Showbizuganda

Tag: London

  • RECAP; London parties with Bebe Cool’s Break The Chains Album

    RECAP; London parties with Bebe Cool’s Break The Chains Album

    On August 12th, Bebe Cool held a successful listener’s party at Masq London, Restaurant and Bar. This highly anticipated event brought together the best of UK’s media personalities from BBC, Westside Radio, The Beat London, Represent Radio, as well as select Bebe Cool fans that live in the United Kingdom.


    The evening’s host- Olamide Grace, a presenter at Represent Radio, kept the audience engaged and conducted a thought provoking conversation with Bebe Cool about the Break The Chains album.

    Bebe Cool said the album is a journey of him challenging himself to take on that task most local artists could be afraid to take.

    “For a long time people have made it seem like Africans should not have ambitions. We were made to believe that some dreams were not for us. This album is me going where most thought we couldn’t go,” he said.

    The Afrobeats centric album, with songs such as African Love with Yemi Alade, Games alongside BBC’s DJ Edu, and his turn with Joshua Baraka on Cheque, has different people talking and others getting introduced to his music.

    The listening party attracted over 100 Londoners who enjoyed canapes and drinks, some catching up, and others connecting.
    But it was just the beginning, on Friday, Bebe Cool alongside Jamaicans Adonia, Sha Simone, Dub Plate, and Shaky P, appeared on the famous DJ AG Online street party.

    DJ AG is popular for his street mixes which are simultaneously streamed on YouTube and TikTok. This year, the platform has become a staple for stars such as Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Burna Boy, Will Smith, Ciara, Rita Ora, Craig David, and from Uganda- Joshua Baraka.

    Bebe Cool impressed the audience with a performance of his award winning Fire Anthem, before launching into songs off his new album.

    He performed Hidden Agenda, Circumference, and his collabo with Joshua Baraka- Cheque.
    And as is the norm, at the end of every performance, DJ AG asks his guest who they would like to see pull up next on the platform. Some artists use the opportunity to help the DJ discover new talent, while others mention larger than life artists.


    YG Marley from Jamaica, for instance, endorsed Davido, Burna Boy endorsed J Hus, while Diamond picked Zuchu.
    When his turn came, Bebe Cool picked Jay-Z, a choice that has gotten Ugandans talking; some think he would have picked an Ugandan artist, for promotion purposes.
    In his defence, Bebe Cool said that DJ AG has struggled to get where his platform where it is, and he believes that with a guest like Jay-Z, he it will only blow up.

    Break The Chains is Bebe Cool’s first album in ten years, and he’s dedicated to changing the narrative from impressing physical masses, to those on the streams. With Uganda still low on streaming numbers, he chose to throw his net wider. He has since toured both Kenya, Tanzania, and now the UK, before embarking on other territories.

    Break The Chains was released on May 30 and is available for streaming on different platforms.

  • Bebe Cool all set for Break The Chains London playback party at Masq London Bar & Restaurant tonight

    Bebe Cool all set for Break The Chains London playback party at Masq London Bar & Restaurant tonight

    Singer Bebe Cool kicked off his European leg of the Break the Chains media tour last week. And it’s already an eventful tour. From linkups with WizKid’s DJ- Dj Tunez, to teaching RnB legend- Craig David, some Luganda words; it is clear Bebe Cool is not leaving a stone unturned for his album.

    And tonight, Bebe Cool will host his first Break The Chains Album listening party outside Uganda and Africa.
    Dubbed ‘The Break The Chains Playback Party,’ the listeners party will kick off at 7pm (UK time), at Masq London, Restaurant and Bar, and is expected to be attended by Bebe Cool’s UK fans and the media.

    Masq London is a renowned event venue where African artists have dined and performed over the years.
    Masq London has been a host to artists such as Davido, Ruger, Poco Lee, Ms Banks, and many more. In fact, Nigerian star Davido had his Timeless album release party at Masq London.
    This is Bebe Cool’s first showcasing at the venue.

    On the first day of his media tour, Bebe Cool visited a number of media houses, gifted media personalities the Break the Chains merchandise, and of course, had them dancing to his new music.
    Some breakout moments included a visit to BBC, where he linked up with his collaborator, producer, and BBC 1Xtra presenter, DJ Edu, on his show Afrosound, and a link-up with DJ Target, also of BBC.
    He later made a monumental visit to Cosoro Radio, one of the most celebrated Afrobeats media houses, where he talked about making the album and most of the inspirations behind it.

    London is a big part of the Afrobeats story, thanks to different generations of Africans who have relocated to the city over the years. From D’Banj to Tiwa Savage, each breakout Afrobeats artist has a story with London. Some started as backup artists, while others were discovered there while studying.

    From sounds such as Afro-electronic, Afrotech, and Afro-pop, Bebe Cool’s Break the Chains is on a mission to get into sounds Africa is adopting. This time, unlike his contemporaries whose priorities have always been controlling the dancefloor, he’s hellbent on controlling the streams.

    With collaborations with DJ Edu, Yemi Alade, and Joshua Baraka, Bebe Cool is solidifying his position in African music; he sings with the princess of Afrobeats, whose impact on the genre has global appeal.

    While in DJ Edu and Joshua Baraka, he has two of the most beloved Afrobeats gents: Edu, a stakeholder in the UK music scene, and Baraka, a rising star from East Africa.

    Break the Chains, Bebe Cool says, is an album where he goes against many of the things he believed in, singing entirely in English and attempting Afrobeats.
    The album, which dropped on May 30, is available on all streaming platforms.

  • UK Announces new visa scheme for leading scientists, researchers, mathematicians and graduates

    UK Announces new visa scheme for leading scientists, researchers, mathematicians and graduates

    Last week the UK Government announced a range of changes to its current immigration system, many of which will benefit Ugandans. 

    The changes include the introduction of a fast track visa scheme for leading scientists, researchers and mathematicians and a new graduate route, which allows international students to stay in the UK for two years once they have successfully completed their studies.

    Two waving flags of United Kingdom and uganda isolated on white. 3D illustration

    The new fast-track option for scientists, researchers and mathematicians was launched on 19th February under the current Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route. Called the Global Talent scheme, it will be managed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and will enable UK-based research projects to recruit top global talent who can make critical contributions to UK research and contribute to the UK’s prosperity agenda.

    By 2030, the UK also hopes to increase the number of international students in higher education in the UK to 600,000. To meet this ambition, from summer 2021 they will introduce a new Graduate route, which allows international students to stay in the UK for two years once they have successfully completed their studies. This will make the UK’s offer to international students even more competitive and make it easier for them to secure skilled jobs in the UK.

     The new system will also benefit those who want to work in the UK. Applicants will still need to have a job offer from an approved sponsor, at the required level, and be able to show proficiency in the English language, but the salary and skills threshold has been reduced. This will provide greater flexibility and ensure UK business has access to a wider pool of skilled workers.  In addition, to facilitate the migration of skilled workers to support the UK’s National Health Service, a fast track NHS visa for certain medical professionals with NHS job offers, will also be created.

    The new system will now treat EU and non-EU citizens equally and hopes to attract the brightest and best talent from across the world, delivering a highly skilled, high-wage and highly productive economy for the UK. It will also help reduce illegal migration and criminal activity at the border.