MOSES SAALI
Nick/stage names Bebe Cool, Big size, Extra Large
BIOGRAPHY
Introduction
On the 1st day of September in the year 1977, yet another male Ugandan being was brought into the light of this world by Jabeli Bidandi. This was none other than Moses Ssali alias Bebecool. Little did we know Moses would turn out to be a “big fish” in the East African Music industry. He is reggae and ragga musician, hailing from the central part of Uganda. Currently, without doubt, Bebecool is one of the best musicians in Uganda and East Africa. Bebe cool is also a song writer, record producer, vocalist and the Chief Executive Officer of Gagamel Crew.
Education
His education journey started at Agha khan Primary school in Kampala district from where he attained Primary Leaving Education (PLE). He later went to Kitante Hill and Makerere college schools. In Advanced level at Makerere College School, Bebecool majored in Physics, Entrepreneurship, and Mathematics. Unfortunately, he dropped out of school at a later stage.
Family
He is a father and husband to business woman, Zuena Kirema.
The couple is blessed with 5 children. They are Allan Hendrick Ssali, Dean Ozil Ssali, Alpha Thierry Ssali, Beata Ssali and Caysan Ssali.
Personal life and music career
Bebecool was raised single handedly by his dear mother, after a divorce. He narrates his ordeal and says life was not easy at all, given the fact that his father Bidandi Ssali was a very wealthy man. Important to note is that Bebecool’s father was an opulent Government Minister and distinguished politician. “I was raised by my mother, looking at my father with a lot of money. I had to foot every day from Kanyanya to school” said Bebecool.
Given the fact that Bebecool grew up in a miserable manner by a single parent, he managed to beat the odds and emerge as the most successful among all his siblings
Bebecool’s music career started at high school in Kitante when he was the Prefect in charge of entertainment. However, he became more serious with music after dropping out of school in 1997. He travelled to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and joined the Ogopa Deejays, a record label in Kenya. Whilst in Kenya, he interacted with Dr Jose Chameleon who ushered him into a precedent era of Music. He then parted ways with the Ogopa Deejays and joined the East African Bashment Crew. He met with Kenyan pop and dancehall stars Wyre and Naziz (Necessary noise). Together with the Kenyan duo, they made hits such as “fire” and “combination”. They climbed “castles” when they went on and released an album with two hit songs fire and “Africa unite”. The group was later nominated to the MTV Africa Music Awards.
In 2013, Bebecool had collaboration with Nigeria’s D’banj in a neutral place. He also performed at the Big Brother house twice from 2016 to 2018.
Cheating death, in January 2010, while Bebecool was performing at the Kyadondo grounds in Kampala, a bomb that had been planted by the Somalian Islamic terrorist group, Alshabaab exploded almost sending him to meet his creator. According to him, most people that were seated in front died. “The blast was too loud. The next thing I saw were dead bodies flying all over“, said Bebecool.
Some of Bebecool’s songs include, Bamugambe, Badilibada, Kasepiki, Taata, Ki ekiganye, Never trust, Akamwako, Tombawala, Nkola byafayo, Coccidiosis, Azina Aseka, Bogolako, Everywhere I go, Go Maama, Freedom, old school, wire wire, Nkuliyo, Easy, Katono, Mbozi za malwa, one more touch, Pass and go, Wasibuka wa, I do, Perfect loving, want it, batidemu, Bamugambe, agenze and many other hits
Bebecool has also featured several artists such as Miss Patty, Bobi wine, B2C, Remah, etc
Awards
Through music, Bebecool scooped various awards and had successful music tours in the US and UK. Bebecool joins the list of several artists such as Jose chameleon, Juliana Kanyomwozi, Eddy kenzo, Bobi wine among others to win different awards. He is a three time winner of the most treasured award on the African Continent, the HiPipo awards. He also won the Pearl of Africa Music awards and several other music accolades.
