Red Banton

People know me as Red Banton. Banton started way back in '94 when I started out performing. I used to sing Buju Banton songs at parties. At that time I was from my village in Masaka and I had two shirts, my favorite was the red one. They used to call me Kamyufu meaning "Red one" thus my name Red Banton.

started out in '94 singing in Ndongo (parties). By then I was staying with my father Mr. Simpson Muwonge. He never knew what was happening other wise, there would have been hell to pay. In these parties, some DJs would give me the Mic others would refuse. In '97, I left my father and started living on my own in Makindye meanwhile working as a night watchman in Makindye secondary school car park.
Then I started performing with Millennium mobile disco with a guy called Andre B. At that time we were being paid 1000 shillings (less than a dollar) each night. We were with them until it was sold so I had to revert to my old job.

It wasn't until I met DJ Rota in 2000 that things started changing. He sponsored me at Kasiwukira studios and immediately "Nnonya Money" track produced by Steve Jean was born. D.J Rota bought it from him and started promoting it around Kampala. He sold it to Ange Noir discotheque then CBS fm and Capital fm. The people who really did a lot of promotion of the album were Peter Sematimba now of Super fm and Shadow of Capital fm and also Mr. Mulangira Ndaus.
Red: People think music in Uganda is big business but it is not. Things are really hard and there is no money. Piracy and lack of copyright laws is what is killing the music industry. We don't have professional businessmen in the promotional sector just con men, as you can see what is happening to Saida Karoli. The money you get from stage shows can't last long enough.

QN: Is there any new album coming up?
Red: Oh yes! I've already started on a new one with Steve Jean.
QN: Is your schedule busy right now?
Red: No. I've completely cut out performances to work on this new project.
QN: What have you learnt from all these years in the music business?
Red: The art of being creative because nothing remains the same. Style and tastes change so you have to adjust accordingly
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QN: And lastly, what has been your greatest moment in your music career?

Red: My first major performance at Calendar Rest House Soul Disco in 1995. It was the greatest thing that happened to me really, I loved it. The crowd, the response was all very great.