Hey Ssuuna; could you please tell Quick Talk about yourself?
Ssuuna Ben is a Munnamasaka (hails from Masaka); it is where I grew up and went to school from. I am currently a DJ and radio presenter at Bukedde FM. I was born to John Kayondo and Proscovia Namata – the second born of seven children. However, my father died in 1993 while I was in Primary Three.
I went to Kizungu nursery school, Kimanya primary school and Kijjabwemi primary school. After Primary Seven, my mother took me to Masaka Vocational Institute of Technology to study mechanics. But I didn’t want to be a mechanic, I wanted to be an electrical engineer; so, I just did the course to make her happy. Fortunately, after one year, she could no longer afford the tuition; so, I made it easy for her and quit [Huh! How is that fortunate?]
But I still had interest in joining a secondary school. I talked to my mum and she asked for a scholarship from a drama group called Drum Beat, which I also joined. So, I joined Exodus Secondary School from senior two to senior four.
After senior four, I wanted to stop and concentrate on doing karaoke in clubs but my former school mates convinced me that A-level was exciting; so, I went to Stella Maris Secondary School, studying History, Economics, Divinity and Fine Art. In no time, I had completed my A-level, though I have never picked up my pass slip from school [Bursts into laughter].
How did you start deejaying?
My father had a disco sound system in Masaka town called Smart Sounds. But when he died, his sound system was brought back and kept at home. After I dropped out of school, I got the sound system and with the help of my mother’s friend, opened up a small disco shop in Masaka town selling music tapes and hiring the sound system for events.
It is through hiring the sound equipment that I started being a DJ, since I knew a lot of songs. I would remix different songs and play them at an increased speed while adding comic words like ‘wulira ebinyanya’, ‘wulira olusaniya’, which would make it more enjoyable.
So, you wanted to be a DJ right from childhood?
Not really; I really wanted to be an electrical engineer. I loved wiring a lot and used to admire those men who climb electric poles. Up to now one of my disappointments in my life is not being able to become an electrical engineer.
How did you get into radio?
While I was doing karaoke at a certain bar one night, a radio presenter at Equator FM approached me as I stepped off stage and asked me whether I could work on radio. I was so shocked and told him I couldn’t.
I thought to myself what could a guy like me tell people on radio! But he told me that the dynamics of radio had changed and now people wanted content that could make them laugh. He told me the very things I was doing on the karaoke stage is what I could do on radio.
The next morning, I went and met the station manager and told him I could do a radio show and was given an opportunity to work with another DJ for an evening show. I did well so, I was given to do a late night music show alone. But I didn’t even know how to use a computer; I learnt everything on the job.
I became very famous around Masaka, but I wasn’t being paid. The only way I would earn was through voicing adverts and hosting traditional healers who would give us some money to promote them.
After some months, I was called by the programmes director of Radio Buddu, Herbert Kabanda and I joined it. I was to be paid Shs 200,000 but because I had a huge fan base, it was increased to Shs 450,000 in a short time. I worked there for about seven years and came to Kampala.
Why Kampala?
Herbert Kabanda, who had taken me to Radio Buddu, was a given a job to be the programmes manager of Bukedde FM; everyone knew that I was also going to follow him. But he spent two years at Bukedde without calling me and I began losing hope of coming to Kampala. However, one day he finally called and told me to pack my bags and come to Kampala.
I can imagine your first time in Kampala!
I didn’t know anyone or have anywhere to stay in Kampala. I had been to Kampala before but at particular destinations; so, I had never traversed the city. I called my friend, singer Lil Pazzo (Genda Ogule Emmotoka) to help me with accommodation but he was also struggling; instead, he took me to his friend’s place along Salaama road and I stayed there for some time.
How was the reception at Bukedde FM?
I was given a late night DJ mix show but later I joined Kayibanda and Sheila Nvannungi for the morning show. At first I feared to play those mixes we used to play in Masaka because many people were saying that such mixes wouldn’t be accepted by the Kampala audience. There was also a lot of banter from my fellow workmates which demoralized me.
For two months, I played my Friday night show without remixing the songs because I was scared of the listeners’ reaction. But one day as I was playing, I decided to mix in my beats from Masaka and messages of people commenting how they are enjoying flooded in and I decided to stick to it.
That was a bold move! How did you overcome the criticism?
What helped me to silence the critics who would say that my DJ mixes were for villagers was the fact that I used to organize shows and fill to capacity. So, whenever these uptown people would criticize me, I would tell them to also organize shows of the so-called uptown DJs and we see if they could get the amount of people I was getting. I just became proud of being called a villager playing for my village people.
People throw shade at people who come from Masaka…
Yeah, I usually see them on social media mocking us, but what has made me go through all that mockery is that I have been able to do things many have not been able to do. I am the first DJ in Uganda to hold a sold-out show without the accompaniment of any musician. I am a villager and not ashamed of it; in fact, I now promote myself as a boy from the village.
Which DJs inspire you?
I wouldn’t say I have been inspired by any particular DJs because I am very different in my style, but there are those whose work I appreciate like DJ Shiru, Slick Stuart and Roja, DJ Nimrod and others.
Who are your favourite local artistes?
Haaaa…. I like all Ugandan artistes…Eddy Kenzo is my good friend [obviously; he is a fellow Masaka export]. I also like Ziza Bafana, Sheebah, David Lutalo, Gravity Omutujju…
Which songs are on your playlist right now?
There is Gravity Omutujju’s Tusimbudde, Ronald Alimpa’s Olusuku lwa Cementi, Sheebah’s Nkwata Bulungi, Ziza Bafana’s Ensolo and Eddy Kenzo’s Nsimbudde; these are all songs which people vibe to when I play them in clubs or shows.
You are now performing on big stages! Do you get jitters?
Yes, the Fireboy concert. I really got so scared because I was going to perform for a more uptown audience and I thought they were not going to understand the way I play the music. I was backstage seeing all these nicely dressed people singing along to songs I had never even heard of, and I panicked. But surprisingly when I got onto the stage with my binyanyanya, everyone was screaming out of excitement.
Do you have a lady at home?
I have ladies, not a lady [Busts into laughter]. But on a serious note, I have someone I am dating. For a long time I was not so much into these dating things.
How about kids?
I have two kids; a boy and a girl. [Tries to remember their age] I don’t even know exactly how old they are. But one is in P3 and the other is in nursery school.