Bebe Cool with Nazizi and Wyre during a press conference. Photo/COURTESY
Ugandan musician Bebe Cool officially launched the international tour of his Break The Chains album with a high-energy stop in Nairobi, rekindling nostalgic vibes and setting the tone for a powerful new chapter in East African music.
Held at the Aspire Centre, the press conference and listening session brought together regional media, fans, and fellow trailblazers in the East African music scene, including Nazizi and Wyre, with whom Bebe formed the East African Bashment Crew in the early 2000s. Their surprise on-stage reunion was met with roaring applause, as memories of pan-African hits like Africa Unite and Fire Anthem came flooding back.
“This is more than just an album launch. It’s a homecoming,” Bebe Cool told the crowd. “Nairobi will always be a second home to me. It’s where my journey took flight—thanks to the incredible foundation I got at Ogopa Deejays. This album is about freedom. Freedom from expectation, from pain, from limits—both personal and professional.”
The album, released on May 30, has already sparked widespread conversation across the continent. But Bebe Cool had come under criticism for heavily promoting what many see as an international project mainly in Uganda. His Kenyan stop is a direct response and a powerful statement of intent.
The 16-track album is a genre-bending fusion of Afrobeats, Afropop, Afrotech, and Afro-house, tied together by Bebe Cool’s unmistakable voice and lyrical clarity. Among its standout collaborations are: African Love featuring Nigerian superstar Yemi Alade, Check with Ugandan global breakout Joshua Baraka and Games with UK-based Kenyan DJ and producer DJ Edu
Since the album’s release, African Love, Circumference, Motivation, and Check have emerged as fan favourites, especially in Kenya where streaming numbers continue to climb.
Speaking to journalists, Bebe described Break the Chains as “both a return to form and a leap forward,” rooted in authenticity, sonic experimentation, and African pride.
Next stops include Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda, where fans will get even more opportunities to connect with the album’s themes of healing, growth, and liberation.
As Bebe Cool sets his sights on the regional stage, the Nairobi reunion with Wyre and Nazizi not only honoured the past but reaffirmed the timeless power of East African music unity.
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