In the context of Indigenous Hip Hop practice, a builder is defined as an individual whose visions, aspirations, and ideas, are passionately driven to lead, innovate, and engineer creative solutions which contribute to self liberation and service for humanity. this is what we call the awakening of our youth to become architects for community Design.
Having a fellowship with brothers in community always drives you to a blessing. I heard about Back to the Source, a day I went to have a Building moment with the Blackrace Family. When I got there, everyone’s lips were filled with joy of having Back to the Source in our town in Jinja, Source of the Nile. That is how I got to know about the spiritual and connectional journey Back to the Source Retreat. Back to the Source ran in my mind, and meditation brought me to know it was connecting to me, and since that moment, the same dream of connecting back to the source, to our indigenous roots, was filled in me.
The trumpet kept blowing in me. I attended because that is where my spirit belonged. That time my inner man was so contented and he told me all I needed to know was at the Builder’s Lane, the Back to the Source Retreat.
In 10 years I want to be an example and a living testimony. I want to be more rooted at that time. I want to own big plots of land which will accommodate thousands of Hip Hop family. I want to change the world. I want in 10 years to come to be an
Co - Founder - Talanta Youth Movement
Corp Zak
Administration
Silas Balabyekkubo (aka Babaluku) is an award-winning musician, producer, community youth activist and social entrepreneur who founded the Bavubuka Foundation. Also a founding member of Uganda’s legendary hip hop group, Bataka Squad, Silas is known for introducing Luga Flow to Uganda’s creative scene. This unique and powerful style of positive Hip Hop music has inspired youth in Uganda to embrace and celebrate their native languages, culture and tradition. Silas is dedicated to changing lives and giving hope to young people, from the ghetto slums of Kampala to war torn Northern Uganda. Through the Bavubuka Foundation Silas supports projects that are calling forth the spirit of Ugandan people in creative arts, youth empowerment, education, community development, sports, fashion, journalism, and community-building events.
Silas Balabyekkubo
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jemima's professional journey involves serving racialized and marginalized groups in the Lower Mainland through various community roles. Her background in health science, immigration law, and early childhood education, passionately influence her advocacy for community service with a commitment to positive change. As a person of African descent, her dedication to community development spans the diaspora and the continent. Actively involved in initiatives fostering growth, resilience, and unity.
Jemima Balabyekkubo
ADMINISTRATOR
Bwette (Gilbert) Daniel is a Hip Hop Archivist, a community youth activist and team leader at the Bavubuka Foundation. His 12 years of working and volunteering in indigenous youth communities has attracted both national and international opportunities in the fields of photography, graphic design and community journalism. As a community focused photographer Bwette has had collaborative exhibitions internationally also presented personal exhibitions. Bwette’s work as the UG HIPHOP ARCHIVIST has attracted international attention and earned him an opportunity to represent Uganda Youth Hip Hop Community at various International Hip Hop Teachin “Remixing the Art of Social fellowships. He strives to continually equip himself with the knowledge, skills and experiences that will enhance his ability to serve indigenous communities by capturing their authentic stories.
Gilbert Bwette
TEAM LEADER / HIP-HOP ARCHIVIST
THE MENTORS
Mazi Mutafa is the Executive Director of Words Beats & Life, a hip-hop nonprofit founded in January of 2002 in Washington D.C. WBL teaches, convenes and presents Hip-Hop in The District, throughout the country and around the world. Mazi Mutafa began this organization as an after school program dedicated to creating transformative learning experiences in non-traditional classroom, teaching the elements of Hip-Hop.
