Ziza Bafana

BIO

Kasendwa Richard alias Ziza Bafana, is set to walk the ragga/dancehall genre streets like no one. He is one dancehall artiste who has not tried being a copycat or forging Jamaican patois to make a hit; his style is simply raw, original and thus his identity.

True to the word, all his songs are in Luganda, yet it is actually dancehall at its best. Richard Kasendwa was born in Masaka, Bukakata road. He, however, moved to Villa Maria with his mother after the death of his father. He went to Bulenga primary school where he was an ardent member of the music club as a drummer. In fact, by the time he sat for his PLE, he had been on a five-year bursary thanks to his wonderful drumming skills.

He later joined St Henry's College Kitovu and later St Stephen's Kyebando, where he completed his studies after UCE. For many music lovers, Kasendwa is mostly known as Ziza Bafana, the other half of the now-defunct Back 2 Life group alongside Yiya Moze. Just like Yiya, Kasendwa too was a solo artiste before Back 2 life. He had even recorded a song, Omutima Mugumu, with his friends Eddy Kenzo and David Lutalo.

The Back 2 Life union gave to us hits like Togenda, Namagalo and Tebakulimba, among others. In 2012, however, even with the plea of their producer Washington, Back 2 Life halted their musical union and the two singers embarked on solo careers.

After some time in solo hibernation, Ziza Bafana picked himself up and released a couple of songs in 2012, and just last week, he released one of the most promising songs of 2013: Emitego Gya Walumbe. The three-minute song criticizes, rebukes and attacks the person of Walumbe [Luganda for death] in a rather familiar, disturbed and angry tone of both Paulo Kafeero and David Lutalo in Walumbe Zaaya and Engumba respectively, he questions death's intentions or if he gains anything by his deeds of mischief.

He works with various producers for versatility, and even as the interview went on, he was preparing to work with yet another upcoming artiste. A number of Bafana's 2013 songs such as Stareo, My Ladies, Wansobera, Ebiwundu, are all ready. He has also worked with Chameleone, Jamal, Jackie Chandiru, Maro, Fidempa, Mun*G and Tusker Project Fame's Rachel Namubiru on All-Star singles as well as collaborations.