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Kenzo, first Ugandan nominated for Grammy, had humble start

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Eddy Kenzo doesn’t know precisely when he was born, a quirk of personal history that goes to the heart of how the Ugandan singer sees himself: a humble man who's sometimes anxious about what happens next.

And yet Kenzo, who became the first Uganda-based singer to earn a Grammy nomination, keeps scaling heights that defy his expectations and those of his fans and rivals in this east African country where his work is sometimes questioned.

Some Ugandans dismiss his musical style as rather playful, saying he's not that much of a singer. But others see in his experimentation the creative potential that marks him as an artiste with original gifts.

For Kenzo, any recognition of his work is a reminder of how far he's come.

“Honestly speaking, I am so overwhelmed. I am so nervous at the same time,” Kenzo said in an interview with the AP, speaking of his nomination. “I thank God that we made it.”

Kenzo’s “Gimme Love,” a collaboration with the American singer Matt B that began with a fortuitous meeting in Los Angeles, is nominated for a Grammy in the category of best global music performance.

Kenzo, whose real name is Edirisa Musuuza, won a BET award in 2015 as the viewers’ choice for best new international artiste, the first and only Ugandan so honored to date. The accolade followed his breakout song “Sitya Loss,” accompanied by a video featuring dancing kids whose energetic performance captured the attention of global stars like Ellen DeGeneres.

That song was a nod to Kenzo's own humble beginnings in a remote part of central Uganda, as a barely literate child who didn’t know from where his next meal would come. By his own account, Kenzo spent 13 years in the streets after losing his mother when he was only 4. He didn't know who his father was, and he only discovered some of his siblings as a grown man.

He wanted to become a soccer player and even won a scholarship to boarding school based on his talent, but he later dropped out and returned to the hustling that he says made him a man.

“I am a hustler,” he told AP. “This is a very huge step for me, my family and the ghetto people, the hustlers, the people who come from nothing. It gives us a lot of hope that anything is possible.”

He recorded his first single in 2008 and achieved stardom in 2010 with the song “Stamina,” beloved by politicians, lovers, and others for its praise of youthful energy. In addition to winning awards, Kenzo is frequently invited to perform across the world.

Three days before he found out he had been nominated for a Grammy, Kenzo held a festival in Kampala that was attended by thousands, including Uganda's prime minister. It was a proud moment for a singer whose music is often ignored by local FM stations, which can make or break a song with the choices DJs make.

There's a sense even for Kenzo that he's more appreciated abroad than at home.

"My biggest fanbase is outside Uganda, because the world is bigger than Uganda,” he said thoughtfully. “Uganda is just a small country.”

Andrew Kaggwa, an arts reporter with the local Daily Monitor newspaper, described Kenzo as an enigma who “has disrupted the industry in ways no one can explain."

He spoke of Kenzo as the Ugandan singer "who refused to fail.” DJs may dislike his music, but he has a loyal following and he wins honors despite the odds.

“For some reason things happen” for Kenzo, Kaggwa said. “He just lets the awards, the accolades, speak for him.”

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  • Kanye West’s "BULLY" Predicted To Move More Than 250K Albums In Week One

Kanye West’s "BULLY" Predicted To Move More Than 250K Albums In Week One

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Kanye West has delayed the release of his new album BULLY multiple times in recent years, following an initial and unofficial online drop. However, it looks like the long wait could pay off with a strong debut for the album, according to new projections from HITS Daily Double.

The outlet predicts that BULLY will likely sell between 250K and 275K album-equivalent units in its first week, which would almost certainly land it at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. For comparison, his last official album, VULTURES 2 (a collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign), moved 107K units in its first week, driven mostly by physical sales.

While HITS Daily Double doesn’t specify the exact factors behind their predictions, the projected sales likely come from pre-orders, pre-saves, and other early indicators for BULLY. Kanye has been selling physical editions of the album, including vinyls and CDs. Additionally, the album has racked up over 600K pre-saves on Spotify as of now, pointing to strong potential streaming numbers.

Of course, many dedicated fans remain skeptical that the album will even be released at all. But these sales projections from HITS Daily Double show how the excitement surrounding the album is translating into tangible commercial support.

When Is Kanye West Dropping BULLY?

For those who aren’t familiar, Kanye West’s BULLY is set to drop on March 20 this year. After multiple delays, a deal with Gamma seems to have finally secured a solid release date. However, given Ye’s track record with album rollouts, many people will wait until they actually see the album drop before fully believing it.

Meanwhile, Kanye is trying to rebuild his career and personal life, working on his mental health and apologizing for his past bigoted actions. It will take time to regain trust from many listeners, but there are hopes that this phase is part of a larger process of growth and not an attempt to excuse or dismiss his past mistakes.

Even if BULLY doesn’t drop, Kanye West’s past music is still performing well. He recently became the second rapper this year to surpass one billion streams on Spotify. Drake was the first to hit this milestone and has already crossed the 2 billion mark.

 
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