DJ Roja says Ugandan music industry is “boring,” calls for healthy rivalries

• DJ Roja says Uganda’s music industry lacks healthy competition and exciting showbiz battles.
• He references past rivalries involving Bobi Wine, Jose Chameleone, Bebe Cool, Cindy Sanyu and Sheebah Karungi.
• Roja insists he supports “healthy competition,” not toxic beef, as a way to grow the industry.

Veteran Ugandan deejay DJ Roja has declared that Uganda’s current music industry is “boring” and lacking the thrilling showbiz battles that once kept fans on edge.

In a statement, DJ Roja noted that while the industry is currently flooded with talent, it is missing one crucial ingredient — healthy competition.

“The Ugandan music right now is flooded with talent but missing real showbiz. We are bored. We need more healthy artist beefs like what Bobi Wine, Chameleone and Bebe Cool used to do. We saw Cindy and Sheebah do it. Competition grows the industry,” he said.

According to Roja, the golden era of Ugandan music was defined not just by hit songs but by electrifying rivalries between top stars such as Bobi Wine, Jose Chameleone, and Bebe Cool. Their lyrical battles and public face-offs created excitement and pushed each artist to elevate their craft.

He also referenced the more recent showdown between Cindy Sanyu and Sheebah Karungi, which had fans engaged in conversations about competitive artistry in Uganda.

However, when one follower argued that Nigeria’s music industry thrives without public showbiz battles, DJ Roja quickly dismissed the claim. He pointed to the long-standing rivalry between Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy, saying their competition has fueled Afrobeats’ global rise.

He even stretched the comparison internationally, referencing the rap tensions between Drake and Kendrick Lamar as proof that rivalry — when handled strategically — keeps audiences engaged.

Clarifying his stance, Roja emphasized that he was not advocating for toxic beef but rather “healthy competition.”

“I didn’t even say beef. I said healthy competition — where you go to the studio knowing someone else is also in the studio fighting for the same spot and battling for supremacy.”