Navio | |
---|---|
Birth name | Daniel Lubwama Kigozi |
Born | Kampala, Uganda | 18 October 1983
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Rapper, producer |
Years active | 2000–present |
Labels | NavCorp [1] |
Daniel Lubwama Kigozi (popularly known as Navio, born 18 October 1983 [2] ) is a Ugandan rapper and record producer. Starting off his career, he was part of the award-winning hip hop group Klear Kut, along with fellow rappers The Mith & JB, that introduced the term "Ugaflow" to describe Uganda's hip hop scene. Navio is best known for his successful solo career with hits such as "Ngalo", "Bugumu", "One & Only", and "On and On" (with American R&B singer Keith Sweat). [3] [4]
Since 2010, Navio has been a part of the African supergroup One8. Other members include 2Face (Nigeria), Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 4x4 (Ghana), Movaizhaleine (Gabon), JK (Zambia), and fellow East Africans Amani (Kenya) and Ali Kiba (Tanzania). The first release from the group was "Hands Across the World", written and produced by R. Kelly.
In 2014, he was one of the featured artists in the second season of "Coke Studio Africa". [5] [6]
Navio was born to engineer Daniel Serwano Kigozi and physician Dr. Maggie Kigozi (née Blick). He is the youngest of three children; with an elder brother and sister. [7] He went to Entebbe Church Nursery for infant school and St. Andrews in Kenya for his primary school. The recording artist then joined Aga Khan Secondary school and ISSA (International school of South Africa) for secondary education. Navio was enrolled at Monash University where he studied International Relations and Media Studies. [8]
While growing up, Navio listened to a lot of music including his elder brother's huge collection of rap music from artists such as Run–D.M.C., MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, and the Beastie boys and would try to mimic them. [8] When he was about 10 years old, his mother heard him rapping in the living room, and came over and asked whether it was Vanilla Ice rapping. She was so excited that she took him to Baava studio, owned by Hope Mukasa, to record a song. [9]
Aged 16, Navio formed the hip hop group, Klear Kut with his four closest friends: Tom "Tha Mith" Mayanja, Jonathan "J-Baller" Leslie, Abba "Langman" Lang, and Habib Abdul Hussein aka Papito. The group's debut album, "Mind, Body and Soul" (2000), was a huge success and generated the several hit singles including "All I Wanna Know" (with Juliana), "Remember", and "Let's Get It on".
The group helped stir the popularity of the hip hop genre in Uganda. [10]
In 2002, Klear Kut became the first group to receive a Kora award nomination where they were nominated for "Most Promising Newcomer" and 'Revelation of the Year". The following year, the group released K2, their second album. Although it was not as big as its predecessor, it produced the major hits "Mon Coeur 'Murder of Crows'", featuring Rania, and the fan favorite remix "Superstar" featuring Bebe Cool.
They later received the PAM Award for Best Hip hop Group in 2004. [11]
Before leaving for South Africa, Navio wrote and recorded a song, "Rukus" with Ugandan recording artiste Peter Miles. The song went on become one of the most popular records of his career. It was featured in the season finale of Big Brother Africa 3 in 2008, four years after its release. During his hiatus, he was occasionally featured on other artistes' recordings such as the all-girl group, Blu*3's single "Burn" in 2007, Jemimah Sanyu's "Amaaso go googera" in 2011 and many more
Navio officially returned to the music scene in 2008 after graduating with a degree in communications from Monash University's South African branch. His debut solo album, Half the Legend was released in 2009 and generated positive reviews from critics and the audience and generated the singles "Bugumu", "Salooni" featuring GNL Zamba, "Ngalo", and "Respect" with the Kenyan artiste Jua Kali. He was also featured on Bobi Wine's "Badman from Kamwokya". The album earned him the Best Hip hop Artist award at the Pearl of Africa Music Awards and nominations at Kenya's Kisima Music Awards for Best Male Artist, Best Music Video, and Best Hip hop Artist. [12]
Music critics have described Navio's sound and style as unique:
Year | Event | Prize | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Buzz teeniez Awards | Teeniez Role Model | Won | [14] |
Year | Title | Director | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Work ItFeaturing Dr SID | — | [15] |
2015 | Kigozi | Jim Resley | |
The music of Uganda is broad and diverse, ranging from traditional indigenous music to Ugandan versions of many contemporary genres. Uganda is home to over 65 different ethnic groups and tribes, and they form the basis of all indigenous music.
Klear Kut is a five-member Ugandan ensemble consisting of Navio, Papito, Abba Lang, JB, and The mith.
Juliana Kanyomozi is a musician actress and entertainer. She is a multiple award-winning Ugandan pop musician, an R&B and Afro Beat Singer well known among Western Uganda's decent musicians. Juliana was born on November 27, 1980, at Toro Fort Portal in Western Uganda of the Mutooro tribe. She is one of Western Uganda's descent among other musicians including Angella Katatumba, Allan Toniks and Ray G.
Bebe Cool is a reggae and ragga musician from Uganda. He started his career around 1997 in Nairobi, Kenya, but moved back to his native country a few years later. Bebe Cool was one of the first artists affiliated with Ogopa DJs, a production house and record label in Kenya.
Saba Saba, also known as Krazy Native is a rapper and social activist from Uganda.
Blu 3 was a Ugandan Girl group formed in April 2004 after winning the TV show Coca Cola Popstars. The name is contrived to mean 3 Beautiful Ladies from Uganda. Original members were Jackie Chandiru, Lilian Mbabazi and Cinderella Sanyu. After winning the contest, they went on to record the albums Hitaji (2004) and Burrn (2007). The Hitaji album spawned the hit singles "Hitaji", "Frisky" and the afro beat "Tomalaako". The girls launched Hitaji at lugogo cricket stadium in December 2004 with thousands of fans. The "Hitaji" video went on to win the Pearl of Africa Music Award for Video of the Year.
