The
celebrated songwriter famed for songs such as Bebe Cool's "Mbozi Za
Malwa", Vinka's "Malaika" and Winnie Nwagi's "Matala",
released a 12-track album last month.
Produced
a couple of tracks on the album. It was a joy working with him on this one. It
seemed too easy because we both knew what we were sup-posed to do. Work is easy
when your working partner knows what he's doing and that's the case with
Yese," explains Sam Mulkuld, aka Kuki Magic Hands commenting on Yese Oman Rafiki's debut album.
Oman
Rafiki has his name in a couple of hit songs. He is a good song-writer and is
now out to prove he can sing too, releasing a 12-track album to show for his
vocal abilities. The project, titled "Endagamuntu",
was born out of the Covid-19 period. It is a modern storybook of African music
that bares out a multiplicity of genres, subjects and is presented in English
and Luganda languages.
Oman
Rafiki, born Joshua Kiberu, opens his album with a groovy Afro-Ganda song titled
"African Sugar Daddy" which is inspired by day to day life, taking a
cheeky look at relationships, amplifying the role of a man as a provider. He
sings and arranges the song along-side Bu- i tar Magic while
Eli
Arkhis was the producer. The songwriter cum singer slows the rhythm
in"Baby Daddy", which seeks to relay the fears of a woman who will
have a baby with a man but is unsure about their cornmitment to a lasting
relationship. This one was produced by Immorash Wa Guan while Arkhis mixes and
masters.
It is renaissance time in "Obufananyi",
a school love story where a boy and girl cannot easily and comfortably express
their feelings. Michael Kitanda fuses it with his sax to deliver a soulful song
that's familiar to the ears of a fan of African music. Rafiki turns things up
in "Wait" with groovy kwaito sounds from down South. The overall
lyrical message is the need to be patient in love, because as they say, the
good things come to those who wait. Love still dominates on "Tendeka Love”,
telling about the experience of love being nice in the heat of it.
Oman Raid retraces his Christian roots in "Wampita", thanking God for his calling as a songwriter and musician. As you take in the gospel song, you might want to know that he is a preacher's son, born to Josephine Nsubuga, a lead pastor at International Vision Church in Nabiteete, Luweero. The background vocals on the Afro-Ganda song are by Kuki. Elijah Kitaka features on it too. "Nyumbani" (Kiswahili for home), is my favorite song on the album.
The Album will be available for Download here on his YouTube channel
It
draws me in, thanks to the pronounced acoustic guitar and the beautiful arrangement
of the songs that fuses drums and solo guitar. The lyrics are simple and communicative.
Rafiki's love for Kadongo Kamu extends into "Mirembe"to deliver some
punchy experiences about the Covid-19 pandemic that led to a total lock-down in
Uganda and offered time for people to reflect on their lives and for some to
seek new beginnings. In there is the solo guitar and African drums.
He
closes his musical project with a song titled "Nakato ne Babirye", a
song about twins and why dating one could lead you into confusing them with
another. "I am a student of African music, so I have had the desire to
translate our Ugandan sound to be relatable to Africa and the world at large.
Uganda
is blessed with different instruments from different cultures and if we can
express our diverse culture through music, we can have a sound that can relate
to the world," Oman Rafiki argues. He adds that as a songwriter, he has
influenced the local music scene with hit songs that have trans-formed lives,
made people dance and he is now ready to offer more by showcasing his abilities
as a singer as well. His music is available on YouTube, Spotify, Ugatune,
Boom-play and iTunes.