Ugandan rapper The Mith says an embarrassing performance in Mukono taught him a lasting lesson about taking the stage after drinking alcohol — and a blunt message from a fan helped change his approach to live shows.
The rapper recalled an incident in which he ended up performing even though he was not scheduled to take the stage. Having already consumed some alcohol, he accepted the opportunity to perform but later regretted how the experience unfolded.
The Mith described the moment as embarrassing, explaining that the incident became even more memorable when a fan contacted him directly on social media to criticise his performance.
“For me, it was a performance in Mukono, and I wasn’t supposed to perform. So, I had some chai mukalu in my system, and I got called on stage to perform,” he recalled.
The rapper said the fan, despite not being someone he followed on social media, took the initiative to send him a direct message about what had happened.
“I embarrassed myself because someone sent me a direct message. I wasn’t even following him, but he was my fan, and he was like, ‘You can never do that again,’” The Mith said.
Rather than dismissing the criticism, the rapper took the message as a wake-up call. The experience made him reflect on the importance of how he presents himself in front of an audience, particularly during live performances.
The Mith said he has since made a deliberate effort to ensure he is sober whenever he performs on stage.
“Since then, every time you see me on stage, I’m sober. I learnt my lesson. It was important for me to see that online,” he said.
His account highlights how direct feedback from an audience member can leave a lasting impression on a performer. In this case, the fan’s message prompted The Mith to reconsider his conduct on stage and adopt a different approach to live appearances.
The rapper did not provide further details about the specific performance in Mukono or explain exactly what happened on stage. However, he made clear that the experience and the fan’s response were enough to influence his behaviour at subsequent shows.
For The Mith, the incident remains a lesson in professionalism: a performance opportunity can quickly become an embarrassing moment when a musician is not fully prepared — and the audience may be the first to make that clear.