5 tracks from Flight808 are featured in the latest edition of iconocastic.com’s Hip-Hop podcast.

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Excerpt from Diamond in the Rough– Babaluku of Bataka Squad rapping in Luganda in a canoe on the Nile River:

Hip hop struggled to emerge in Uganda in the early to mid 1990s. Local hip hop artists had to overcome the community’s negative stereotypes and low level of appreciation for the genre. Working hard to break that mold, the Bataka Squad (comprised of emcees Babaluku, Tshila and Krazy Native) emerged as the pioneers of Ugandan hip hop. With their first single “Atooba,” Bataka Squad simultaneously created a Ugandan hip hop classic and established the art of Luganda hip hop language. The “Luga Flow” style can also be credited to the Bataka Squad – a blend of hip hop, soul and African rhythms.

mp3: “Eno Yensi”

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Hailing from the Ugandan capital Kampala, the Bataka Squad uses their music and lyrical skills to spread the message of social awareness. They have coined two popular phrases – “Tujjababya” (meaning “we will blow them up”) and “Wansi Wagulu Kyekiliyo” (meaning “up and down, what’s there? the police is on a stake out”) – which have spread from the streets of Kampala to the surrounding villages. They are also actively involved in numerous community service projects, including the Luga Flow Flavor Camp which aims to promote young artists who rap in their native languages.

mp3: “Wansi Wagulu”

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In 2004, Hip Hop DJ/ Skateboard Video Director Brett Mazurek traveled to Uganda to document the aftermath of a civil war. Yet after experiencing the burgeoning rap scene over the course of his visit, Mr. Mazurek decided to return again in 2005 and film Diamonds In The Rough, a showcase of Ugandan Hip Hop featuring Bataka Squad, in particular. According to IMDb, the film will be released by the end of this year. Peep the trailer for a group of Ugandan children covering a classic Illmatic track in their native tongue.