AIR UG

Finally the shoot for the KLEAR KUT single, Air UG, is done. I feel like yelling out "F************K!!!" at the top of my lungs from the top of the highest point in Ntinda. Getting this video done has been one of the hardest things we have had to do. The main issue we had was location. Every possible location had been used and you know KLEAR KUT and how we do, new things, all the time. You are welcome.

The video was shot by Donald for YesThatsUs, Deddac, and you know the quality he puts into what he does. And it's done in two locations. First location is at a lounge, Not saying where, kekeke. And the second location is at an airstrip. Not saying where either. It features some very gorgeous Ugandan ladies and of course KLEAR KUT. In some shots you'll be able to see, Dawoo and Enygma, and seeing as Don is shooting it, you should expect the flyest of shots.

Check out some of Don's work...

I am excited about this video, mainly because it's the start of a new reign. Get Your Umbrellas.

It's Your Boy...

More About AIR UG.

Air UG is the official single for the new KLEAR KUT album of the same name. The song is produced by Sam Lamara for Talent Africa and suprisingly it features The Mith 'singing' on the chorus. It features verses from Navio, JB and of course The Mith.

Papito and Langman who are both part of KLEAR KUT are not on this single, but they'll feature heavily on the album. The album features productions from, Sam Lamara, Koz N Effekt, Papito, Aethan and others.

The group will release close to 6 singles before the album drops. Expect to hear KLEAR KUT ft P-Unit, KLEAR KUT ft Necessary Noize and more.

TMMG.

The Mith Set to Remix Maurice Kirya's "Someday"

Over the past six months, Ugandan Hip Hop artist The Mith has appeared on and released some of the hottest  songs in the industry. From "Toast to Life", "Big is Me" off his solo project, to commandeering the hot Klear Kut single verse on Lilian's "Could It Be You", to dropping a hot verse on the Just Jose produced "UG Swagg". Now Mr. So UG is set to appear on Maurice Kirya's official remix for his latest single "Someday".

Maurice Kirya tweeted that The Mith would in fact remix his new single "Someday" after he watched The Mith along with Klear Kut at their "Unplugged" show at Silk Lounge. 

This isn't the first time the two artists are working together. The Mith and Navio appeared on the remix to Maurice Kirya's single "Revolution". 

Lizzie.

My African Dream

Tom wants me to stop going on about  Ms. Dynamite's "Neva Soft" baaaad gyal choon  and share some thought-provoking arguments with you. At least they were thought-provoking when Tom The Mith and I first had the conversation.

I'm a huge admirer of The Mith and the path his career is taking. I know that should he keep his foot on the peddle he will have the legacy of a founding father of Uganda's hip-hop movement. More than Uganda actually, Kora would suggest the entire Continent. The influence that The Mith and his peers (Danny aka Navio, Abba, and Keko for whom a special mantle is reserved) have cannot be underestimated. Perhaps more important than influencing the lives of young Africans or providing the rhythm, beats and soul of our times, today's artistes are ambassadors of our continent. In a world of YouTube, Facebook, SoundCloud, Twitter and digital radio stations, the  dissemination of information of any sort is almost immediate and definitely so far-reaching that it has already toppled governments and launched the careers of some of the most powerful careers in the global music industry (ask The Beiber - whether or not you're a believer!) There's no need to labour the point.

So, in spite of my lifelong love affair with The Mith and his hustle, I've still got beef with him and his ilk. With the aforementioned stage illuminated, why o why do our hip hop stars fail ever so miserably to project an accurate image of this here beautiful continent, its people and its times. Why do I have to be staring at borrowed Bentleys, poorly styled video vixens and Jay-Z imitating posturing when I watch our videos. Yeah, it's hip hop and it may go without saying that the genre is predominantly about meteoritic rises from nothing to untold wealth and exposure. I can understand the excitement and subsequent servings of Marcy to TriBeCa images, from American artistes. Why a Bentley would turn up in a Ugaflow video is beyond me. I don't mean to be too literal with the automobile but I don't think that our version of aspiration and success is of that exact fabric.