The MTV Africa Music Awards were established in 2008 by MTV Networks Africa to celebrate the most popular contemporary music in Africa. The 2008 and 2010 events took place in Nigeria, first in Abuja and then in Lagos. The 2009 event happened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya each of the premiere awards were created and executive produced by Alex Okosi and Jandre Louw.
Radio & Weasel was a Ugandan music Duo that performed under their record label Goodlyfe Crew a Ugandan music group with lead performers being singers Moses Radio and [Weasel Manizo]. Moses Radio provided smooth RnB vocals while Weasel's contribution is a fusion of reggae, ragga and dancehall vibes. Because of their prominence, Moses Radio and Weasel formed their own duo known as Radio and Weasel. The Lead singer Moses and Vocalist Radio died on 1 February 2018 from brain injuries after an assault by a bouncer at a club in Entebbe. Radio's attacker threw him down about 3 metres (9.8 ft) onto a concrete pavement which resulted in massive intracranial hemorrhage.
Margaret Blick Kigozi, commonly known as Maggie Kigozi, is a Ugandan medical doctor, business consultant, educator, and sportswoman. She is a consultant at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). She formerly served as the executive director of the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), from 1999 until 2011.
Aziz Mukisa, professionally known by his stage name Aziz Azion, is a Ugandan R&B singer-songwriter, guitarist and musician. He was born Aziz Mukisa on 27 July 1986 in Fort Portal, Uganda and raised in Kampala where he attended his early school program before making his move into the music industry at an early age. Popularly known as "the guitar emperor", Aziz has graced the Ugandan and East African music charts with the songs 'Yegwe', 'Nkumila Omukwano', 'Nakupenda', 'Oxygen', 'Beera Nange', 'Nzikiriza', 'Pain Killer', and 'Yo Love', among others. Popular music promoter and veteran disc spinner DJ Erycom while appearing on a TV Show, he said that "Leero Monday" was the very first song composed and sung by Aziz Azion in the year 2007.
Nicholas Tatambuka, better known by his stage names Nick Nola and Nicky Nola, is a Ugandan R&B singer-songwriter and dancer who came to prominence as a member of the musical group Hip Hop Canvas. Signed to Platinum Records, the group first arrived on the music scene in 2005 with their single "Mother Africa", which won Best Hip Hop Single. In 2010, Nola was included in Ladybrille's list of the "15 African Breakout Artists of The Year". In 2013, HiPipo 5Star rated him the 34th most popular artist in the whole of East Africa.
Jackie Chandiru is a Ugandan musician popularly known by the polynym "Queen Of The Nile". She was the lead member of the girl music group Blu*3, based in Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. In 2014, she was a featured artist in "Coke Studio Africa".
Jeff Kintu, better known by his stage name Lyrical G, is a Ugandan rapper, songwriter, record producer, and vocalist. In 2016, he was named among MTV Base's best hip hop artistes from Uganda.
Gereson Wabuyi, known professionally as Gravity Omutujju, is a Ugandan rapper. He has collaborated with numerous other Ugandan musicians, including Eddy Kenzo
I-Am Enygma, better known by his stage name Enygma, is a Ugandan rapper, record producer, executive producer and entrepreneur known for his wordplay laced rhymes and always wearing a mask on his face so as to conceal his identity. He rose to fame in December 2010 following the runaway success of his single, Hustler's Night featuring The mith, Keko and Navio. This was followed up by even more celebrated hits in 2011, namely F.U.M.E.M.E. and Ten Reasons. He also represents one third of occasional rap group Klarity alongside The Mith and Lyrikal Proof. Also frequently collaborates with other artists such as Ruyonga, Maurice Kirya and Lyrical G. As an entrepreneur, Enygma conducts private business, mostly outside of the entertainment industry.
Alex Julius Kwesigabo, better known by his stage name Flex D'Paper, is a Ugandan rapper and songwriter born and raised in Kampala. Starting off his music career, Flex D'Paper was part of the high school rap group, The Rapaholix, which he started with friends, Dasper Cosine and later joined by Apass as an affiliate with whom the trio put out a mix tape, The Eviction Notice that included chart topping singles like "Burning", "Party Life" and "Follow Me" which topped countdowns in Uganda such as NTV and Sanyu FM. Flex D'Paper was part of the 2014 UG Cypher including the finest Ugandan rappers: Navio, Keko, Big Tril, Don MC, AirporTaxi rappers St. Nelly Sade, GNL Zamba, DJ Global, JB, The Mith, Ruyonga, and Atlas.
Jemimah Sanyu, also known as the Stage Gladiator, is a Ugandan musician, performer, producer, and voice coach. She has a commanding stage presence with a very strong voice. Sanyu has met people like President Yoweri Museveni while singing at the I am a Ugandan album premier. She has shared a stage with top African stars like Habib Koite, Navio, Joanita Kawalya of Afrigo Band, and Juliana Kanyomozi. and many other African stars.
Rowland Raymond Kaiza, better known by his stage name BigTril is a Ugandan rapper, producer and songwriter. He is widely known for his single hit "Parte After Parte"and giddem ft Beenie Gunter.
Kampala Boy is the first studio album by Ugandan musician Flex D'Paper, released on 10 December 2021. The album features guest appearances from Swae Lee on the intro and songs with Navio, Fik Fameica, A Pass, Keko, Shena skies, Wake the Poet, Mozelo Kidz, Kemishan, Lagum the rapper. The production includes Aethan Music, Mio Made, Sam Lamara, Wake the Poet, Bad Chwezi and Lucian.