Hello Vyper…

Hi Quick Talk, nice to meet you!

Vyper. Is that your real name?

My real name is Saddam Ayire. I am a Karimojong by tribe.

Wow! That’s a first for Quick Talk. How then did you come up with Vyper Ranking?

Vyper comes from the vicious, dangerous and poisonous snake, and then Ranking comes from the Jamaican singer Shaba Ranks who is one of my inspirations.

How did you start out in music?

I started in 2016, but I did not have management at that time; so, it was a struggle to get studio time. But in 2017 after getting my current management Bantu Entertainment Africa, I had my breakthrough song Soma; so, I count three years in the music industry.

And how have you found it so far?

It has been so hard, requires a lot of time, money and thoughts on top of being courageous and humble. There were very many challenges especially when my management and I were starting out because we were both new and did not know the dynamics of the industry. At first I went to different big studios but was undermined by the producers until I found one who was willing to work with me.

[Well, their loss; if only they knew!]

What genres of music do you do?

I specialize in dancehall and reggae, but I am also a versatile artiste; I can do other genres.

Your recent song Sivawo is quite a big hit; what inspired it?

During this lockdown, I used to be a lot on social media interacting with my fans and I asked them what kind of music they would like to hear from me next and many said they wanted a different vibe from me besides the usual dancehall; so, I came up with an Afrobeat song about a man who has been dumped by his lover.

In it you are pleading with a woman for love; have you ever done so in real life?

Yeah, long time ago [hahaha, dude, you are only 26 – halloo!] I think that was my first time to do so and I do not think I will ever do it again.

Are you dating anyone at the moment?

I am seeing someone for sure. That is all I can say right now.

On Valentine’s day this year you professed on social media your interest in fellow singer Karole Kasiita. Is she the ‘someone’?

I like Karole Kasiita. I love her music and everything she does and we are friends. Of course, I have a crush on her and as a man, you shoot your shot, you never know what might come out.

Mmm… if you die, you die! Last year you collaborated with Cindy, but she is said to be so picky when it comes to collabos. How did you convince her?

I believe it was by God’s grace because I had tried so many times to reach out to her here in Kampala and I failed. It so happened that we were booked to perform at the same show in Soroti and while there at a certain radio station, she also came by and I was star struck. She told me she liked my music and gave me her phone numbers.

When we came back to Kampala, I started attending her live shows and one day she gave me a chance to perform for her audience and even though it was my first live performance, she was impressed; so, she invited me to do a song with her.

How was that?

It was a great experience [they recorded Tebimala together]. She made everything so easy. We moved together to different media houses promoting the song and she is always willing to perform it with me on stage.

Whom do you look up to musically on the local scene?

I love Peter Miles, Cindy and Kid Fox. Those are my top three. However, there are others like the late AK47, APass, Beanie Gunter, Ziza Bafana and Nutty Neithan.

Eehhh… No ladies apart from Cindy?

[Laughs out loud] There are many ladies I want to work with – of course Karole Kasita – and Winnie Nwagi.

How have you spent your lockdown? 

I have just been staying at home, getting enough sleep, working out from my living room and making more music. The current song I have was made during the lockdown.

With the ban on live performances, how are you paying the bills?

In the music industry what you should make, probably even more than money, is friends. Money comes and goes but friends stay to help you out. My management has been helping out with the bills but I also have a side business where I get some ka money for my personal needs.

Ohh! What side business?

I am a technician. I have a workshop where we repair refrigerators, spray-paint, among other things. I started this business before I even came into music after I had just dropped out of school and right now I even employ some people.

You dropped out of school?

I dropped out of school in senior four due to lack of school fees. Most of the times I was the one even paying the fees; so, it became a huge burden for me and I dropped out. I, however, had many dreams including becoming a doctor and I know it would have come true because my performance academically was very good but I got tired of being constantly chased from school and I dropped out.

After leaving school, I thought it wise to at least have a technical skill and that is how I began learning how to repair fridges and spraying paint.

Where do you see yourself in the next five to 10 years? 

I want to be an international artiste, which I have started walking towards because I have already worked with some international artistes though I first want to concentrate on releasing my singles such that I build a very firm ground.

Who are the international artistes?

Ohhhh……… I cannot say who they are right now because I want it to be a surprise when I start releasing these songs. So, my fans should just be on the lookout.

Any last words to the youths out there?

I just want to tell all the youths out there that you can be great in whatever you set out to do, believe in yourself, do not be fake or copycat, create your own unique brand. When I released my first song Soma, some people in the industry told me that my music won’t work here, but right now I have a number of big songs.

Quick factfile

• Viper Ranking, real name Sadam Ayire, was born on June 16, 1994 in Kireka, a Kampala suburb.

• He was born to Mohamad Lamong and Rehema Naigaga and he is the fifth child in a family of eight children.

• He went to Kamuli CoU primary school and Standard SS Bweyogerere before dropping out in senior four.

• He is also known as ‘Riddim Killer’ among his fans because of his hard-core free styling and strong dancehall vocals.

• His songs include Soma, Ekyenge, Kkiriza, Tebimala with Cindy, Tobatya, Yelyamu, among others, all of which have been club bangers.

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