Whilst I'm not asking The Mith to have his videos set against a backdrop of rolling savannah, littered with starving children or any other cliched concepts of the continent, I think that these might sadly be closer to our Truth. The Mith's question to me is then, what exactly my version of the African Dream is. What would my ultimate aspirations be?

I might be the wrong person to ask on the one hand but like many I think I would zero in on a complex but less blingy dream. The basic human desire to survive, have good health, progeny and dignity take on a different form when, for the vast majority of Africans, these very things are threatened everyday by thriving parasites, both microscopic and homo sapiens. Everything from malaria to senile dictatorships and their failed interpretations of service in government make the African Dream so far beyond the money, the cars, the clothes and the hos.

What would my African Dream be? It would certainly be more utilitarian. It would be for better service from our leaders in the perhaps vain hope that they would fashion social economic conditions that allowed the Marcy to Tribeca transition to be less of a joke and more of a reality. How is The Mith to create this imagery? It isn't beyond the realm of his possibilities and it certainly would come cheaper than sourcing a Maybach in Kampala (yeah, I've upgraded :D).

Sidebar: I've got to give props to Navio for 'Nawulilanga' and The Mith for 'Where I'm From'. Navio's video was nicely styled but more importantly reflective of the traditional song on which his track is based. The lyrical content of 'Where I'm from' is so relatable to many lives in the country.

So whilst my dream might involve a radical change in government perhaps, I'm not asking The Mith to take up office. He is however in prime position to challenge those that are or can be such leaders. He is in prime position to show the world that beyond Band Aid and safaris, there is an Africa that is thinking, hopeful, progressive in a fashion that isn't regurgitative but unique and honest.

All this isn't to say that The Mith cannot show or tell us abt his Friday night aspirations, help us party or transport us into relaxation. He can. But he and all artistes shd be frighteningly aware of their ambassadorships and the mandate that comes with them. They should all be aware that their appeal will still be of shared aspiration tailored to voice the dreams of a voiceless many.

                               theothermrscarter

Hip Hop Canvass with The Mith...

How did you get your moniker, The Mith, and what does it represent? 

I got my name in Hillside High school. My friends used to call me Mythological because I was always reading on Mythology. When I started rapping I used THE M.I.T.H, which after a studio session with Hannz Tactiq, turned from just a name to the acronym, MUSIC IN THE HIGHEST. That’s what it represents, because that's what I deliver.

Define your lyrical style in a few words…

I try my hardest to be relevant and make people relate. There are many people out there rhyming about everything, but where they’re from. I rhyme about the life of a Ugandan.

When and how did it all begin for The Mith?
It started in Hillside High School in 1999. I wrote my first rhyme, THE REASON, and got hooked to words and what they do. I haven’t stopped since then.

 

At what point did you know you were an above-average rapper?
I thought I was okay, but when I started getting word from South African rappers saying I impressed them with my writing and all, I decided to take it to the next level.

 

While our focus is on emcee skills so let’s dig into that for a bit. Who influenced your style growing up?
I listened to a lot of Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop, Pun and Canibus. So I took a lot from each of them. But my main influence had to be the African artists I started listening to. From K-South in Kenya all the way down to ProVerb in South Africa, these guys influenced me a lot because it’s so much easier to relate to them and what they rap about. The African Dream is the same all over.

What's your take on the hip hop industry right now both locally and internationally and where would you like to see it at 5 years from now?
F**k the international scene, [it's] not of any interest to me. Locally, I think there’s no genre moving at a better pace. I see Hip-Hop artists always trying to better themselves. Whether it be with the music, the videos, the performances or the mergers and Business ventures, the artists are pushing the boundaries further and further on a daily basis. So the Hip-Hop industry can only grow. 5 years from now I can’t wait to see where it’s going to be.

According to you, what makes you appear as unique in the music industry in Uganda or East Africa?
I have refused to dumb down. A lot of the artists in E.A have dumbed down a lot in order to get some money, but in the process, they have lost who they are. I am still me, no 2 ways about that.

Which (mainstream or underground) artist earned your respect and why?

I think there’s no 1 artist I respect over others. There are a bunch of artists I respect and for various reasons. Nonini is building an empire. Dude has gone from videos for every song on his album to tours in States and phone apps, to movies and managing artists. Navio mainly because dude is persistent. The Ugandan industry usually affects the artists' heads, especially when they gain success, but he still stays regular working hard like he is just coming out. And many others.