Mazi Mutafa
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT WBL
Dr. Scott Mackiln serves as the Executive Director of Global Online Learning at Trinity Western University. Scott seeks to create a rich infrastructure that supports innovation and collaboration through participatory media and community engagement. Scott serves on the Advisory Board of the Head Start Center for Inclusion and on Board of the South African NGO Saving our Schools and Community (SOSAC). Scott is an award winning author, filmmaker and the Executive Producer the Four Peaks TV program – a monthly series that features interviews with leading media and technology visionaries. Scott uses social media as a powerful tool for learning and building meaningful relationships that create opportunities to engage in acts of social justice. You can get a glimpse of some of his work at: http://www.vimeo.com/openhandreel/videos
Dr. Scott Mackiln
EXEC. DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL ONLINE LEARNING AT TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY
Baba Buntu is an Activist Scholar and Founding Director of eBukhosini Solutions; a community-based company in Johannesburg, specializing in Afrikan-Centered Education. As a Pan-Afrikan educator, writer, mentor and practitioner, Baba Buntu has more than 30 years of experience in conceptualizing and contributing to programs on social development, innovative entrepreneurship and cultural empowerment. He has founded a number of community interventions based on practical approaches to Black Consciousness and decolonial methods. With experience from working engagements in Afrika, the Caribbean and Europe, Buntu’s passion lies within people-centred development for practical empowerment of Afrikan youth, families and communities. He holds a Doctoral and a Master Degree in Philosophy of Education from UNISA.
Baba Buntu
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EBUKHOSINI SOLUTIONS
THE BUILDERS
Slim Emcee (UG) The Poet is a performance poet and artist with a propensity to command attention. His performances educate, entertain, inspire and leave audiences searching for their own legacy. Slim uses his poetry for inspiring change in Africa as his poetry focuses on the Alkebulan/African His/Herstory. Slim’s artistic practices extend to photography, journalism, page poetry, facilitation, mentoring, teaching, events management, arts management, arts consultancy, community based rehabilitation and copywriting. He is the Founder of Truth From Africa, a photojournalism enterprise aiming to diversify the paternalistic portrayal of African Lives and culture. He is a freelance journalist who has been published in many leading African media outlets. He has been published in books on Poetry and Hip Hop in Africa and the USA and remains a rising and influential voice for people in Uganda and Africa.
Kabubi Herman aka Slim Emcee
ARTS CONSULTANT
Kigozi Marvine, aka Ram Black is "an everyday life traveller walking through fire to catch the flame". He is the Co-founder of Talanta Youth Movement, Mwigha Magazine, Blackface (the band), Amaziima Community Lab and a member of the Bavubuka Foundation. He aims to transform and serve this generation through initiating hip-hop platforms and his network to keep youth in Eastern Uganda connected to resources that allow them to gather and develop their skills in emceeing, breakdancing, deejaying and art. The opportunity to learn from each other and grow in knowledge and skill has lead to a proactive move towards agriculture prompting the return of youth in the region to learn and grow their indigenous farming knowledge. This has come about in my region through the influence of the obumu (unity) spirit that is central to all my initiatives. This has enabled us to be strengthened and to build a unified Eastern HipHop generation ready to serve our communities and bring about change in other communities across Uganda.
Ram Emcee
PROGRAMS CO-ORDINATOR
An Environmental and Human Rights Defender, film maker, self-taught photographer and a Climate Activist with Fridays For Future in Uganda. Natasha is the founder of Ntare Festival and the Executive Director of Simma Africa Creative Arts Foundation (SAF), a woman led membership NGO that uses creative arts as a tool to advocate for Climate Justice, Economic Justice and Gender Equality. As the lead of SAF working with a team of 12 and a membership of over 4620 she champions the use of alternative inclusive Safe spaces where LGBTIQ Refugees and Indigenous peoples can freely express themselves without stigma and discrimination and challenge the silence that comes with censorship in a polarized society. I use the Arts as a tool to improve their livelihoods, build feminist movements, provide climate literacy, protect and promote their health, body, human rights and freedoms.
Natasha Simma
GRANTS & RESOURCE CONSULTANT
THE CATALYSTS
Aineomugisha Alimansi Wanzu aka Spydaweymusi is the Co-founder of Tandika Esaawa. He uses his artistic abilities to express emotions drawing pictures from which the world can see and groom better citizens. As a Community leader he partners with the Bavubuka Foundation to organise Ghetto to Ghetto Tours and our annual Hip Hop & Boxing event Return of the Champions. These grassroots programs include the Cypher Revolution Series which aim to give ghetto youth confidence and the platform to use their to voices to contribute to the solutions they desire to see in society. Through his work you can see a change in the attitude of the community towards the youth as the youth are provided positive influences that focus on bridging the gap between ages. The regular art and music events Spyda organises have increased youth visibility and contributed to peace and order by providing a positive focus for youth. This work goes along way in building respect in our communities and reducing conflict caused by tribal differences, segregation, classism, colour and behaviour.
