Bebe Cool challenges Bien to show gains from his music abroad after Uganda remarks

Ugandan musician Bebe Cool has challenged Kenyan singer Bien-Aimé Baraza to show what he has gained financially from taking his music beyond Kenya’s borders.

Bien had sparked discussion after explaining how Uganda’s music market operates, noting that a single hit can give an artiste enough popularity to perform across the country.

“In Uganda, one hit song can take an artist around the whole country. You have to be there to understand how that system works,” Bien said.

Bien later clarified that his comments were not meant to disrespect Ugandan musicians after excerpts from the interview sparked debate online.

During a TikTok Live on Friday, August 7, 2026, Bebe Cool offered his perspective, arguing that Ugandan artists still have significant financial opportunities within the local market.

Domestic market

Bebe Cool questioned the idea that artistes must take their music abroad to achieve financial success.

He cited China and India, asking how many artists from the two countries regularly perform outside their borders and how many songs in their local languages become worldwide hits.

“There’s still a lot of space and money to be made by each Ugandan artist within Uganda before leaving the border, and they can become billionaires more than Bebe Cool before they even perform anywhere,” he said.

According to Bebe Cool, an artist’s financial position should be measured by the strength of their music in their home country rather than its international reach.

“The financial status of the artists is defined by the size of their music in their country, not in the world,” he said.

Bebe Cool questions Bien

Bebe Cool then turned his attention to Bien, arguing that the Kenyan singer could make more money from the Kenyan market before seeking opportunities abroad.

“But there’s way much more money for Bien to make in Kenya. Way much more money for him to become a billionaire to be made, but he flies out of those borders to go abroad there and act like as if he’s making finances,” he said.

He also questioned what Bien had gained from taking his music beyond Kenya.

“In case we say that Bien himself, his music has gone beyond the border, then what does he have to show for it?” Bebe Cool asked.

The Ugandan musician’s comments focused on the financial benefits of having a strong domestic music market, rather than international popularity alone.

Uganda’s music wealth

Bebe Cool defended Uganda’s music industry by pointing to artistes who have built wealth through businesses, farms, homes and other investments.

“Ugandan artists are genuinely rich, not pretending, genuinely rich,” he said.

He argued that Uganda’s music industry is currently performing strongly economically within East Africa despite fewer artists taking their music beyond the country’s borders.

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