Hip hop music has been popular in Africa since the early 1980s due to widespread African American influence. In 1985, hip hop reached Senegal, a French-speaking country in West Africa. Some of the first Senegalese rappers were M.C. Lida, M.C. Solaar, and Positive Black Soul.
Uganda, is now ranked number three in Africa as far as music and entertainment is concerned. Uganda is home to over 65 different ethnic groups and tribes, and they form the basis of all indigenous music. The Baganda, being the most musically vibrant nationality in the country, has defined what constitutes culture and music of Uganda over the last two centuries.
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 by occupation. Juliana Kanyomozi 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 November 27, 1980, from Toro Fort Portal in Western Uganda, Mutooro by tribe. A Ugandan musician, actress and entertainer. She is one of Western Uganda's descent and musicians including Angella Katatumba, Allan Toniks and Ray G
Saba Saba, also known as Krazy Native is a hip-hop artist and social activist from Uganda.
Blu 3 was a Ugandan all-female band 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.
Jude Lemfani Abaga, better known as M.I Abaga, is a Nigerian rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence in 2006 when his song "Crowd Mentality" became popular in Jos, Nigeria. His debut studio album Talk About It was released in 2008. The LP was succeeded by MI 2: The Movie (2010). Four years later, he released The Chairman as his third studio album. Abaga released the playlist Rendezvous in February 2018. In August of that year, he released his fourth studio album A Study On Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl.
GNL Zamba, born Ernest Nsimbi, is a hip hop artist in Uganda, credited with bringing rap and Lugaflow style of music to mainstream radio and other media in Uganda.
Daniel Lubwama Kigozi is a Ugandan rapper and record producer. Starting off his career, he was part of the award-winning hip hop group Klear Kut 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".
Ragga Dee, born Daniel Kazibwe, is a Ugandan musician and politician. He contested for mayor of Kampala in the 2016 general elections. Currently, Ragga Dee serves as An Arts Administrator representing Art on the Private Sector Foundation Executive as well as Being Chairman National Culture Forum.
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.
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.
Rodney Jerome Brown, Jr., known professionally as RJMrLA is a rapper from Los Angeles, California. He is known for his frequent collaborations with fellow West Coast artists YG and Mustard, and was signed to their labels: 4Hunnid and 10 Summers Records respectively. His most celebrated releases to date are his O.M.M.I.O. mixtape trilogy.
Pius Mayanja known by his stage name Pallaso is a Ugandan recording artist, songwriter, producer and videographer. He sings in Luganda, mixes with English and sometimes Kiswahili. His music genre specialty is Afrobeats, Hip hop, Dancehall, Afropop, and RnB. His musical journey started back in 2000 when he started out at Leone Island, a musical group owned by his older brother, Dr. Jose Chameleone. He later moved to the US, where he lived for 10 years, before returning to Uganda in 2014. Upon his return, he set out to establish his now very celebrated musical career, and formed the group, "Team Good Music" which seems to be working well in the Uganda Music Industry.
Mike Smith is a Cuban American recording artist, record and television producer. He is a Number 1 Billboard charting artist and his music has had over two billion streams with over five million units sold. He is best known for being one of the stars and main judge on BET's original programming series One Shot and for co writing the hit song "A Hard Working Man" by Snoop Dogg, Billy Ray Cyrus, and The Avila Brothers. This song has been featured on NFL Thursday Night Primetime and CBS NFL Today. He is also well known for numerous hit singles including the Top 5 Billboard hit "Beautiful Day" and Billboard Top 40 hits "Hardworking Man" and "You're My Kind Of Beautiful".
Not for Sale is the first solo mixtape by Ugandan recording artist and record producer Flex D'Paper. A follow-up to Eviction Notice mixtape by Rapaholix in 2012 that had songs from Flex and fellow members. Not For Sale was released on 27 June 2017 by his imprint Rapaholix Music on the TheTribe Ug website, a popular hip hop platform online in Uganda.
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
Rashid Kibirige Ssebunya, simply known as Rashy K is a Swedish musical artist, singer, and songwriter.
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.
