Ugandan Musicians: Meet Silas Babaluku Balabyekkubo

When I finally got the chance to meet Silas Babaluku Balabyekkubo, it was in 2000. We immediately hit it off and started a collaborative friendship which has lasted until today. The first thing I noticed about him was his strong East coast American accent, and the second thing was his beautiful, long, flowing hair. He had finely textured hair which would make any black woman jealous; in fact his sisters were always joking that they were upset because he was the one who had inherited it; although he now has dreadlocks. Right away, I wanted to hear him rap. He took me to his studio, in his Fort Erie home basement and played some of his songs. He sounded like the African American rapper Twister rapping in Luganda. He rapped at such a high speed that I wondered how he had not forgotten his Luganda after all those years.

Unlike many rappers, Balabyekkubos songs were not about women, jewellery and cars. They were about AIDS, single mothers, womens empowerment, African unity, immigration, the hardship of being a refugee and many other social issues surrounding him. He is a deeply intense artist who is more interested in spreading positive, inspirational music than making a quick buck. He was less interested in fame and money and more interested in educating his black people. With his conscious lyrics, cynical songs and mastery of the Luganda language was obvious from that moment that Silas Babaluku Balabyekkubo was going places.

But his meteoric rise towards achieving his dreams would come with his own share of heartache and struggling. After being stifled with the small town mentality of Fort Erie, Canada, he moved to Toronto. But the Toronto experience was a year of frustrations, and upon advice from some of his friends, he moved to the other extreme end of Canada-three hours away by plane-Vancouver. Vancouver city loved him. It did not take long before he was being sought out for television and radio interviews and his music videos were being rotated on Vancouver music video channels. Balabyekkubo had finally found his niche. It was upon this success that he decided to visit Uganda and scope out the market. He just returned from a four month music promotional trip in Uganda a few days ago, and I had the opportunity of interviewing him.

Jane: First of all tell us about yourself please.

Silas: My full names are Silas Balabyekkubo and I am the son of the Late John Deo Balabyekkubo and Christine Balabyekkubo. Balabyekkubo means we have seen the way. I was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1979. I went to Emen Memorial and Molly and Paul Primary schools in Makindye and eventually left for Canada when I was 12 years old.

When were you first aware of the fact that you wanted to be a hip-hop artist?

I began having hip-hop awareness when I was 14 years old, right after I left for Canada. I wrote my first rap and began rapping around the same age at home in my basement.

So what did your parents say when you they heard you wanted to go into rapping? Was your mother supportive of the fact that you are following your dream?

My mother was not originally shocked about my musical inclination because we come from a musical background although she didnt really understand my decision to get into rapping as a profession. My mother is very supportive of my dream because she has seen me struggle through different phases in my life in which I always used music as an escape. She always wanted me to achieve my best in whatever I do and was.

I know that your father passed away a few years ago in a horrible car accident because it was in the news in Uganda and he was a famous preacher. My questions are how did this affect your music? Did you feel any added pressures as the oldest child to step in his shoes as the man of the house?

My fathers passing had a strong impact on my music. It turned into something which inspired me to reach out as an artist through my music and achieve some of the things he would have done during his lifetime. My father was a preacher but he was interested in music too. Music runs in our family.

How would you describe your musical style?

My musical style is what I would call versatile. I am willing to experiment with different styles and genres which makes me an open-minded artist. But I am concentrating on Lugaflow flavor, which is a blend of Luganda, Soul and Hip-hop.

I know that you are a conscious rapper, but what exactly is the message that you are spreading?

My message is knowledge of self to my black brothers and the uplifting of ghetto youth all over the world starting from Uganda to the Americas, to Europe and wherever else black people are involved in the struggle. I have been to several places and there arent a people as beautiful inside as Africans. I am proud of where I come from as a Ugandan because we are a people rich in many more ways than one. We just have to embrace that richness and let it shine for the rest of the world to see.