Awards won
2004 Pearl of Africa Music awards, best Reggae artist/ group.
2005 Pearl of Africa Music awards, best Reggae artist/ group
2006 Pearl of Africa Music awards, best Reggae artist/ group
2006 Pearl of Africa Music awards, song of the year
2007 Pearl of Africa Music awards, best Reggae artist/ group
2007 Pearl of Africa Music awards, best male artist
2007 Channel O Music Video Awards, Video of the year
2008 Pearl of Africa Music awards, best Reggae artist/ group
2010 Pearl of Africa Music awards, artist of the year, best reggae artist, group and album of the year
2011 Pearl of Africa Music awards, best male artist
2018, Afrima award, best East African male artist 2018
Nominated
2003 Kora Awards, Best East African artist
2011, Tanzania music awards, East African song, Kasepiki
Charity
The HIV/AID’s awareness campaign
Charity has been Bebecool’s thing for a while now. In 2008, he performed at the Nelson Mandela concert at Hyde Park in London. This function was earmarked by the organizers as one of the elite ways to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday. He was also named by Nelson Mandela as one of the greatest African 46664 Ambassadors. 46664 is a campaign mainly organized to raise funds and awareness against HIV/AID’S. This move was initiated by Nelson Mandela
The “big heart”
In August 2018, music lovers and town revelers woke up to yet another Bebecool concert. The concert was dubbed, ”the Golden Heart concert”. The pleasant news was that Bebecool was soliciting funds to sponsor 5 children that had heart diseases and were to receive medical attention in India. His main wish was for Ugandans to storm the concert so as to raise enough funds to be able to facilitate the children. His Excellency the President of Uganda was the Main guest at this Serena situated concert.
The tuberculosis fund fundraising, the Amber Heart Foundation handed over $400,000 to Bebecool to help fight tuberculosis. The grant was used to sensitize Ugandans about the need for tuberculosis testing and treatment.
Bebecool also provided majority of Ugandan Deejays and producers with food staffs during the COVID 19 era. He also went on to sensitse the nation about the dangers of the COVID 19 pandemic in a song that he featured many Ugandan artists.
Controversies and Trivia
Like any other being, Bebecool has been involved in a number of controversies since his escalation to fame. Some are with fellow music icons. He had also had feud with politicians and business moguls.
Bebecool’s beef with Bobi wine. In early 2000’s, there was a war of words between Bobi wine and Bebecool. It was a cold was battle about who was “the deal” in the music industry. However, this “cold war” did not take long as Jose Chameleon and Pastor Wilson Bugembe interfered and reconciled the duo.
At the big brother house, there was controversy against Bebecool for being the chief organizer for Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the Big Brother house in 2016. Ugandans at some time chased him off the stage and could not let him sing.
Shot at Garden city in Kampala, in January 2010, Bebecool was injured when men in uniform shot and injured his legs. The incident was attributed to the fact that Bebecool had a heated up feud with fellow musicians Radio (RIP) and Weasel of the Good life crew
The Bebecool list, with King Saha. In 2020, Bebecool drafted his annual “Bebecool list. In this list, he lists different artists and their performance, from the best to the worst. He then awards them and the best gets 5million Ugandan currency. In the list, he indicated that King Saha, a fellow artist would be a better vocalist had he not got addicted to Alcohol and drugs. King Saha fired back by warning Bebecool never to interfere with his (Saha’s) personal life.
Bebecool and politics, Bidandi Ssali’s son Bebecool did not vote for his own father during the general elections in Uganda in 2016. He instead supported Yoweri Kaguta Museveni overwhelmingly. Bebecool did not stop at that. He featured in the “Tubonga nawe” hit that acted as a campaign song for Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. This acted as a pivotal point for Bebecool’s loyalty to the NRM ruling party, that was slowly and steadily phasing out. Given that background, all musicians loyal to the ruling party, Bebecool inclusive have been pelted with mineral water bottles and stones whenever they stage a concert. This impressed opposition Ugandan named kojja Omugezi who lives in Ireland. He was later attacked by Bebecool
Net worth
From scratch to gold, Bebecool’s net worth is approximately $1.5million and his source of income is his Music Profession.
