also tapped into international sounds.
“Others have already done such songs. Kenzo has done a song with Patoranking. Fik has sung such songs. He [Joshua Baraka] is not the first. It is normal, and that is what he is supposed to do. It is like me doing a song with Kenzo or Sheebah, that is what I am supposed to do. That is how we stay relevant,” continued.
To Kapeke, that’s simply the job description.
Collaborations, he implied, are like networking at a family reunion… expected, necessary, and sometimes unavoidable.
But here’s where things got spicy.
Kapeke made it clear he doesn’t subscribe to the “collaborate with everyone trending” philosophy.
Watch Kapeke’s interview below;
Even if the opportunity landed on his desk tomorrow, he says a Shenseea collaboration would still get a polite or not-so-polite decline.
His reasoning? Artistic control.
“I cannot work with her. Joshua Baraka works with everyone. Me, I pick and choose. I do not do songs with just anyone. Shenseea? No, bro.”
While some artistes chase visibility, Kapeke insists he chases intention.
He compared collaborations to working within Uganda’s own industry, saying teaming up with stars like Sheebah Karungi or Kenzo is part of staying relevant locally but international partnerships should come with clear benefits.
The Bigger Question: Who Really Benefits?
Perhaps his sharpest criticism was aimed at the economics behind global features.
Kapeke argued that many Ugandan veterans who previously collaborated internationally didn’t necessarily gain long-term advantages from the partnerships.
According to him, international artistes often jump onto already-trending songs and dictate the creative direction, a dynamic he’s not willing to accept.
Enock Mugabi aka iWitness is a Journalist, Seasoned Writer and Music Analyst with a passion for sports.
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