Ragga Dee’s mother helped me buy my first house - Chameleone

Ragga Dee had just returned from London and told Chameleone that he recently acquired a house in Kizungu, Makindye.

In an interview, Chameleone said he felt benign envy and inquired about how he could buy one.

Dee told him that it wouldn't be easy to get one in Makindye, as it was also by luck that he landed one.

Ragga Dee told him he would consult his mother since she was familiar with real estate deals.

Dee's mother got Chameleone a house in Seguku at Shs30 million.

He initially didn't like the place since it was far from the road, but noted that he no longer regretted it.

Chameleone said that his mother immediately told him that the house wasn’t befitting of celebrity status and they had to demolish it to build the one where the Mama Mia singer lived for so many years. Chameleone recently unveiled a new house that he built in Akright Estate Entebbe.

Who is Jose Chameleone?

Born in a family of eight children -- seven boys and one girl -- Chameleone, real name Joseph Mayanja, left his home at the age of 15 to pursue professional music.

His father is Gerald Mayanja and his mother is Prossy Musoke and he is the fourth born.

Born on April 30, 1979, Jose Chameleone went to Nakasero Primary School, Mengo S.S. where he got expelled in S.2 to join Kawempe Muslim S.S. to complete O-Level, after which he joined Katikamu SDA and got expelled in S.5 to complete S.6. at Progressive S.S.

The Valu Valu hitmaker's artistry appears to have been inherited, as his grandfather was a guitarist, and his father was in Nsambya Boys Band while in school and played multiple instruments.

His eldest brother Humphrey also used to own a band called Super World Band

Jose Chameleone started taking part in drama when he was still at Nakasero Primary School and at both Kawempe Muslim and Katikamu SDA, he was the entertainment prefect and he also used to perform.

His first song -- Bageya -- was released in 1999 at Hills Studio in Nairobi. It became a hit in Kenya despite being sung in Luganda, then Mama Mia came next.

His first album, which Mama Mia was part of, came out in 2000.

At one time he was a backup singer for Shanks Vivid Gumaras.

Then Kalamashaka, a Kenyan hip-hop group came to Kampala to perform -- and Shanks invited Chameleone to freestyle for them and they were hooked.

They then invited him to go to Kenya and record with them a song.

However, it didn't happen and Chameleone was stuck in Kenya without means of transport to return.

He linked up with Bebe Cool and he helped him.

Then Chameleone befriended Redsan and they formed an East African Bashment crew: Chameleone, Bebe and Redsan.

They broke up because of financial reasons.

Then early 2000, he recorded Mama Mia and it became a hit, first in Kenya, and later in Uganda.

He went to Kenya in 1999 and returned after the release of Mama Mia.