The Week Of September is the title of your upcoming LP. What influenced this album title? 
I was born on September 8^th and I started conceptualizing the album with a friend of mine, P-Tech, in September 06 before he died. 

The September Reign mixtape was definitely sizzling hot, what can we expect from your new album The Week Of September?

Better production. Better concepts. Better lyrics. Better collabos. Everything on the album has been put to a Better level.

   
What is your favorite album of all time?

Ready To Die – Biggie. But Doggy Style has to be mentioned, they go hand in hand for me.

You just finished recording your album. Any special guests on the album you can reveal to the fans?
Percussion Discussion Africa.

Nonini

Navio

Don MC

Deejay Aludah

Tickie Tah

F**k it, every collabo is a special 1.

Percussion Discussion Africa

Deejay Aludah

Tickie Tah

Don MC

Nonini

Navio

Immortal interview question; any artists you’d like to work with on your next EP/LP/mixtape?
Lillian (Blu*3)

Maurice Kirya and some more I won’t reveal because I don’t want these non-creative f**ks to go and do them before me.

Lilian (Blu*3)

Maurice Kirya

 If you had to drive from Ntinda to Nairobi and you could only take 3 CDs with you, what would they be?
 Life After Death – Biggie

Afrigo Bands first album

And anything from Freshly Ground.

Afrigo Band

Freshly Ground

Projecting, what does the future hold for The Mith?
More. I am putting out more music. More videos. More collabos. More ideas. So the future for me is all about MORE.

 

Do you have any other ultimate goals?
Doing an album that crosses over. A soundtrack of sorts. One that will get accolades in every award ceremony and get noticed in every country.

Okay so this one's a little bit left-field; On to Fashion, what do you consider to be your personal style, what brands are you rockin' right now?

I’m So UG T-shirt, Latif jeans, Adidas shoes and all.

Adidas Classics

Final thoughts?

THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER in stores soon.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Basketball is my favorite sport

I like the way they dribble up and down the court
Just like I'm the King on the microphone so is Dr. J and Moses Malone
I like Slam dunks take me to the hoop
My favorite play is the alley oop
I like the pick-and-roll, I like the give-and-go,
Cause it's Basketball, uh, Mister Kurtis Blow

"Basketball" - Kurtis Blow (1984)

Anyone would be hard-pressed to claim that Hip Hop and the game of Basketball are only relative. The two can only be stretched so far to dispute all proof of how much influential similarities they have aside from what the DJ has on his playlist at the games; right down to what kind of gear fans bump on their feet (Nike Air Jordans). 

Here's a recap of what went down at Friday Night Lights Basketball game - Week II:

LAST Friday evening, basketball players encountered their fans in an evening of interactive fun and games.

This was not the usual Friday Night Lights you may have heard of — nothing to do with the famed American football series in the US. This was the Friday Night Lights at Wandegeya, YMCA basketball court.

With the main basketball season over, the Friday Night Lights involves basketball pros taking on fans in a series of brief and entertaining games as part of a greater goal to encourage skills transfer, sharing as well as interaction.

There was the hip-hop music to dance to and young and beautiful ladies dressed fashionably, as if headed straight to a night club. These added glamour to the event.

The ladies cheered the teams made up of tall and sturdy basketball players as well as their fans. Entry was free for the ladies while the men parted with sh3,000.

Teams won token prizes of cash and beer. The top prize was sh750,000 for the fan that could successfully make a centre shot and score.

This was quite a challenge for those that made an effort to make a winning shot from the centre of the court. At the end, no one made it.

Next week, the prize goes higher by 250,000 to become 1,000,000 for a fan who can make a winning shot.

While fans, especially the ladies, could not get enough of Klear Kut rapper, The Mith’s hip-hop performance, they may have found Rabadaba more entertaining.

He teased them with his dances and reached out to them to sing along with him.

If one did not understand the rules of the game, they at least got the cue when to cheer the best teams.

With many young people looking out for where to ‘happen’ on a Friday evening, they seemed to have found a new companion in Friday Night Lights. 

