By Claude Muhi
Ugandan music megastar Bebe Cool has been nominated for the prestigious Timeless Impact Award at the 2026 African Muzik Magazine Awards, AFRIMMA.
The nomination places the star among 10 of Africa’s most enduring music icons. He will be competing against Timaya, Flavour, Kcee of Nigeria, Sarkodie of Ghana, Oskido and Mafikizolo of South Africa, Amr Diab of Egypt, Slapdee of Zambia, and Nameless of Kenya.
The Timeless Impact Award recognizes legendary artists whose influence has helped shape African music across generations.
According to AFRIMMA, this year’s shortlist “celebrates some of the continent’s most enduring names, with honorees spanning multiple regions and genres. From Afrobeats and Highlife to Kwaito and Afro-pop, the category highlights artists whose contributions continue to inspire fans and musicians alike.”
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Each nominee has built a remarkable legacy through decades of chart-topping music, cultural influence, and consistent contributions to the growth of African entertainment. Their impact, AFRIMMA notes, “extends beyond hit records, helping to elevate African music on both continental and global stages.”
While the awards focus on the music legends’ impact across the continent and globe, it is important to note that Bebe Cool’s impact transcends music.
The Gagamel boss has made a profound impact through his philanthropic efforts. With a career spanning over two decades, Bebe Cool has consistently pushed the boundaries of musical excellence while using his platform to drive positive change.
Click here to vote for Bebe Cool: https://afrimma.com/index.php/voting
His commitment to giving back to his community is truly inspiring. His charitable endeavors have touched the lives of many Ugandans, providing critical support to those in need.
His remarkable journey is a shining example of the power of music and philanthropy.
SOME OF HIS NOTABLE PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS INCLUDE:
46664 Campaign
His involvement with the 46664 campaign, which aims to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and social justice, is particularly notable. As one of the African ambassadors appointed by Nelson Mandela, Bebe Cool has been instrumental in promoting this important cause.
46664 is a global campaign to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and social justice. It was inspired by Nelson Mandela, who was given the prison number 46664 when he was the 466th prisoner to arrive at Robben Island in 1964.
Bebe Cool performed at the prestigious Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute that was held in Hyde Park, London on June 27, 2008.
The concert formed part of the 46664 concert series to promote awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and came twenty years after the 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert at Wembley, held while Mandela was still in prison.
Charity Begins at Home
Back home in Uganda, the Gagamel International boss has been involved in various philanthropic activities.
On December 14, 2010, Bebe Cool took over the health needs of nine-year-old Proscovia Namusisi, a mouth cancer patient, after watching her touching story on a local television news bulletin.
He transferred little Namusisi from her home in Buyenje village in Buikwe District to the Cancer Institute at Mulago Hospital.
He later announced that the proceeds from that year’s Tondeka E Kiwatule Boxing Day concert would be dedicated to Proscovia.
In June 2013, Bebe Cool donated generously to the 52 Kids Project at Kyemba Crystal Gardens in Kamuli District, eastern Uganda.
He donated cash that was used to renovate the schools where the 52 needy children studied.
He also donated items such as scholastic materials, sanitary pads, and clothes, among other things.
The people of Kamuli thanked Bebe Cool for his good and giving heart.
On August 23, 2017, Bebe Cool again showcased his big heart by taking on an initiative to save another child: 5-year-old Brenda Kyazike from Iganga, who needed treatment for a condition medically known as Cutis Verticis Gyrata.
Cutis verticis gyrata is a medical condition usually associated with the thickening of the scalp.
The condition is identified by excessive thickening of the soft tissues of the scalp and is characterized by ridges and furrows, which give the scalp a cerebriform appearance.
Thanks to Bebe Cool, little Brenda underwent successful surgery at Kiruddu Hospital.
Amber Heart Foundation
On August 28, 2018, Bebe Cool announced the launch of his charity organization, Amber Heart Foundation, and donated UGX 60 million to Action for Disadvantaged People to facilitate the travel of five children to India for heart surgeries.
This was after his Kololo Airstrip concert dubbed ‘The Golden Heart’.
Amber Heart Foundation was dedicated to all his charity activities, he announced.
“I have over the years been carrying out several charity activities as part of my social responsibility to my country. I have, however, felt the need to consolidate all these activities under one umbrella, hence the birth of The Amber Heart Foundation,” he announced at a press conference held in Kololo.
He further revealed that his next concert slated for December 26, 2018, at Kiwatule Recreation Grounds would be organized and dedicated to charity under the theme ‘Tondeka E Kiwatule Omutima Gwa Zaabu’.
Indeed, proceeds from the Kiwatule musical event further facilitated another five children to travel to India for heart operations.
TB Ambassadorial Role
In September 2018, Bebe Cool was appointed as Uganda’s new Tuberculosis (TB) Ambassador. He was nominated by the Uganda Stop TB Partnership in collaboration with the UN Office for Project Services.
As the new TB Ambassador, Bebe Cool’s role was to utilize his popularity to raise awareness about TB and encourage those affected to seek treatment.
The musician expressed pride in taking on this responsibility, emphasizing the importance of supporting the Uganda Stop TB Partnership, the Ministry of Health, and UNOPS in the campaign to end TB in Uganda. He acknowledged that this was a significant responsibility that required collective effort to save lives lost daily due to TB.
As part of his new role, Bebe Cool attended a UN high-level meeting on TB in New York, where he lobbied for increased TB funding, expansion of screening services, and increased human resources to combat the disease in Uganda.
According to a 2017 report by the World Health Organization, Uganda had seen a 60% increase in TB cases, with a prevalence rate of 253 per 100,000 people. Those most affected are males aged between 35 and 44 years.
