TAKEAWAYS

• Mark Da Urban rejects Bien’s criticism of Uganda’s music industry and says Ugandan artists are more talented and creative.
• He argues Uganda’s fast-moving entertainment scene forces artists to constantly adapt to new trends.
• The dancehall singer also says he prefers natural beauty over cosmetic enhancements.

Ugandan dancehall singer Mark Da Urban has hit back at Kenyan singer Bien-Aimé Baraza (Bien) following remarks about Uganda’s music industry.

Speaking about the differences between the Ugandan and Kenyan music scenes, Bien recently argued that Uganda is overly reliant on hit songs, with one successful track sometimes enough to take an artist on a nationwide tour. He suggested that this model could be holding Ugandan artists back.

However, Mark Da Urban disagreed, insisting that Uganda’s fast-moving entertainment scene is actually one of its biggest strengths.

“I have never been to Kenya, but I believe Ugandans are more talented than Kenyans. Uganda is more vibrant,” Mark Da Urban said.

The dancehall artist argued that Uganda’s constantly changing trends force musicians to remain creative and adaptable, making it difficult for artists to spend too much time perfecting a single style.

“In Uganda, things move very fast. You have to move with what is moving. Before you know it, something has taken over the trend and another thing has come up,” he explained.

According to Mark Da Urban, this rapid pace gives Uganda a unique creative energy, even though Kenya may offer artists more opportunities to develop and perfect their craft.

He maintained that Uganda’s music scene remains highly creative and vibrant, suggesting that the constant evolution of trends should not necessarily be viewed as a weakness.

Meanwhile, Mark Da Urban also shared his preference for natural beauty, saying he is not attracted to cosmetic body enhancements.

“I’m a man of natural things. I can never go against nature,” he said.