GNL Zamba, whose real name is Ernest Nsimbi, has come out to deny that he was signed to Navio’s record label.
“He lies a lot. There is a lie that people tell, and you know exactly where it originates. You analyse his career, and in 20 years, he has not signed anybody yet; he has the resources. They keep lying like this because they are embarrassed by this fact,” he said.
GNL’s music career started in 2018 when he was signed by Shadrack Platinum Entertainment, who covered all his studio and video expenses.
GNL also went ahead and said that he wrote most of the songs for Navio, and among these were the “Saloon” and “Bugumu.” And that fellow Rapper Navio never paid them a single cent, as they had agreed.
GNL Zamba has opened up about his early interactions with fellow rapper Navio, revealing the roots of a long-standing tension between the two.

According to GNL, Navio and his group Klear Kut broke onto the music scene before his own rise to fame. However, after the group split, Navio returned to Uganda from South Africa and struggled to connect with the local audience despite releasing new music.
“In contrast, I was steadily building a following, especially among fans and the media, as someone who came up from the ghetto,” GNL explained.
He went on to reveal that someone on Navio’s team suggested involving him in their music to help create a hit. “They called me in to write the hook for Salon, and it turned into a hit. Later, I was featured on Bugumu, and the crowd started singing my verse word for word,” GNL said.
GNL claims that this attention sparked jealousy from Navio, who allegedly began to look down on him. “Some people are raised with entitlement, and it blinds them. Just because he comes from a prominent family, he sees people like me—from Kawempe—as beneath him,” he said.
Despite the tension, GNL clarified that he holds no grudge and is not interested in feuds. “This is the last time I’ll address this. I have no desire for any kind of clash,” he concluded.
Ow'ebango bwotamuwemukira tewebika. pic.twitter.com/D74fXGcq0C
— Baboon Forest Entertainment (@BaboonForestEnt) June 23, 2025