In an old video that has resurfaced on the internet, Chameleone, real name Joseph Mayanya, says he had just released Mama Mia, and Abitex, born Abbey Musinguzi, hired him to perform at Didi’s World (now called Wonder World Amusement Park Uganda).
"That's the song on which Abitex cheated me," says Chameleone. "He hired me to perform at Didi's World."
According to Chamelone, Abitex was to pay him Shs600k.
He gave him only Shs400k.
"I looked for Abitex and Emma Serugo (also an events promoter), not knowing they are hiding at Sheraton [Hotel in Kampala]. 20 years later things are still the same," he said in the video.
Over the years Jose Chameleone and Abitex have been involved in a lot of nasty clashes, with the promoter once dubbing the Valu Valu hitmaker the "most disrespectful artiste in Uganda."
Chameleone, born on April 30, 1979, started his professional music journey in November 1998 in Nairobi where he did his first single titled Mama Mia.
His first album, Bageya, was released in 2000. Over the years, he has released a number of hit albums, including Mama Mia in 2001, Njo Karibu and The Golden Voice in 2003, Mambo Bado in 2004, Kipepeo in 2005, Shida za Dunia in 2006, Sivyo Ndivyo and Katupakase in 2007, Bayuda in 2009, Vumilia in 2010, Valu Valu in 2012, Badilisha in 2013, Tubonge in 2014, Wale wale in 2015, Sili Mujjawo in 2016, Sweet Banana in 2017 and Champion in 2018.