Hip-Hop Music in Uganda: Genesis, Growth and Latest Trends
7 September 2020
[Photo Credit/Navio Instagram]
By Gloria
Hiphop music which is popularly referred to by many as rap originated from the US as early as 1970's. According to Wikipedia, it consists of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rap, a rhythmic speech that is chanted hop,
The genre arrived in Uganda while local music was finding ground following the popularity of Tanzanian/Kenyan, Congolese and South African music.
Hip hop was pioneered in the Ugandan music scene by a group of five male Ugandans perceived as “rich spoilt kids’. The five were; Navio, Papito, Abba Lang, JB and The Mith.
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Through Karaoke performances in Kampala, the Klear Kut earned their seat and reputation on the table of mainstream music. Hip hop got more accepted and Luga flow was born, rap influenced by a popular and indigenous language; Luganda.
Luganda is widely spoken in the central part of the country and has for ages influenced the music industry in Uganda. The Luga flow wave swept to the shore a host of emcees, some still afloat and others off the shelf.
Following the spread of Luga flow, Rocky Giant, Babaluku, GNL Zamba, St.Nelly- Sade,Lady Slyke hit the scene with songs that received so much appreciation from music lovers and revelers. The era was more of the birth/rebirth of the genre on the market. This era saw emcees land record label deals and media space.
A couple of years later, a new crop of Luga artistes emerged with a modern much improved sound. This ship carried Feffe Bussi, Gravity Omutujju, Fik Fameika, Da Agent, Echo Ray and Jim Nola MC. Luga flow has almost all the ingredients hip hop serves, the beef, the flashy lifestyle depicted in the music videos and the ghetto side.
Today, Luga flow has evolved from US produced beats to bars thrown on afro-beat, Caribbean, dancehall beats. Local awards have a slot for hip hop art of the year and Luga flow musicians have done justice by scooping the award.
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