Aineomugisha Wanzu aka Spydaweymusi
CO-FOUNDER, TANDIKA ESAAWA
Corp Zak is a proud participator in the builders lane using rap as a weapon for transformation and change. Zak uses his indigenous language Lusoga in order to connect with his community. I represent BLACKRACE an underground Hip Hop family from the East. He aims to connect with the disconnected youths, mothers, fathers, and children to inspire them from a begging mentality to a self-reliant brave heart. Hearing the phrase Amazima Gabwerere (Truth is Free) being used by people of all ages and walks of life pushed Zak to be even more aggressive in his work. It confirmed that we can change the world through our hooks. This knowledge is helping him walk a journey of peace, truth and joy creating a positive morale within his community. Zak hopes to buy land for the community where we can meet and share teachings, rap, B-boy, graffiti, beatbox, deejaying and agricultural knowledge and skills.
Corp Zak
CO-FOUNDER, DA BLACK RACE MOVEMENT
Vanessa is an emcee, who is passionate about hiphop, life, nature and literature. She believes her purpose in life is to use her position to inspire young people to live productive and fruitful lives. She became aware of the predicaments in her area from a young age and was inspired to participate in the affairs through hip hop and writing. She created awareness in my community making people realize that through hip hop and writing we can reduce domestic violence and other injustices.Her work contributes the move to a violence free, stable and economically stable community. Using her love for hip hop she inspires others young and old instead of using violence they can use music to express their feelings. She also engages her community through small gatherings teaching people different ways to stay creative using poetry, drawing, writing, etc. to help them change their ways.
Vanessa Asolo aka Emcee Flower
BAVUBUKA PHENOMINAL WOMAN LEADER
THE CATALYSTS
Kiganda Kenneth aka Phitzo Mcee is the Co-Founder, Tontoma Youth Movement. He developed the passion for Hiphop so he started emceeing in high school. On his return to Kampala with a burning spirit he met one of his mentors, Spyda MC, who introduced him to the builders lane of hip-hop.This is where he realised the real light in Hip-hop and embraced it with a life purpose to serve and lead his community. From community cyphers to advancement with bigger learning spaces.The power of the tongue was realised and utilized expressing our art in our native tongues to address the pressing issues of the community. Through the Tontoma Youth Movement he continues to work on bringing about positive social change and also empowering youth with knowledge and skills to eradicate poverty. Phitzo's vision is to have a Tontoma Youth Community Centre in Kaliro and make strides for the eradication of poverty among the youth in his community.
Kiganda Kenneth aka Phitzo Mcee
CO-FOUNDER, NJUBA VILLAGE
Ssonko Brian is a self-taught fashion designer, who founded the fashion brand SONCO and the Creative Director at SONCO Studio. His community based brand uses African art, culture and characters to tell different inspirational stories through the designing lens. Embracing the magic in recycling, Brian uses sustainable and contemporary designing methods which utilize raw organic materials such as "bark cloth" and second hand materials sourced from thrift markets to bring about fashionable wears for all. He's inspired by building strong creative communities through culture, sustainable fashion and using threads and needles to create a visible change.
Brian Ssonko
ECO FASHION DESIGNER
Nina is the founder of Free Spirit Fashion House, which serves as an all inclusive life style brand, focusing on designing for the underserved client of all shapes and sizes. Nina is expanding her expertise into retail distribution and export services, and has a personal interest in costume design for live music, festivals and theatre. Her dream is to combine her knowledge, skills and experience in fashion to build a successful fashion business that benefits the local community through training, workshops and trade shows; guaranteeing long term growth for the community .
Kaburungi Nina
FABRIC OF LIFE MENTOR