Ugandan R&B singer Maro, real name Ronald Magada, has revealed that his father played a major role in his decision to leave Bobi Wine’s Firebase Crew, explaining that the family disagreement was rooted in a misunderstanding about the group’s lifestyle.
Maro made the revelation during an interview with Sanyuka TV, looking back at his early days in the music industry and the circumstances surrounding his departure from the music crew.
The singer joined the industry in 2010 with his breakthrough song Toneeraga, a collaboration with Mikie Wine and Empress under Firebase Crew. The song helped introduce him to a wider audience, giving him a bigger platform and attracting listeners interested in his next releases.
His growing connection with Mikie Wine also opened doors for more collaborations. However, Maro eventually moved away from Firebase Crew and joined Aziz Azion’s Westend Entertainment.
According to Maro, his decision to leave was heavily influenced by his father, who was uncomfortable with the company his son was keeping at the time.
He explained that his father often looked for him and became concerned whenever he discovered that Maro was spending time with members of Firebase Crew.
The main issue, he said, was the way his father interpreted the crew’s name. Because “Firebase” sounded similar to terms associated with smoking, his father reportedly assumed that the group members were involved in a lifestyle he did not approve of.
Maro maintained that this perception did not reflect the reality of the people he knew within the crew.
“Truthfully, I had wanted to move out of Firebase for one reason. My father was always looking for me. He always saw me hanging out with them and there was no way I could convince them that they acted very differently from their persona,” he said.
The singer also used Mikie Wine as an example, explaining that despite assumptions people might have made about him, Maro knew him as someone who did not drink alcohol.
“Some people might even think that Mikie Wine takes alcohol yet all the time I was with him, I knew he never did. He never drank alcohol. But every time my father heard that I was in Firebase, he concluded that it was connected to smoking because of how it rhymed with the name of the crew,” Maro added.
His account offers a glimpse into the personal challenges that can shape an artist’s career decisions, particularly during the early stages of their journey when family expectations and professional opportunities do not always align.
Although Firebase Crew helped give Maro an important start in the industry, his father’s concerns ultimately became a significant factor in his decision to move on.
The revelation also brings renewed attention to the singer’s early musical journey and the relationships that helped shape his career.