Could you tell Quick Talk about Eugune Gum?
I am Eugune Gum, an Acholi from Kitgum, although I have only been there once [what!]. I am the last of five siblings, a born-again Christian and firm believer in Jesus Christ. I went to Kiswa Primary School, Kyambogo College School and Makerere University where I graduated with a bachelor of Arts degree in Music.
Why A Ka Dope for the band?
A Ka Dope simply means something dope, beautiful; for example, that is a ka dope bag, that is a ka dope necklace. So, we are a ka dope band.
That, you are…
We are a group of very passionate musicians, though initially, it started as a platform to support undiscovered talent to perform like rappers, singers, dancers and poets.
Who started the band?
It was started by Kemiyondo Coutinho; all the blessings to her.
A woman? Wow!
Yes, she wanted to give unknown talents the opportunity to perform. She organized monthly events and called them A Ka Dope events; they would pick about three to four unknown singers and organize the stage for band performance and they had a very nice, open-minded audience who would enjoy the music.
When did you join the A Ka Dope band?
I joined the band when we started the A Ka Dope shows; they were monthly, so, they did the first two shows and on the third show the original drummer was not available and so they called me to sit in, and I never left! This was around 2016 [mmm…opportunity knocks once, indeed]. I am a firm believer in what we do…
How did you become a team of seven?
Coutinho contacted a gentleman called Francis Kasuura and requested him to put together a team of four people for a four-piece band of a drummer, keyboard, bass, and guitar just to accompany the talent. After three performances, the group bonded and that is how A Ka Dope band was formed in 2016. We added two singers and a saxophonist, and we are a team of seven people – born-agains.
A team of born-agains performing exclusively in bars and secular concerts…?
It is like any other job… music is music as long as it is not vulgar or abusive to another person or blasphemous to God. Being in the bar… I am working; I get paid, then I go home.
What is your role in the band?
I am a drummer and music director. I choose the music that we perform and at the same time direct them. I also curate our shows.
Has the band played on any big stages?
Oh yes! We have performed at Nyege Nyege, Roast and Rhyme, and Blankets and Wine. We have played for international artistes like Chike from Nigeria, Kayihura from Rwanda, and in the upcoming Blankets and Wine, we shall be playing for Ayra Starr.
This started as a joke and now it’s a real thing and we are grateful to God for the opportunities He has brought forth. I encourage everyone to believe and trust in God. It is very rare to find us free on weekends because almost every Saturday we have wedding gigs and every Sunday we play at Lazio Bar and Restaurant in Kololo.
Would you say Ugandans love live bands?
Ahhhmm …well yes. We’ve been doing good and live band music has been in Uganda for a while now; of course it started with the likes of Afrigo band, Kads band, Crane music band and other bands like the Janzi band, Code 9… Right now in Kampala there is a live band playing everywhere from Monday to Sunday.
What category of people does live band appeal to?
Everyone loves live bands. Some artistes went as far as creating their bands …like Lillian Mbabazi and Cindy perform with their bands; so, it has grown and appeals to everyone because we now play Naija music, hip-hop…it appeals to all audiences and most of the band nights are attended by the young people.
Which artistes would you like to work with?
The sky is the limit for us. We would like to work with the likes of Jayz and Beyonce, and we want to play at the Grammys; we know it is an uphill journey, but we believe when we invest time,
hard work and collaboration, it is doable. We worked with Chike; the next time it might be Burna Boy. We are open to every possibility or blessing that God has in store for us.
What else does A Ka Dope do?
We started by playing for artistes, but when we became a band, we started doing events like weddings, birthday parties, and other events.
What about you?
I am a full-time music producer, who loves cooking, farming, and staying at home [good luck with that last one, when you play for a band!]. Staying at home is a hobby because my life is all about being away from home. Every chance I get to stay at home, I utilize it and I like to travel and make friends. I like to sleep because for me it’s a luxury.
Have you produced music for any artistes in Uganda?
I have done some work with Levixone, Kent and Flosso-Voltage Music, and Naava Grey …I am not all the way mainstream but, rather, underground.
If allowed to do something else, what would that be?
I would do farming, but also when I was growing up, I wanted to do music and law …so, I have done the music part. When I retire from music, I want to study law though I will only do it after I have achieved everything I want concerning music.
Are you married?
No, I am not married and have no kids either, but I am trusting in God’s timing for it to happen.
What are the most important things to you in life?
God, family and work in that order.
How do you deal with social media criticisms?
I am not on social media a lot; so, because of that it has not gone out of hand [indeed, searching for Eugene Gum on the internet is like pulling teeth]. Social media is a good tool for promoting the business, meeting people, and reconnecting with old friends. If you decide to put yourself in the limelight, you have to develop a thick skin because people are crazy out there.
Last words to your fans…
Thank you, Quick Talk for the opportunity to share our truth with the readers, but also encourage us to love and collaborate because that’s the only way we can grow. A lot is coming from A
Ka Dope …. we shall be announcing our album release date on all our social media platforms.
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