KRS 1 AT THE TRINITY HIP HOP SUMMIT

Brother KRS ONE sharing his mind at the Trinity Hip hop Summit 2010

BAVUBUKA COMMUNITY EVENTS

Location:	MAKINDYE KAMPALA @ THE BAVUBUKA ALLSTARZ COMMUNITY HOUSE

Description

You are invited at the BAVUBUKA * ALLSTARZ CAMP for the ART Fashions Poetry AND MUSIC FEST opposite hotel calender makindye.

OUR LIBERATING PURPOSE:

The Bavubuka Art & music gala's mission is to show case youth talents in music, painting, crafts, creativity, spoken word Poetry and Fashion. By hosting dialogue based forums about empowerment and peace building the gala provides a platform of therapy through different forms of expression such as Freestyle Fellowships, Dance, Encouraging Testimonials, and Motivational Speaking

Focusing on Strengthening and promoting the CREATIVE ARTS we always extend our invitation to MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS, MC'S, POETS, ARTISTS, FRIENDS, FANS, FASHION DESIGNERS, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, JOURNALISTS, B-BOYS & B GIRLS, FREESTYLERS, PAINTERS, GRAFFITI ARTISTS, PRODUCERS AND DJ'S ON UGANDA'S HIP HOP COMMUNITY SCENE..

DELEGATE FROM KINGS COLLEGE US MEET BAVUBUKA COMMUNITY

OUR GUESTS FROM NEW YORK

We Would like to thank the King’s College, New York City Team for coming out and participating (www.tkc.edu) is interested in learning more about The Bavubuka Foundation, and in having our team of students participate in any activities you are sponsoring while they are in Kampala. I believe that this could be of mutual interest to both of our organizations, given our common commitment to shaping society and changing lives through the arts.

We would like to thank the King’s College, New York City TEAM for coming out to to be apart of our Community transformation celebration in the hearts of the youth, as Bavubuka Community House continues to provide a platform to show case the truth of real talents, real people, empowered
youth & peace building activities we encourage you to keep your dreams and hope alive to inspire more creative minds to find SELF MOTIVATION FOR GLOBAL INSPIRATION. www.tkc.edu

TKC, in its commitment to educate ambitious students who desire to make a difference in the world, recently launched a new academic program - Media, Culture and the Arts (MCA). You can view a brief video introduction to this program on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheKingsCollegeMedia#p/a/u/4/I5raKvR9iAU

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheKingsCollegeMedia#p/a/u/4/I5raKvR9iAU

http://bavubuka.org
Photography By Roshan Karmali
Compiled By Silas Babaluku
Published By Bwette Daniel Gilbert

The Rise of African Hip Hop

Hip hop music has returned to Africa and the hip hop culture has helped to empower youth all across the continent.

African youth involved in the hip hop movement have become part of a larger youth movement. Photo Credit: Flickr

Hip hop, which started as a music and a culture in New York in the 1970s, was a product of inner city life and has historically been the voice of the Black inner city youth. But it has deep Jamaican and African roots, which can be seen in the rawness of its beats and the rhythm of its lyrics.

Some of the first pioneers of hip hop were from the Caribbean and brought with them the same rhythms and style that were to give birth to reggae in Jamaica. Looking back into hip hop's history, one inevitably bumps into West Africa. Hip hop, like all African American music styles, borrows from African traditions. In the case of hip hop, this is particularly true of its lyrics and their delivery.

Rapping in African music and culture is a tradition that was carried to the new world in the 1400s. History has come full circle, and rap music and hip hop culture are now being re-created by African youth all over the continent, who have taken rap's current day manifestations and added a new African twist. And just to add to the irony, the word "hip" has been linked to the Wolof word "hepi" or "hipi" which means "to see" or "to open one's eyes". Several scholars debate whether the word "hip" is actually derived from Wolof or whether its usage is simply a coincidence.

Hip Hop music and culture landed in Africa between the 1980s and early 1990s. Since then it has spread with the energy and passion of a musical and cultural revolution. The frustration, anger, poverty, joy, and spirit which young African American rappers expressed transformed the minds of millions of African youth, who related to the messages and stories being told.