How has your music been received in Canada and Uganda?

The reception of my music has been positive in both Canada and Uganda. In Canada, I have had a few television interviews and have had local radio play which has created an avenue for me to represent Uganda within Canada. In Uganda, I have been able to reach out to the ghetto youth and see their hunger for hip-hop. I have been a part of some of the big performances around, building confidence in within artists to come out with Luganda raps.

Are you interested in penetrating the US entertainment field?

It is not my aim to penetrate the US entertainment field because I believe music is something much more than just a moneymaking establishment, which their music is mostly about. I am trying to use my music to build my society, educate as well as eradicate ignorance which has been embedded in our heads through neo-colonialism. Music to me symbolizes a powerful force which can create change.

Would you say that your songs are aimed at any group of people in particular?

My music is aimed to all those involved in the different struggles such as my black people finding themselves in refugee camps, single mothers struggling to raise their kids, street children and kids raised in abject poverty, generally, it is aimed to those in dreadful conditions and need inspiration to rise above.

UGPulse Promo

Who are your musical influences?

My biggest influence has been my father, may he rest in peace. There are also several artists who are involved in vocalizing the truth about our struggle as black people who have inspired me to speak about my own situation as a young African.

Canada is filled with many aspiring rappers. What is it about you that stands out?

I fully understand my calling as an artist as opposed to artists who have no direction or vision, thinking that hip-hop is all about material possessions like money, cars, jewellery etc. I dedicate my time and energy as a hip-hop messenger to bring out the truth about the African situation which has been lost in the dark over the years. In other words, I am a conscious African hip-hop artist.

Silas one thing that amazes me about you is the fact that you did not really grow up in Uganda. You grew up all over the world. Yet you are able to compose songs in fluent Luganda. Many Ugandans in the Diaspora are not as fluent after a few years, especially our generation. How were you able to remember the language so well?

I witnessed MCs in Tanzania doing Swahili hip-hop and what I saw challenged me to channel the same vision to my people in Uganda. As the first Ugandan group to go to Tanzania in 1996, the Bataka Squad was very inspired by what the Tanzanians were doing through their own language. I carried Luganda with me through my art and challenged myself to perfect and explore it as a hip-hop language.

The Canadian market in particular is very fickle when it comes to artists of all genres. We have seen many people that were relatively unknown in Canada move to the USA and blow like Tamia, Glenn Lewis, Deborah Cox and even many actors like Mike Myers, Micheal.J.Fox, the Sutherlands, and Jim Carrey. Among many artists there is the feeling that Canada is slow to recognize its own talent. How do you cope with this and how do you plan to conquer that obstacle?

Artists who have broken into the American mainstream from Canada have done so in a different sense from what I am trying to achieve. As I said, I am not interested in breaking into the American mainstream. I am only interested in sharing my African experience with the world and inspiring other people to do the same. Artists all over the world have to stay true to who they are and not give in to the demands of the industry. They need to understand that only in doing so will they free themselves and the minds of their people.

The art industry is notoriously hard to enter into and all the more so if you are from an ethnic minority. What has been your experience with this fact?

There have been times when I felt like I had to do things to fit in for example rapping like a New Yorker in order to break through the American mainstream. But the day I discovered my true identity as an African hip-hop artist I understood that giving my true self a chance meant unconsciously giving others inspiration to do the same. To me that is more of a significant breakthrough than making it into the mainstream and I feel like I have received a lot of love from the hip-hop community in general after I let my true identity shine in my music.

I know that you moved from Fort Erie to Toronto because you were looking for opportunities, but the Toronto arts scene frustrated you, and you made the decision to go to Vancouver, a city which you say is very receptive towards artists. How have things changed since then?

Since I moved, it has been a successful venture. My moving to Vancouver has opened up doors for me and has helped me mature as a young hip-hop entrepreneur. It was the best move that I could have ever made. Vancouver is an artists city and embraces its artists; it embraces multiculturalism even more than other Canadian cities.