Friday Nights at YMCA redefined - The New Vision - Tuesday 15th March 2011.

COMPETITION IS DEAD

Sam Lamara, C.E.O. and producer of ROOTA RECORDS, is a genius.

This one night he sent Enygma, Lyrikal Proof, GNL, Atlas, Pl@y and myself a beat and said he wanted us to jump on it and "body the beat".

We all got to downloading but Lyrikal Proof was quicker with everything than the rest of us; he got the concept of the song, wrote the hook and two 16-bar verses. Mind you, the song was supposed to have one 12-bar verse from all of us.

We went in at different times to record but each time someone would go in, he'd find another MC - not part of the original 6 - there. And before you knew it, this new MC would get in the booth and lay down a 12-bar verse. The song now has 18 MCs and it is a PROBLEM.

For everyone who never knew how lyrically tight Ugandan MCs are, this is the song you MUST listen to.

THE MITH:

The nicest when I write - I'm Phil Jackson, I know how to win with mics (Mikes) - 

Been dope way before you called Jesus/ Christ - He's the type to punch through you/ 

to peek into the afterlife - The Mith Music Group/ each bar is tight - And I never see defeat/

I'm barbaric with words/ in a bar fight - Get your lights knocked out/ on [Knights] nights out like Suge - 

You'll get thrown in the trunk/ nigga you're far from Hood - 

I am not one for the lime light - I am for the high beams -

Dan Brown/ each verse is a movie scene

I have no choice but to be fly - 

Nose up in the air my jeans (genes) say it/ you should Levi (Leave I)

Enjoy the song.

Signs The World Is Coming To An End: Thousands of Dead Birds Fall From The Sky.

The first signs the world is coming to an end of 2011. How in the world did some 3,000 black birds just fall out of the sky on New Year's Eve? Oh, what a bad omen that is. 

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Wildlife experts are trying to solve a mystery that evoked images of the apocalypse: Why did more than 3,000 red-winged blackbirds tumble from the Arkansas sky shortly before midnight on New Year's Eve?

Scientists are investigating whether fireworks, poison or bad weather might have forced the birds out of the sky, or if a disoriented bird simply led the flock into the ground.

"We have a lot more questions," said Karen Rowe, an ornithologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. She said there are documented cases of birds becoming confused and plunging to earth.

Residents of the small town of Beebe, northeast of Little Rock, awoke Saturday to find thousands of dead blackbirds littering a 1.5-square-mile area. The birds inexplicably dropped dead, landing on homes, cars and lawns. Cleanup crews wore white suits, gas masks and rubber gloves as they spent the holiday weekend gathering the carcasses.

The birds will not be missed. Large blackbird roosts like one at Beebe can have thousands of birds that leave ankle- to knee-deep piles of droppings in places.

Nearly a decade ago, state wildlife officials fired blanks from shotguns and cannons to move a roost of thousands of blackbirds from Beebe, but in recent years many of the migratory birds returned.


Bird carcasses were shipped to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission and the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wis. Researchers in Georgia also asked for a set of the dead birds. Test results could be back in a week.

Rowe said many of the birds suffered injuries from striking the ground, but it was not clear whether they were alive when they hit.

Blackbirds have notoriously bad eyesight. If startled at night, they could easily fly into the ground, Rowe said. A few grackles and a couple of starlings were also among the dead. Those species roost with blackbirds, particularly in winter.

"Every dog and cat in the neighborhood that night was able to get a fresh snack that night," Rowe said. 


They were poisoned because the officials were trying to control the number of birds in their area.


Whatever the case, I think one thing is for sure, there are so many irregularities going on in the world today. As a person, what one can do is get right with his/values. 1.

Signs The World Is Coming An End: A Million More Dead Fish

I'm sorry. But this has to be said. A million dead fish washed up on the shores of Redondo Beach, Ca., just south of LA. NAH SON. This is it. Get right with God or else! 

Biologists have tentatively concluded that the fish died from oxygen deprivation after being driven by a storm into a closed-off pier area, California Department of Fish and Game spokesman Andrew Hughan told Reuters.

"It looks like they just swam in the wrong direction and ended up in a corner of the pier that doesn't have any free-flowing oxygen in it," Hughan said.

