Jose Chameleone‘s success has never bothered Shanks Vivie’D.
If anything, the veteran Ugandan dancehall and reggae artist sees it as proof that he did his job well.
For years, critics have claimed that Shanks secretly resents watching the man he once mentored become one of Uganda’s biggest music stars.
He laughs off that suggestion, insisting Chameleone’s rise is part of a journey they started together.
Speaking on Sanyuka TV, Shanks recalled discovering Chameleone when he was still looking for an opportunity in music.
I discovered Chameleone. He was my artist. He started out as a backup singer, and we developed his skills until he eventually became a very big artist.
While many fans rank Chameleone among Uganda’s greatest musicians, Shanks says those debates do not interest him.
What matters to him is seeing someone he mentored build a career that has stood the test of time.
I do not know much about rankings, whether someone is number one, number 10 or number zero. What I know is that he is doing well because I gave him the techniques. He learned from the master, from the right hands, and that is why he makes music that people appreciate.
Shanks says Chameleone’s success has never come at the expense of their friendship.
The two have remained close since they first met in 1996, a bond he describes as more like brotherhood than rivalry.
If I were jealous of him, I would never have been there for him in the first place. I helped him with a good heart because he came to me and said he wanted to become a singer and needed someone to guide him. I was there for him.
For Shanks, helping another artist should never become a source of envy.
He believes anyone who chooses to mentor someone else should celebrate that person’s success rather than resent it.
Art is for sharing. If you know you are going to become jealous after helping someone, then do not do it. Just leave it.
Jose Chameleone was an artiste I discovered. I have never been jealous of his success because art is meant to be shared.- Shanks#SanyukaUnCut #SanyukaUpdates #FfeBannoDdala pic.twitter.com/XzLUHp1H4y
— Sanyuka TV (@sanyukatv) July 30, 2026