Most artists have to balance their craft with what the rest of the world calls real work at the beginning. Are you only focusing on your singing or do you have another job on the side?

I dont have a regular job because I refused to let it get in my way as an artist. I realized that chasing my dream in a 9-5 job environment would never set my vision free so I let my dreams take me and gave them priority in my life because dreams are not illegal in the ghetto.

You just returned from a five month business trip from Uganda. Please tell us about your trip.

Well I must say that this trip was a trip to free my self from all the hold backs of this western society. After countless sessions of conferencing in the streets, restaurants and our apartments, my partner Aaron Elton and I were ready to set off on a journey which would change both of our lives. Having left home at the age of 12-now that I am 26-I felt like this trip was going to be the definition of my African revolution. My partner is a motion picture film producer; he had always wanted to be a part of something which was positive and life-changing. So when I told him about this trip with no hesitation he joined me and before we knew it we were on the plane heading back to beautiful Mother Africa (Uganda).

What was your mission?

Our mission was to explore the state of hip-hop in Uganda also to hold at list three free concerts in the ghettos to voice the intentions of the BAVUBUKA FOUNDATION, a foundation which we have started in Uganda to create avenues for all ghetto youth equally according to their talents. We also wanted to make free music videos for artists who were making conscious music in awareness of the issues of their society. Our most important issue on this trip was to spread the message of knowledge of self which both my partner and I strongly felt was one of the major issues which are holding African people captive.

I suppose that is something that we see so little of. Conscious hip-hop artists are very rare, most especially those who are spreading positive messages of uplifting and empowerment. Its been mostly reggae artists who enforce this.

You know some of the things which happened were so unrealistic to my partner. For example when we got to the airport, the customs agent threw comments at me like why didn't I look like my white friend.

That sounds preposterous. Why would you look alike? What was he referring to?

Well he was referring to the way of dressing and the hair style. Of course my dreads and my hip-hop dress code were the reasons that defined his comments. But see also when we got to the city on our first day my partner noticed something that I would not have paid attention to. He noticed that all the mannequins in Africa were white; most of the store used white peoples ads despite the fact that you barely ever see any white person enter those stores.

Thats a very powerful observation, interestingly by a foreigner who himself is white. But it is a sad reminder of neo-colonialism and how it has detrimentally and mentally affected many of our African people. Sadly the adage that black is beautiful is nothing but just words to many people

Well this really led me to believe that yes my people are miserably lost and are definitely in need of a revolution. A revolution to free them from their colonial past, hip-hop being the apparatus I am using to reach out.

How were you able to make a difference in such a short time?

We spent most of our time hanging out in the ghettos inspiring talented youth and also talking to mothers and getting to know their life styles and how they manage to get by with their kids on only just 1000 shillings. We presented the footage of our ghetto mission at the Amakula Film Festival and I have to tell you for the first time in Uganda hip-hop was starting to buzz through the corporate world which is well known for being anti hip-hop.

How were you able to infiltrate into the corporate world?

We showcased our skills on many different shows like the Utaki Street Bash, the Angenoir Park Yard Bash and of course the PAM Awards where we really pulled off an amazing performance. It had B-boying, emceeing and street balling combined and of course our revolutionary Luganda flowz (Lugaflow.) It was just bananas; menvu like Ugandans would call it. What can I say? The crowd reaction was just unbelievable! For the first time in Uganda we created a major buzz in the media as hip-hop revolutionists.

This was a sign that hip-hop is starting to cross boundaries in Uganda. So much was going on, and there was just so much to do. I mean a trip which was planned as a two months trip turned into a five months trip for me! My partner from Canada left and I stayed behind working with another partner by the name of D.J. 3RDI, also a film, photographer & music video producer who flew in from L.A. to film the first ever hip-hop documentary which is due to be released this year called Diamonds in the Rough.

