Many times, artistes will refuse to perform when the audience is small, reasoning that small crowds at an event have a huge negative impact on their brands. The crowd was small at Lugogo Cricket Oval last Saturday during the first edition of the Yenze Hip Hop cultural festival organised by Swahili Nation, despited all the advertised artistes performing.
The numbers did not stop the rappers from perfoming to their best and swearing that Hip hop is the best. All the artistes who took to the stage assured the audience that it was for the love of the game. From rappers such as Tirus MC, Judas Rap Knowledge, Burnyross MC, King Hanny, Entiko and Leghacity to Keko, St Nellysade, Felicita Da Supasta, Fic Fameica to Mun G, Big Trill and GNL of Baboon Forest, they all came through. For GNL Zamba, this was a homecoming event. It was the first time he was performing in Uganda on a big stage after a very long time.
No wonder many thought it was his show yet he was just an influencer. GNL, unlike other artistes, did a semi live performance and amazingly executed songs such as Koyi Koyi, Ani Yali Amanyi, Mr Right, his collaboration with Goodlyfe, doing both Radio and Weasel verses, Wuuba, Story Yaa Luuka, Soda Jinjale, Mbaga with his wife and singing partner Miriam Tamara, Message and Kikankane.
He engaged the crowd and proved that he is one of the Hip hop greats with the free styles on a number of occasions. Before he was done, he invited Mun G and Big Tril on stage to do Sesetula. They were meant to do other Baboon Forest songs but time could not let them. Prior to GNL, other artistes that impressed included Mun G with his Ebintu, Biki Biki, Tonkuba Naku Yoo, Kankunganye and Champion among others.
Big Tril, before performing Parte After Parte, reminded the audience that till today, the biggest song to ever come out of Uganda is still a Hip Hop song. He did other songs like Batuwulila, Giddem and My Guy with Fik Fameica who he left on stage to do Fresh and Clean, Majje, Style Ntamiivu, Buligita and Mafia. Keko had earlier done This is How We Do, Make You Dance and Mutima while legendary Lyrical G had also impressed the crowd earlier.
The event was aimed to be a groundbreaking event that merges music, art, dance, fashion, technology, and all other elements of Hip hop. Rappers, dancers, graffiti artistes, and fashion designers came together for one cause. To ignite the spirit of hip hop, tracing its journey and envisioning the future.
