Toolman Kibalama Emotionally Reacts to Master Parrot’s Death: “It Reopened Old Wounds”
A wave of grief has swept through Uganda’s music community following the sudden passing of Master Parrot, a loss that continues to ripple far beyond the stage.
The late artist was laid to rest on Wednesday in Kammengo after a fatal road accident, but for veteran singer Toolman Kibalama, the tragedy has triggered something far deeper than mourning.
It has reopened wounds he thought had long healed.
And what he revealed next takes the story back decades into one of the most painful chapters in Uganda’s early Fire Base Crew history.
But that’s not even the most emotional part.
A Loss That Brought Back 20 Years of Pain
Speaking after Master Parrot’s burial, Toolman Kibalama admitted that the news instantly transported him back to 2005—the year he lost fellow Fire Base Crew member Weather Man.
According to the veteran singer, the emotional impact of Master Parrot’s death has been overwhelming, forcing him to relive memories he had spent years trying to bury.
“The death of Master Parrot just opened the wounds I thought had healed in me for over 20 plus years after the death of Weather Man,” he said.
For Toolman, the two losses are painfully connected.
Both involved rising talents.
Both were sudden.
Both came through road accidents that shocked the music community.
And both left scars that never fully disappeared.
The Night Everything Changed
Toolman revisited the heartbreaking moment he learned about Weather Man’s death, recalling a call from Bobi Wine that changed everything.
At the time, Weather Man had been heading to Club Silk when the tragic accident occurred.
Bobi Wine informed him that the body had been taken to City Mortuary in Mulago.
What followed is a memory Toolman says he will never forget.
Determined to say goodbye, he went to the mortuary early the next morning.
“I entered the city mortuary around 7:00 am and saw Weather Man first-hand with his locks, brown jumper and Timberland boots on, laying on the floor with other dead bodies,” he recounted.
The image, he says, never left him.
And then things got really disturbing.
A Trauma That Lingered for Months
Toolman revealed that the experience affected him deeply, leaving him emotionally shattered for months after the incident.
He described long nights spent alone in his room, unable to sleep or process what he had seen.
“This scene tortured my life for over six months in my single room in Kamwokya. I could just sit on the bed with my back leaning on the wall all night,” he said.
At the time, survival was the priority.
According to him, life in Kamwokya demanded emotional toughness, leaving little space for grief or mental recovery.
“Back then living in Kamwokya was like surviving in the Serengeti. Our survival instincts were high, and depression we saw it as a luxury which I couldn’t afford,” he added.
The honesty of his reflection has struck many fans, shedding light on the unseen emotional toll carried by artists behind the scenes.
Master Parrot’s Death Reopens the Pain
Now, two decades later, Toolman says Master Parrot’s passing has brought all those emotions rushing back.
The similarities between the tragedies have made the grief even harder to process.
For him, it is not just about losing another artist—it is about reliving a cycle of loss he hoped was behind him.
But there is also gratitude in his reflection.
A Bond With Bobi Wine and Fire Base Memories
Toolman also took time to reflect on the early days of his career, highlighting the role Bobi Wine and Master Parrot played in shaping his musical journey.
He revealed that both artists were instrumental in giving him his first microphone opportunity during a performance at Continental Hall on Trans-Day gigs.
“Bobi Wine and Master Parrot handed me my first mic check at Cont Africa Hall on Trans-Day gigs organised by themselves. The respect of these brothers I will die with it,” he said.
For Toolman, those memories remain sacred.
They represent a time of unity, growth, and shared ambition within the Fire Base Crew era.
Remembering Weather Man, Dizzy Nuts, and Master Parrot
As he concluded his tribute, Toolman Kibalama extended his remembrance beyond Master Parrot alone.
He also honored Weather Man and Dizzy Nuts, both of whom were part of the same musical generation and whose deaths continue to cast long emotional shadows.
All three, he said, remain permanently etched in his memory.
Their influence, their presence, and their absence continue to shape his life and perspective.
The message is clear: some losses never fade—they only evolve into memory.
One thing is certain: for Toolman Kibalama, Master Parrot’s passing is not just a headline—it is a painful reminder that some chapters of life never truly close. The question is, how many more untold stories are still buried in Uganda’s music history?