You were certainly busy! You certainly ended up doing more than you had set out to do, which was to document the hip-hop movement in Uganda.

(Smiles) Right! During this time in Uganda we managed to make music videos for other hip-hop artists and continued to reach out in the hospitals putting on shows for the kids at the PIDC clinic-this is the clinic where all the youth with HIV get together to encourage and support each other.

Babakulu, Krazy Native and Tshila. The BATAKA SQUAD PIDC HIV clinic concert.

Babakulu and Tshila.

You know Silas; another thing I am enjoying about this interview is the fact that you are not all about the latest car, the latest girlfriend, the style and size of the house and all these trivial things which some other artists seem to be about. You are really into this because of the love of music and the love of your people

Well, being with the kids was one of the events which really made me realize the power of music beyond human understanding. So much went on my trip but these are some of the highlights that really did strike home for me. The last major thing was the organizing of the hip-hop summit. The Uganda hip-hop summit 2005 was a big struggle for the Uganda hip-hop foundation.

Why is that?

Close to a week left before the day of the event, all the corporate companies that had promised to sponsor the event pulled out and after the news got into the streets everybody doubted that the hip-hop summit was going to happen. Having spent enough time getting to know the organizers indeed there was no hope of the summit happening.

But the hip-hop summit ended up happening. What saved the day?

Big up to Krazy Native. We pulled off a great event from giving out flyers in within the same week of the event and mainly word of mouth. Without Alliance Franaise and both of our youth net works HOME AGAIN & BAVUBUKA ALLSTARZ the summit wouldn't have happened. So because of these experiences, now that am back in Vancouver, I am rallying for support so I could contribute more towards hip-hop in Uganda and am also networking and trying to find friends who want to do the same. You don't necessarily have to be from Uganda. We are looking for artists, poets, motivational speakers; all those who would love to channel their positive energy into transforming communities. By any means we need to break this struggle for our people. Otherwise Jane, my trip to Africa was what anybody who hasn't been there for along time would tell you-inspiring.

What do you think that you would be doing now if you weren't into rapping?

I would be into social work or activism. I would be vocalizing for the underprivileged, trying to represent them in the fight for their rights, as well as speaking for the cause of African freedom and reparations.

What do you think of the state of hip-hop today?

Hip-hop has a lot of room to grow at this point in time and it is up to the people involved in spreading the message to take it into the right direction. It could be the driving force for the Black Revolution given that it is one of the only means of mass Education which we can use outside of the so called "first world" establishment to free the ignorant minds of our people.

Is there a famous person you would like to rap with? Or a producer who you would like to work with?

Among the famous people I would like to work with are Wyclef Jean, Dead Prez, the Roots, Bahamadia, Lauryn Hill, Mystic, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and a whole lot more.

What have you learnt so far through your journey as a rapper?

I have learned that in music, there is so much more than just the money and the fame and all that comes with it. Simply understanding the reason why I do music has humbled me as Babaluku to be able to serve and inspire people to do the same in order to elevate our community.

Do you have any advice for those who wish to follow in your footsteps?

They need to have an understanding of self and a vision of what they are into the industry for. It is not an easy road to travel, but the battle is worth every struggle in the end.

So what's next for Silas Balabyekkubo?

Next on my list is structuring community centers and creating avenues of positive development for my fellow African youth through my foundation called the BAVUBUKA FOUNDATION.

What music would we find in your CD player?

My CD player would contain music from the Dead Prez, Wyclef Jean, Immortal Technique, or any other music which keeps the revolution in me alive.

If people want to come and listen to you live, where would they do they find you?

People who want to see me live can find me in Vancouver anywhere that the Maffie Crew has a concert or catch me rocking stages on the continent of Africa. They can check out www.maffie.com.

Finally, if you could sit at a dinner table with five great people dead or alive, who would they be?

My father, Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Huey P and Martin Luther King.

Thank you Silas for the interview. It has been very thought provoking.

It was my pleasure!