Herman Basudde

Herman Basudde (1958–1997) was a Ugandan kadongo kamu musician. Basudde was born in Masaka District, in southern Uganda.

Background

Little is known of his early life. According to his brother Sserunjoji, the reason he did not go further may be due to lack of funds to facilitate his love and passion for music. His mother Namyalo narrates that Herman Basudde attended Kibanda and Butenga primary school. One of his classmates says that in Basudde's school years he was a quick learner, and had a passion for art and graphics which took most of his time. Basudde also joined a school choir which earned him credits due to his soft and Ilouder voice.

The legacy of Busudde in the field of music came a long way from his father. The late Mark Makumbi, a former Bukedde TV and CBS Radio presenter while giving the background of Kadongokamu singers, talks about Basudde. He says that his father was an X-soldier from Second World War veteran. He had a white friend called Brown, who loved him so much. When the mission was accomplished and was time to depart from one another, Brown gave him a guitar saying take this, I don't have money to give you, let it be a souvenir to remember me from" on his return home, he kept the guitar because it was of no use to him.

He started to play a guitar at home without anyone teaching him. As time went on, his mother tried to stop him from playing the guitar instead of doing household work or school homework; but his father insisted that he go ahead as he might prosper in a musical career. The guitar could hardly leave no space for books. This, in along with absolute poverty through which the family persisted, pushed him to drop out without completing his primary seven.

Whenever there was a party in the village, he could escort his guitar paving a way to entertain the guests. In return as excitement paves, they gave him their appreciation and encouragement in terms of money. Unfortunately, others saw this upside down. The youth mostly laid a plan to throw him down since he was earning presents and gifts wherever he could go and entertain.

As his culture, one day he entertained Christian at their local Catholic parish. He sang a song he entitled ”amajjiini ngetala luno" (the rampant demons). The priest was overwhelmed whereby he told him to play it again and again. At that function, Basudde earned a lot of money offered to him. This troubled his rivals so much. They planned a way of taking him off.

In the area, there was a rebel group called “FEDEMU” which had captured most of the southern part of Southern Uganda. Peace was now in their hands. Basudde's rival youth approached them informing that Basudde had a gun. Immediately, they sagged his father's house. They searched the whole place. They grabbed him and took him for interrogation. They tortured him unceasingly while asking for the whereabouts of the gun. After all that, he was brought back home nearly to death. He was taken to Masaka referral Hospital where he was treated for many days. He was later returned home and given medicine there. As he gained energy, his father advised him to leave the village or else he would loss his life.

In the mid 1980s, he was picked by Eria Katende and brought to Kampala.

Career

His career guide was the singer Livingstone Kasozi who trained him how to play a guitar, sing and perform live on stage. He toured East Africa countries, travelling to Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. This tour raised him over 70 million shillings, a huge amount at that time. Basudde is credited as one of the musicians who revived interest in baakisimba, mixing Western and Kiganda music to appeal to a new audience. He had a husky voice, and sang passionate songs about mischievous love affairs, philandering husbands, and bizarre witchcraft.

In a popular song, Ekiwuka Ekyaga Muntamu, Basudde used metaphor to invoke the AIDS epidemic in Uganda. In the song, the narrator dreams of a lizard-like insect invading his home and despoiling life, food and sex.

Popularity

Basaaya Rocks Peter a historian says that Herman Basudde was a prophet since he could foretell what would happen before. His popularity is still rampant where by many upcoming artists visits his grave to seek wisdom. Fred Ssebatta, one of Kadongokamu regents, asserts that Herman Basudde was creative and worked quickly. He continued by saying that it would be very difficult to compare Herman Basudde in writing music with anybody. He further said that whenever Herman Basudde could release a song, Ssebatta would target him on the second day. On 12 October 2012, Gheto president Bobi wine paid a tribute to the great works of Herman Basudde. He narrates in time like this, 'how I wish prophet Herman Basudde could be around'.