BY Enock Mugabi

For starters, Aziz Mukasa, popularly known by the stage as Aziz Azion was just a mere guitarist from defunct Jeckaki Band before he started singing.

Aziz used to be hired by then established musicians to be back up guitarist on their gigs and he would be paid handsomely.

I remember in early 2000, Jose Chamili was booked to perform in Sweden but he acknowledged how talented the man who hails from Fort Portal was and decided to go along with him for a musical showcase. That was Aziz’s first international gig.

From time to time, he realized he could actually try out singing due to the exposure he got while backing big artists. In 2006, Latino Regaetone music was ruling the airwaves which inspired the guitarist to try out something with his voice.

Aziz hit studios and did two dancehall songs; ‘Kano Koze’ and ‘Cheza Dada’, a collaboration with Maurice Hasa which failed to pick up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ8IA6JZ3yA

He perhaps realized that he had a great voice suitable for R n B genre, which could melt female fans.

At that time, R n B had no stiff competition and artists who were known for it like; Michael Ross, Maurice Kiirya and Juliana Kanyomozi, had made it too urban for the local market.

After going back to the drawing board and reading the market, Aziz went back to studio and dropped a chart topping R n B love ballad, ‘Nkumira Omukwano’ that introduced him officially to the industry.

Both male and female fans embraced him with open hands and motivated him pretty well.

He never sat back as he continued dropping breathtaking hits like; Wampisa, Yegwe, Nakupenda, Chocolate Gal, Your love is my love, Oxygen, Beera Nange and Beautiful among others, that made him a household name and a hot cake on the local entertainment scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPadtqJnkEk

Gigs started popping in, and in 2011 he managed to hold his maiden concert that attracted myriads.

However, the following year, the R n B maestro was hit by poor managerial guidance and decided to part ways with West End, a label he formed by himself due to unclear reasons.

He went mute for one and a half years, only to bounce back doing another infamous music style, ‘Bax Raga’.

Yes, his singles ‘Am Bad’ and ‘Omulembe’ Ft. Sheebah fairly received a share of airplay but made his day one R n B fans confused and left out.

This has made him drop from music charts and perhaps steadily forgotten. With ‘Bax Raga’, Aziz has shown that he is not quite comfortable with it and he is indeed struggling.

The likes of Geosteady, Fille and Lydia Jazmine have steadily suffocated him and occupied his space. But with such a rare talent, sweet voice and experience, Aziz Azion has everything to revive his game.

It is never too late for him to adjust and go back to basics that brought him to the limelight.