A Pass says he’d be one of Africa’s biggest stars if he wasn’t Ugandan

• A Pass says he would be one of Africa’s biggest artists if based in Kenya.
• He criticized Uganda’s music industry for focusing on only a few top artists.
• The singer highlighted his BBC airplay and international streaming success.

Reggae and dancehall singer A Pass, born Alexander Bagonza, has claimed he would rank among Africa’s top artists if he were based in Kenya instead of Uganda.

Speaking during a conversation with producer Anko Ronnie, A Pass argued that Uganda’s music industry limits growth by elevating only a few musicians at a time, unlike larger markets such as Nigeria.

“If I was living in Kenya, I would be one of the biggest artists in Africa,” he said. “Some countries don’t depend on one or three artists. In Uganda, fans want to cement a few names as if no one else can rise.”

The “Dididada” hitmaker described the practice as restrictive, saying it sidelines other talented musicians who pursue different sounds and audiences.

A Pass also pointed to his international achievements, noting that his music has received airplay on the BBC since 2015 and that he is among the most streamed Ugandan artists in the United Kingdom.

“My song ‘Wuyo’ is played in Starbucks stores, and there are only about three African songs on that playlist,” he said. “But back home, those milestones are rarely highlighted.”

He further argued that Ugandan musicians are often pressured to create strictly local content, warning that artists who target global markets risk being overlooked domestically.