Indeed, his lobbying at the New York high-level meeting bore fruit.
On December 2, 2019, the superstar received a grant of approximately $400,000 USD (around UGX 1.5 billion then) from the Stop TB Partnership’s TB REACH initiative to support his efforts in fighting tuberculosis in Uganda.
This grant was awarded to his non-profit organization, The Amber Heart Foundation, which aimed to find missing TB patients in districts like Kampala, Jinja, and Mbarara.
Bebe Cool and the Amber Heart Foundation played a crucial role in the fight against TB through awareness campaigns and TB screening tables at health centers and crowded areas like taxi parks.
2024
In 2024, Bebe Cool continued his charity work.
The musician spent the better part of his birthday, September 1, in Kyanjja Nagojje village in Mukono District to check on Madam Olivia Nakate, who suffered paralysis in 2008.
For 16 years, Olivia had not been able to move or stand.
In 2018, Bebe Cool had visited her and donated a wheelchair and household items.
On his birthday in 2024, with his Gagamel Family, Bebe Cool decided to renovate Nakate’s house, buy her a new wheelchair and new household items, in addition to financial help for her monthly medical bills.
“I thank the Gagamel Family for this good gesture towards Olivia and for their giving hand.
I thank God for continuing to give Olivia the gift of life, and I pray that one day, Olivia will be back on her feet and be able to live a normal life,” Bebe Cool said.
Bridgette
On October 25, Bebe Cool announced that he would dedicate the Tondeka e Kiwatule Boxing Day 2024 concert to supporting Bridgette, a talented young TikTok star.
“After learning about Bridgette’s challenging living conditions, I decided to take action. Proceeds from the show Tondeka e Kiwatule will go towards building a better home for her family ‘Tondeka e Kiwatule Tuzimbile Bridgette enyumba’ in Mubende,” Bebe Cool announced.
He further said: “Giving back to those in need has always been my passion. I’m grateful for my family and my blessings, and committed to making a positive impact in our community with the little I have.”
Other Charity Works
In addition to these noble causes, Bebe Cool has also supported colleagues within the arts industry, often supporting their music concerts by buying tables and providing upcoming artists with free recording sessions at his Ntinda-based Gagamel Studio, among others.
Most notably, he supported ailing comedian Sammy Okanya of Da Mighty Family, who was bedridden for a couple of weeks with stomach complications.
Bebe Cool also rallied fellow artists to create COVID-19 awareness through a song, Corona Distance.
Bebe Cool joined forces with a star-studded lineup of local artists to release a brand-new song aimed at raising awareness about COVID-19. The educative hit features Fik Fameica, Fresh Kid, A Pass, Paper Daddy, Fresh Daddy, Vinka, Azawi, John Blaq, and many others.
Recorded to combat the spread of COVID-19, the song emphasized the importance of staying at home, washing hands with soap and water, and adhering to government guidelines. Bebe Cool expressed his gratitude to the participating artists, who contributed their talents without payment.
To further amplify the message, Bebe Cool announced the #CoronaDistanceChallenge, encouraging fans to record themselves singing their favorite artist’s part, share it on social media, and spread awareness about COVID-19.
The World Health Organization (WHO) commended Uganda as one of the top countries in fighting COVID-19.
Bebe Cool and his fellow artists’ efforts cannot be taken lightly.
Bebe Cool, born on September 1, 1977, Moses Ssali, is a Ugandan reggae, dancehall and Afrobeats artist.
He also donated to the country’s Covid 19 rescue taskforce.
One of the most prominent figures on East Africa’s entertainment scene, Bebe Cool is known for his versatile musical style and for being a leading figure in the region’s showbiz.
Bebe Cool started his career around 1997, when, through a leap of faith, he took a bus to Nairobi.
With a blossoming scene, Bebe Cool became one of the first artists to sign to brothers Lucas and Francis Bikendo’s record label, Ogopa Deejays.
Bebe Cool was instrumental in establishing Uganda’s modern music sound, as well as elevating the social scene in the early 2000s, thanks to his captivating voice and at times polarizing performances. Over the years, Bebe Cool’s career has been defined by groundbreaking albums such as Maisha, Nkolera Banabange, Sente, and Go Mama, among others.
In 2004, Bebe Cool joined forces with Kenyan reggae group Necessary Noize, consisting of Wyre and Nazizi, to form the continental super group, the East African Bashment Crew.
Together, the East African Bashment Crew achieved great success across the continent with songs like Africa Unite, Kube, This Tune, and Fire Anthem, off their debut and only album, Fire.
The group was nominated for two KORA Awards in 2004 and for the MTV MAMAs in 2008, and won two Channel O Awards for the song and video of Kube.
As a solo artist, Bebe Cool has been nominated for the MOBO Awards, KORA Awards, MTV MAMAs, Tanzania Music Awards, Australia Radio Music Awards, and AFRIMMA Awards, in various categories across the globe.
Bebe Cool is one of Uganda’s most decorated artists with more than 20 awards to his name. His remix of Philly Lutaaya’s Born in Africa was ranked number 15 by the BBC during the commemoration of the Organisation of African Unity at 50.
He recently released his highly anticipated 7-track EP, NO RISK, which is currently dominating airwaves and streaming charts in Uganda.
The project is a genre-blending journey through Afrobeat, Dancehall, Reggaeton, and R&B, anchored by a distinct Ugandan vibe.
The EP arrives just one year after his critically acclaimed album BREAK THE CHAINS, released on May 30, 2025. That project reaffirmed Bebe Cool’s dominance and earned praise for fusing Afro-electronic, Afrotech, and Afro-pop into a bold, futuristic sound.
Indeed, his impact is TIMELESS!
