Bebe Cool to Bien: Global reach isn’t the only measure of a music industry

What the report says

Ugandan musician Bebe Cool has responded to comments from Kenyan artist Bien-Aimé Baraza about the state of Uganda’s music business, saying international visibility should not be treated as the main sign of success. According to Sqoop Uganda, Bien had suggested that Uganda has built a system where a major local hit can keep an artist busy with performances at home for years, prompting debate about whether the industry is exporting enough music beyond its borders.

Bebe Cool, who leads Gagamel Entertainment, argued that Ugandan artists still have significant earning potential within the domestic market. He said musicians can become very wealthy without relying on overseas shows and should measure progress by what they build from music, not by how widely their songs travel. He made the remarks during an X Space discussion titled “Creative industries as a catalyst for Uganda’s economic development.”

He also pointed to examples of artists investing earnings in property, businesses and farming as a more meaningful marker of success. In his view, countries with large home markets can support strong music careers even without constant international attention, and he compared Uganda’s situation with bigger markets such as China and India.

The exchange adds to a wider East African debate about whether regional and global reach should be the goal for musicians, or whether strong local demand is enough to define a healthy industry.