Tales of poverty, crime, violence and corruption were also the stories of countless urban African youth. American rapper 2Pac became a legend across the continent precisely because of the social importance of his lyrics. There was no major city in Africa one could go to in the late 1990s and not see images of 2Pac or hear youth reciting him.

Hip hop was more than just another form of music -- the fact that it was also its own subculture and a transmitter of political and social commentary was absorbed by African youth who related to all aspects of this new musical revolution. Many young artists who would have once entered the music scene through the Afropop or traditional music genres have become hip hop artists and have contributed to the evolution of the musical form in Africa.
Rapping in African music and culture is a tradition that was carried to the new world in the 1400s, and now history has come full-circle as African youth are re-creating the culture.

Some Africans have suggested that those who embrace hip hop culture are no longer African because hip hop is not African; that they have become Americanized. That criticism many have been very valid in the early 1990s when young Africans were simply imitating the beats and styles of popular American rap. Many of the early emcees were even rapping entirely in English, though it wasn't the language in which they were most comfortable. But the hip hop scene has since changed. It has not evolved evenly across the continent -- given Africa's size, it is rare that events happen simultaneously -- but just like other music genres, African hip hop is unmistakably local.


The movement to Africanize hip hop is a trend that began in the mid to late 1990s. There were a couple of reasons: one, African artists began feeling the heat from the United States over copyright laws, putting artists under pressure to begin coming up with their own beats. Two, in some countries there seemed to be a backlash from the masses of hip hop fans who felt left out of the new music scene because of the mostly English and French lyrics. This was especially the case in Tanzania, where popular demand prompted radio DJs to only play Tanzanian rap from artists who performed in Swahili.

Countries which have spawned some of the most interesting and dynamic hip hop scenes and artists include Ghana, where the high life music scene has merged with hip hop to create hip life. In Nigeria, the continent's largest population has produced a solid Nigerian hip hop scene and a strong Nigerian hip hop diaspora, with U.S. artists like Young Joc, Chamillionaire and Ne-Yo. Many feel that Senegal -- where the youth are representing Africa's most politically radical voice --ranks number three in the hip hop world.

Hip Hop as is its own subculture and a transmitter of political and social commentary was absorbed by African youth who related to all aspects of this new musical revolution. 

In East Africa, Kenya maintains several major rap "crews", who are the reigning kings and queens of East Africa's mainstream rap community. Tanzania, land of ujamaa and Swahili, has gained enormous respect on the international rap scene with its Bongo flava, similarly Uganda's Lugaflow. And then there's South Africa, where the infusion of hip hop and struggle is being expressed in the lyrics of the post-apartheid youth in huge communities in both Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Artists who have developed names and followings beyond the borders of their native countries include Somalia's K'Naan, Sudan's Emmanuel Jal and Chosan in Sierra Leone, Uganda's Babaluku all of them giving voices to the struggles and conflicts of their times.

Hip hop is not just a fad for the youth, but also includes 30-something Africans who are making it their professions and who are involved in recording, producing, marketing, and distributing to an increasingly influential and profitable market.

It has yet to be seen the direction hip hop will take Africa's youth. In most countries, the culture is a mass movement, and as the culture is maturing, so are those involved with it. Many have learned from the mistakes of the American rap scene, others have not.

Even politicians in Africa are paying attention to hip hop. Africa's less democratic leaders will and do fear the political potential of a youth movement spurred by it, and have tried to censor the more politically charged artists and marginalize the youth. Others embrace the popularity that can be gained by supporting artists in their countries, using hip hop's influence to spread party propaganda and to make sure their messages reach a mass audience.
RELATED LINK.
http://www.globalenvision.org/library/33/1783
 Contributed by Msia Kibona Clark, Ugandan Country Specialist for Amnesty International and Book Review Editor for allAfrica.com. Reprinted with permission from allAfrica.com.
published here by Bwette Gilbert Daniels

Youth Brigade: 'Voices Organizing for International Change'

On Thursday, head to Hillyer Art Space in Dupont Circle to catch performances by poets and rappers from D.C. and Africa (via big-screen Skype feed). "Voices Organizing for International Change" will raise funds for Heal the Hood, a foundation supporting youth movements in South Africa. Ugandan hip-hopper Babaluku will perform, and so will D.C.'s own Kokayi, pictured. The show is open to all ages. For more information, call 202-338-0680.

