On 28th June, 2025, the Lugogo Cricket Oval will become a literal hip-hop cultural hub. This happens as the first ever Yenze Hiphop (I am Hip Hop) Festival hits town. Earlier on, the only festival for Ugandan Hip Hop has been the Eno Hip Hop Festival (This is Hip Hop). It first happened in 2021.
Hip hop needs to be celebrated and Ugandan Hip Hop is doing exactly that through events like these.
The Yenze Hip Hop Festival will explore more than just a music event. It is positioned as a pivotal celebration of Ugandan hip-hop’s past, present, and future. The festival spotlights several pillars of hip-hop. These include rap, DJing, break dancing, fashion, and graffiti art. Each of these elements pays homage to global hip-hop roots. They also showcase Ugandan talent. As the organizer Geoffrey Jeff Ekongot (of Swahili Nation Africa) has put it, hip-hop is an interwoven tapestry of Uganda’s tribal heritage. It writes a fresh cultural narrative.
The event will feature a lineup of hip-hop artistes like Lyrical G, Keko, Recho Rey, Legahcity, Felista, and GNL Zamba. It will also include newcomers. Yenze will create a bridge across generations. It highlights hip-hop’s roots in community and mentorship. The festival will not be only about performances, but also discovering and inspiring new talent.
The festival is intended as a platform for culture, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Going way beyond just performances, the festival will offer freestyle battles, DJ battles, graffiti zones, and most importantly fashion showcases. Fashion is a key dimension to this festival because hip-hop is not just sound, but also style, identity, and self-expression.
There will also be masterclasses on beat-making, production, and the overall business of hip-hop. As the organizers have stressed, this is not just a party, but a movement. It aims to empower artists, DJs, designers, and entrepreneurs, giving them tools, networks and visibility.
You have plot for the weekend.
Featured Image: Nile Post
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