Zahara Toto and I broke up before we could hit the sheets - Prince Omar

 THE GRILL 

Umar Mukose alias Prince Omar has not struggled financially like other upcoming musicians. His story is quite interesting; he studied from Canada before going to UK. He is now back to Uganda to concentrate on music. He has recorded songs like Sing For Me with Lydia Jazmine and Kyoyoya featuring John Blaq and Daddy Andre....

It has been a while. What have you been up   to? 

I was in the UK. I came back in February after a nine-month course in video and music production. I had missed my music career. You know Ugandans move on easily. I had started becoming irrelevant to people. The industry is so demanding. Fans need to see you on stage performing and the DJs only play your music when you make appearances in clubs and media houses (shows me his certificate on email).

Before you left, you wasted money at your video premiere with the convoy and open bar. What were you trying to prove?

This was something normal, but Ugandans are just judgmental. I was having a moment with my fans. Kyoyoya, a collaboration with Daddy Andre, was well received, so I was excited to give back to my fans (sounds mad).

Prince Omar

Do you think Ugandans have accepted you as a musician? What kind of question is this?

Of course, yes. I am talented and so different from the rest of the musicians here. Just know five years from now, I will be among the top ten in Africa.

What have you done to achieve that?

When you look at my past work, you will see the difference between me and other Ugandans. I am a vibrant and focused young artiste and with my good management, we should just watch the space.

How did you meet Nigeria’s Skales?

Before I started music, I was doing business with my dad. One time I was in Nigeria and we met in a club. When he came to Uganda, he could not imagine I was the one he met in Nigeria and that is how we did a song.

Meanwhile, we heard that your dad was disappointed in you when you started music.

Yeah, my dad disowned me when I started music. I come from a staunch Muslim family. He had paid lots of money for me to go and study in Canada, and here I come with dreadlocks calling myself a musician, but I persisted and made sure I proved a point. One day he watched me on TV and called me for lunch. We settled our differences and he has since been very supportive. He is proud of me now.

Is that why he pays Daddy Andre a lot of money to push your music?

Andre is like a dad to me. He has been a very good mentor. I actually call him godfather to my music. I had worked with different producers before, but when I worked with him, we automatically connected and made a hit.

But he even bought him a car...

I am not sure about that, but he deserves a reward. One thing about me is that my circle is so small and if I like someone, I really make sure that they know it and I appreciate them with either money or tangible things.

Other people say you have a sugar mummy in Canada who also invests in your music...

It is not true. I come from a well to do family and I was working with my dad before I started music. He would send me to Malaba, Dubai, Nigeria and other countries and that is how I got my money.

Before you left, you were mad at Spice Diana. Are you guys okay now?

Yeah, we are cool now.

Mpozi what had happened?

We did a song together and her management did not promote it. I was a new artiste and that is how she tried to teach me after paying for the video. All she had to do was to push the song. She would have done what Lydia Jazmine did.

Speaking about Lydia Jasmine, we hear your video shoot was fire. You guys went beyond... What do you mean? Mbu you guys had sex in Dubai while shooting the video.

(Laughs) it is not true. It is not the first time I am hearing that. People talked, I think because of how the video is. We shot it on an island and, of course, we were in beach wear plus I touched her since it was a love song.

Okay, would you sleep with her?

All I can say is she is an amazing woman, with a good body. Who would not want that body? (He blushes).

Zahara Toto

Why did you break up with Zahara Toto?

Life happened. We just ended things (looks bothered and uncomfortable).

How does it feel sleeping with a loud mouth like her?

(Sighs) We were not yet there. We broke up before having sex. We were getting to know each other. We were more like restaurant friends.

Is it right to say that she was de-toothing you?

Not really. She is a very hardworking woman. She is rich. We were just comfortable around each other, enjoying each other’s company.

So who are you dating now?

No one. I am on a break, concentrating on my career. I am going to release the best song in East Africa. I am doing collaborations with Sauti Sol and Kiss Daniels, and all those need concentration without distraction from women.

You sound like having a woman feels like having a job with a nagging boss?

Not really, but having a woman is another job. Time must be invested, which I do not have now. Right now I am fighting top Ugandan musicians. I want to top music charts in the next few months.

Why did you go political in your latest song, Bajikwekwa?

It is the public that made it political. The song literally talks about our daily lives, where relatives and friends backstab us. I was surprised when certain government officials called me mbu I needed to explain myself about the song. I am glad the issues were sorted and I survived jail.

Recently you were accused of stealing a song. What happened?

Someone called Clear Beats was looking for cheap popularity. Imagine he said I stole his beat. It is not me who produced the song. He had to attack the producer, not me, but he apologised and I forgave him.