4/8 05 Dear Ssebo

Three years ago I came to Kampala. Since then I have heard your music almost everywhere. In the beginning I thought it was a waste of talent – why use a good talent on mainstream pop music, when it could be used for somthing more.
When I arrived I fell into the ditch that many ‘bazungus’ continue to sleep in throughout their stay in Uganda. From where they never learn to understand local music nor appreciate it, because they find it repetitive and therefore boring. I admit that this was also my opinion for some time.
I don’t know why I tried to get up from there. Maybe it was just out of a general curiosity, because for a long time I didn’t get anywhere, though I still decided to stick around. This is what you learn to do very quickly – to stick around – you must stick around if you want to understand anything.
During all this time of ‘thin air’ I realised something about you. It is not so much your music but your talent as a performer that attracts attention and should be appreciated. You are simply a very good performer and this is the reason why many people like you so much. Good performance fit perfectly with the outing culture of Kampala. I also realised another thing. You remind me of somebody. In the months of getting up from the usual ‘bazungu ditch’ I realised that you resemble a leadsinger in a Danish rock band. His name is Nielsen, which is as common a name in Denmark as Joseph is in Uganda. Those of you who know whom I am talking about will get my point, and if you don’t, then let me continue.
You have similar body expressions and the same tendency to jump around on stage inventing your own personal jumps. Therefore both of you are first and farmost popular for live performance and your abillity to move the audience. Many Danes grew up seeing Nielsen on stage every summer and the climax was when he steps forward toward the crowd beginning to pour a bottle of soda over his head, while moving his feet up and down without getting anywhere and shaking his body from side to side as everybody began to get wild. In Kampala the thin man in the expensive white suit lean slightly forward and look down on his fans talking with distinct energy before he moves to another spot on the stage to repeat the gesture. As the energy rise he moves faster and the audience turn into a screaming ecstasy.
I heard that you recently visited Denmark. Unfortunately you did not meet with your nordic twin brother, though I think you should have. Maybe next time. If you notify me, I will see what I can do to make it happen.
Your sincererly, The muzungu ditcher.