A Pass Speaks Out Against the “Self-Made” Label in Music, Says All Artistes Are Shaped by Influences

Many artistes often claim to be “self-made,” with some even going as far as asserting they have no influences whatsoever.

While this perspective is not necessarily wrong, A Pass, whose real name is Bagonza Alexander, views it as a misguided notion.

During a podcast chat, the singer shared his thoughts, stating, “An artist is a build-up of so many influences, and whenever I hear someone say ‘self-made,’ I just see stupidity.”

For him, the idea of being truly self-made is impossible. He believes artistes are shaped by the music they listen to, whether they recognize it or not.

“You listen to people, and you are inspired, and then you build a sound off other people who have done it before you. So, that simply means you could not do it if they did not do it,” he explained.

He also emphasized that if the artistes he listened to had never existed, he probably would not have pursued music.

Reflecting on his own journey, A Pass shared that he was initially drawn to international music before discovering local sounds.

Growing up, he listened to legends like Bob Marley, Buju Banton, Shaggy, Red Rat, Jim Reeves, and R. Kelly, among others.

It was not until later that he became interested in Ugandan music, with artistes such as the iconic Afrigo Band, Bobi Wine, and Bebe Cool making a notable impact on him.

Among all the influences, the one artiste who stands out to A Pass is the late Michael Jackson, who remains his favorite of all time.

Also read: A Pass Blasts Ugandan Awards: “They Have No Value”