Uganda Voices Initiative

Designed By Blaze Ohh & Gilbert Daniels

It's a live hip hop show/album/project launch for Uganda Voices Initiative.
Hip Hop Artistes in Uganda  addressed social issues in the community like the spread of HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Special thanks those Hip Hop artistes that made  performances & contributed to this initiative like Abatuuze, SP Omugunjule, Xenson, Lady Twiggy, B.B, Lady Slyke, Keko, Saint CA,Rachel K, Emcee Yala, Gasuza, Jungle, Daspa Cosine, Hoppy Benny, Qrea-us, Ife Daisy
and Many More...
entrance was by any donation of any amount, and all proceeds went towards sustaining the project.
 Special thanks to those people who also made this possible. Recognition of Tamon Oshimo vision barrier  from Northern University (USA), Bwette Daniel aka Gilbert Frank Daniels Co- director, Burney MC Artistes coordinator, White Head - Krystal Klear Studio director, Mousa Imran aka Blaze Ohh - stage sound engineer, Mugaga Brian - Media director and many other people who made this possible.

The Event was Proudly sponsored By
Northern University (USA)
C2C Media
WE Care
Krystal Klear Studios
Bavubuka ALL*Starz

SPOKEN TRUTH VANCITY

Come out and enjoy a great evening of music and great people in support
for the youth in Uganda who are are using Music, Dance Art & Poetry
as a tool of social change.

...We will be enjoying music from some
of Vancouver's most prolific acoustic soul & hip hop artists. Make
sure you come out to take part of this beautiful vibe of all the gifted
Vancouver ARTISTS representing a unified Global Truth for the youth in
UGANDA.

The Founder of the Organization Silas / Babaluku will be
sharing with us his experience of how the youth in Uganda are using
music as a tool of transformation in their communities.

Join us
during your long weekend celebration

SUNDAY AUGUST - 1ST
Caprice
Night club
Doors open @ 7pm

INVISIBLE CHILDREN VOLUNTEER killed in Uganda BOMB BLASTS

Nate Henn, seen on the Invisible Children's website, was a native of Raleigh, North Carolina.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Nate Henn advocated for the rights of child soldiers in the east African country
• Aid group: "The life he lived inspires reflection and imitation"
• Henn is the only confirmed American fatality 

 The American believed killed in the Uganda bomb blasts advocated for the rights of child soldiers in the east African country, a California nonprofit said Monday.
In a post on its website, the organization -- Invisible Children -- said Nate Henn was in the country on its behalf to work with Ugandan students.
"Nate was not a glory seeker and never sought the spotlight. He asked not to be made a hero of," the post said. "But the life he lived inspires reflection and imitation."
We could not independently verify the information on the site.
Henn -- a native of Raleigh, North Carolina -- was a former rugby player at the University of Delaware, the group said.
He had worked with Invisible Children for a year and a half and raised funds to help educate Ugandan students affected by war.
At the time of the bombings, he was with some of the students he worked with, the group said.
The nonprofit works with Ugandan children affected by decades of war between rebels and government forces. Rebels abduct the victims -- referred also as invisible children -- and force them to fight the government. Some younger girls are forced into sex slavery.
Aid groups estimate tens of thousands of children have been abducted by one such group, the Lord's Resistance Army.

"These are some of our Ugandan students who fell in love with Nate's wit, strength, character and steadfast friendship," the post said. "They gave him the Acholi name 'Oteka,' which means 'The Strong One.'"
Henn is the only confirmed American fatality. The explosion killed at least 64 people, Ugandan officials said Monday. At least 71 people were injured, including six Americans, authorities said.
The three explosions Sunday ripped through two venues where crowds were watching the World Cup in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

The first one struck an Ethiopian restaurant in a neighborhood dotted with bars and popular among expatriates; two were at a rugby sports center.
Henn was watching the game at the rugby center, the organization said.

He was living his dream in Uganda.

"A selfless dream of putting others first, seeking peace and living a life of integrity," the post said.

OTHER  IMPORTANT SOURCES
Invisible Children
CNN