​“I am having fun meeting new people, fresh faces and learning a lot about art and culture,” said Mathius Onen at the end of the 9th annual HipHop For Society event on Sunday at Sharing Youth Centre, Nsambya.
 
“Hiphop is really inspiring when it is packaged like this, especially with so many youth who are so talented and vibrant.”
 
The sentiments by Onen summarize the mood at the end of yet another successful event organized by Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU).
 
Yet again, the event was a mix of entertaining dance, rap and beat-boxing performances, competitions, and educational workshops and talks by partnering NGOs. 

When one sees people from all walks of life in one place, sharing together and cooperating, it is amazing. I attend the Breakdance Project Uganda events because they are youthful and so full of energy and also because most of my friends are involved in the breakdancing and rap,” said Henry Newman.

The year’s theme was cooperation, and it attracted a mixed crowd of different ages, races, economic, cultural and educational backgrounds. Not only did Hiphop For Society entertain the crowd, but it gave people an opportunity to network and learn from each other.

Sharing hall was filled to capacity for the annual Hiphop For Society, which presented a mix of entertainment and eduction. The theme was cooperation, and it gave people an opportunity to network and learn from each other.
 
Check out #HH4S2016 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to see live coverage of the event

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAM
 

• Free workshops and teaching by Bgirl Teresa from Sweden (dance), Street Lights Uganda (craft-making), Educate! (entrepreneurship), Capoeira Senzala (capoeira), The U.S. Embassy Information Resource Centre, etc.;

 

• Breakdance battles: kids, Bonnie & Clyde (male-female teams), and 5-on-5;

 

• Beatboxing: performances by incredible BPU-trained youth & young-adults;

 

• Rap performances by St. Nellysade, Snooty Fredo, Sylvester and Abramz, Zulu Nation and others;
• Dance performances by: Save Street Children Uganda & EWAKA, People Concern Children’s Project, Flawsome crew of bgirls from BPU, and many cyphers (freestyle dance) by BPU members

WINNERS OF BREAKDANCE BATTLES
 

• Kids: Bboy Ivan from BPU Gulu branch and Bboy Hassan from BPU Kampala

 

• Bonnie & Clyde: Drichiru Key and Naganzwa Eric Sama

 

• 5-on-5: BPU bboys Eric ‘Fullmoon’ Egesa, ‘Mosh Kakole’ Moses, Abdudallah Latif, Kyasi Smith and Kamya Michael

​ADDITIONAL QUOTES
 
…FROM GUESTS
 
“It is my second time to attend this event and from what I have experienced, I know for sure,there will be a third time for me. This event is marvelous and relatable. Everyone here feels at home and is free. This is the real deal!” – Evans Mwebaza, guest
 
“It is my third time attending this particular event. I just love the energy on stage. Everyone is doing their best even the little children who have been very entertaining. I am only waiting for the battles and my day will be complete” – Luweesi Nicholas, guest
 
…FROM ORGANIZERS AND HIPHOP PERFORMERS
 
“It’s always an intense feeling filled with anxiety, excitement, fun, energy, execution of moves. That’s how I feel battling. The event was so remarkable, engaging, full of life and indeed memorable: a great way to start a new year!” – Drichiru Key, BPU member and winner of the Bonnie & Clyde battle
 
“The event went well and we met our goal of mixing education with entertainment and highlighting the positive roles of hiphop in society. The Hiphop For Society event suprises us every year with how much support we get from the artists and entire community, both national and international.” – Mark Kaweesi, BPU administrator
 
“I love Hiphop and I know for a fact that what people like Abramz Tekya have done here is legendary. Here we feel loved and free to share and experience our dancing. We are family.” – Shafik Musisi, dancer
 
“I dance and I breathe hip hop. Hiphop is everywhere and this event reminds us of that fact especially when we see different people gathering here today. There is fun, both inside and outside the hall. The girls are dressed nicely” – Brighten Oty, Marvels dance troupe member
 
“Whenever I go up on stage, I always have a need to inspire, because I know there are so many youth out there who will replace us some day when we are not here. I am a teacher of beat boxing and sometimes I help out with breakdance. Teaching in schools like KISU and organizations like BPU, Save Street Children Uganda (SASCU), Little Light, Kids Africa and others helps me give back to the community, and also I get so much satisfaction and happiness from seeing this hiphop culture grow, seeing as there is still so much untapped opportunity in it.” – Scooter Beatboxer, Breakdance Project Uganda member
 
…FROM NGO PARTNERS
 
“We come to these events to reach out to the youth, because our programs are targeting them. Such events attract a lot of useful attention for the youth and those who attend are those who are willing to have a great mark on society. We want to tap into that audience and teach them entrepreneurial skills so that they can be able to use their available resources and achieve more. Uganda is made up of almost 70% youth and these are the people who are building our society in un-imaginable ways.” – Paul Tinkaman, youth mentor at Educate!

Hiphop For Society Social Media Links
 
Breakdance Project Uganda on Facebook
HH4S2016 event page
 
Breakdance Project Uganda on Instagram: @breakdanceprojectuganda1
 
#HH4S2016 Hashtag Stream on Twitter
 
Hiphop For Society Youtube videos

Hiphop For Society 2014 recap

​Hiphop For Society 2012 recap

First ever Hiphop For Society in 2007

Navio released his fourth solo album ‘The Chosen’ on Dec. 12, 2015, in a social nightclub setting at Panamera in Kampala. The artiste calls ‘The Chosen’ album “a snapshot recording,” most of which was produced within two weeks by Samurae at Talent Africa studio, and mastered at Audio Central by Dawoo, in Kampala.

“It is a clean image of my thoughts right now. As my next album will be all conscious music, I decided to make this an unapologetic snapshot into my feeling right now. It’s the raw Navio of old.”

The reigning king of Ugandan Hip Hop released his album at Panamera bar on Saturday night, competing with several other highly anticipated entertainment events around Kampala. The event attracted a mix of die-hard Hip Hop fans and the general public, and the crowd grew toward midnight, when Navio stepped on stage to reveal his latest music.

Navio performed a mix of old songs and new alongside other collaborating artists, including songs off the new album like Crazy with Keko, You Want It with The Mith, Wine Up Ya Ting with Silvastone, as well as his previous works like Nawuliranga and Glory Road with Ruyonga.
​
Before and after his performance, Navio mingled with the crowd, gave one-on-one interviews with attending media, and spoke with fans about the new music.

“This album release was a different experience for me,” Navio reflected. “We are used to trying to get masses through the door, but we tried something different. It was a relaxed event where I got to interact with the fans and friends about the album. Whether it was one of my fans, friends, special guests or news reporters, I got to interact with people one-on-one. That’s what made the event a success. I could perform brand new songs, then share insight on them immediately – a great luxury.”

The Mith, Navio’s life partner in rap, said of the release party: “it was dope seeing fans who’ve been riding with us from the start of our journey, as well as new fans. It was also dope seeing them react to the new music. The feedback was dope. A good night for #UGHipHop.”

Abramz Tekya, veteran Ugandan Hip Hop artist and MC at the release, said: “The crowd got to experience both the new and the old Navio. His interaction with the crowd both on and off stage made the event special.”

Keko, who performed at the release, said: “The album release was insightful of what the album is gonna sound like. I love the way Navio keeps reinventing himself. Every track on the album sounds different and interesting, which makes for good listening. Very hip, young and fun.”