Q&A With Rising Ugandan Underground Hip Hop Artist Ruyonga
Whats Up Ruyonga! We really enjoyed your latest album “Voice of My Father” and visual for “Remnant Revolution”!! Anyways, let’s get back into Hip Hop! How long have you been making music? What area code(s) do you rep!? And how did you get your artist name?
Thank you, I really appreciate it. I’ve been making music for over a decade plus, under a different moniker pre Christ. I repped 702 and before that 217, but now it’s 256, Uganda. My artist name now is my actual birth, or government name.
Much respect on being such a major influence and impact Hip Hop artist from Uganda, Africa! Us Los Angeles, CA heads are really unfamiliar with the Hip Hop scene out there! Please tell us a little bit about it! Is there an underground Hip Hop scene?
The scene out here is thriving, both gospel and secular. A lot of young and upcoming talent, it’s actually hard to cite examples. Too many favorites. And there is definitely an underground hip-hop scene, quite hardcore I might add. We’re big on hip-hop here. Songs like Mic drop and throne call catered more toward that end. I also did a bonus song on the album called Esaala Ya Kibuga that just talks about or details life in Kampala in general.
Please breakdown the creative process to your album “ Voice of My Father ”. How did you come up with the idea/concept to album?
The creative process for this album is abit hard to pin down. There were three or so songs, then a looong break, then three weeks to d-day things went into overdrive. The title definitely came last, as I was praying and entering the shower, interestingly, lol. The album does tell a story, but I more or less just felt out the arrangement. I just tried to even out the feel and tones so the album felt more balanced and not one-sided.
That video “Remnant Revolution” was absolutely FIRE!!! Tell us a little about the behind the scenes? Did everything go according to PLAN DURING VIDEO production?
Glad you like the video. We barely had a planning time, the video came together pretty fast. We didn’t complicate the story and that worked in our favor. We were also planning a start of year event so we were very much forced to be time sensitive. Josh SB did an amazing job on the video production.
As you can tell by our blog name, we of course cater to the hardcore underground Hip Hop audience! So that being said, let us ask you our most important question, “What is your definition of Underground Hip Hop”?
Underground hip-hop to me is a blend between hardcore rugged hip-hop, conscious hip-hop and hip-hop that just isn’t known or consumed by the more popular mainstream. The latter would be the more politically correct answer I guess though.
How often do you perform live?? Any indie DIY tours in the works?
My IG grind is steady, it helps to have a photographer friend or two, but I also find my traction and the most feedback from tackling topics of interest personally instead three phrase answers that seem rehearsed or stolen like “know who your real friends are” or “No time for the haters, keep grinding”…or stuff like that. (My IG is @ruyongamusic by the way)
Lets face it, social media since 2016 has grown tremendously, especially IG!!! Tell us how is your IG grind is looking, and how have you been able to keep up with the high demand on social media in 2018?
I perform live quite a lot, and I’m part of an East and South Africa independent tour, the Unit Africa Tour, that goes from the end of Feb on through till Early April. I will be hosting the tour in Kampala, Uganda on March 9th.
How do you feel about the whole MUMBLE RAP XAN & LEAN trend these kids nowadays are on!!!..LOL??? Be honest, do you use some of that stuff??..LOL
No Xan, no Lean, mumble rap is a horrible trend. This is not paint art where you can splash some paint on an easel to be abstract, this is literally drug rap with no substance, pun intended, that sounds like retarded sing along to nice trap beats. Say something! For the LOVE of having a platform where you determine how people think, please bear this in mind. End rant
What you got cooking next? Any special for the new year 2018!!??
2018 is world tours, maybe win some VMAs, Grammys, Oscars, build sound labs, Sound Cities and creative youth centers around the world, sky is not nearly the limit this year.
Where do see yourself in 5yrs? (2023)?
Where do I see myself in 2023? Giving notes to Quincy Jones on how to be a leader and king of the music industry without any satanic rites or sex scandal rumors.
Where can fans find your music? Drop all links!!
The music is on all your popular streaming apps like Tidal, Spotify or Shazam, depending on your preference. Below are just a few of them.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/rruu
https://ruyonga.bandcamp.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/voic…
https://youtu.be/NhUDP5I5cPE
Any shout outs?
Shout out to Lecrae, who will be touring Africa later this year as part of his World Tour. Shout out to my cousin Somi, a jazz songstress based in NY who is repping Africa in a big way. To all the underground HipHop artists around the world who are awakening the conscience through positive lyrics and messages. And last but not least to all the fans that support me and who are good to make this one of the biggest albums of 2018. Peace!