"There's nothing that appears to be out of sorts, no oil sheen no chemicals, no sign of any kind of illegal activity," Hughan said. "As one fisherman just told me, this is natural selection."

A skip loader then carried them to big trash bins. Officials initially estimated there were millions of fish, but Fish and Game roughly estimated about a million.

City officials estimated the cleanup would cost $100,000. Fire Chief Dan Madrigal said the fish would be taken to a landfill specializing in organic materials. King Harbor Marina provides 850 boat slips to private vessels.

<Jack Black's voice in NACHO LIBRE>: there were winds of up to about 50mph that pushed the fish into compact groups off shore, which led to the "little fish" to suffocate. 

MY QUOTE PROCESS

The idea of words and their power has always excited me, and a lot of people. I guess that's why when Arnold said "I'll be back", we were taken aback.We all knew he was going to kill dude, but he just let us know he was going to be back, so now we wanted to know the How, the When and in What way.


To me, when a concept comes up that I have to write about, I think, How am I going to capture the listener's attention?


And the more important question, when? When am I going to make the listener feel like we all did when Arnold did when he said, "I'll be back"?
That to me is the most important. And I realised early in my writing, the "When" is immediately.


"It's that Presidential flow/ you know Amin?" (know what I mean?) - Kampala Sibizimbe.
"My lines are infinite/on any track I punch lines and each line is different" - Line4Line
"Bagamba 'guy oyo/ King like Oyo" - Boss Vaawo.
"Lights, Camera Satisfaction/ that means Action" - Fire.


I try as hard as I can to be current with my lines. This is a problem because I'm usually stuck in a magazine or a book. That makes it hard with trying to be current. But people have to have something to relate to.


"I lead in the lane, from Gulu to Mbarara/ I sleep with the game, your balls stay blue, Avatar" - This Is It.
"Mess with me or my crew/ and I'll have rocks thrown at you, Olara Otunnu." - I Got It


Verses for me MUST have a lot of sleek talk. I feel that's what separates a good verse from a very dope verse.


"They talk sleek around here/ but me, I'm Tullow" - Big is Me.
"My wrist attracts females/ Call it Juma Seiko" - Big is Me.


Those are a few of the things I try to incorporate in my writing. Those and the flow as well as staying on the subject.


-The nicest when I write/ I'm Phil Jackson, I know how to win with mics-

TOAST TO LIFE

I remember the recording session of this track. I got a call from my dad, while I was in the booth. So I asked him to drop a few lines, but the connection was bad, we couldn't get him clearly. But skip that, I went to the Hannz Records that day with the idea of recording a club banger. Something to make the girls "shake they stankin' ass" in the club. But I came out with one of the most IMPORTANT songs of my career in my opinion. 
See I can always write a "Boss Vaawo" and a "Fire". That's easy. But something like - TOAST TO LIFE- comes up every once in a while.

I drew a lot of inspiration from Biggie's Juicy, Pac's Life Goes On and Jay's Roc Boys, in order to write this song.

TOAST TO LIFE LYRICS

Verse 1

Let's Toast to what we've achieved-

Cuts and Bruises/

Everything that made us bleed-

Shakers, Movers/

Everyone who made us see-

A new avenue to double up on our G's-

The Saints, The Judas-

The Hate from Losers-

We're so high up/ it's not the same air that we breathe-

But we Toast to them-

Hope that brings Hope to them-

If not/ they need a new trick up their damn sleeves-

Let's Toast to new lives born-

Soldiers in our war/ hope tradition carries on-

This is who we are/ action we can get it on-

Toast to UGAFLOW- everytime that we perform-

Toast to the Writer's pen-

Quotes of the fights we win-

Even Toast to the fights within-

We're in/ 'till it ends// or-

'Till we're sent for-

But until then/ we TOAST TO LIFE coz we're involved.

Verse 2

Many lives lost-

But we don't shed a tear-

We celebrate they were here-

So let's Toast-

Your house became a home-

So lets Toast to the mothers who stood firm/ and helped us all stand strong-

Where I come from-

Father's are dead-beat/ so let's Toast to those who helped their kids grow-

What we're here for-

Moving forward/ so let's Toast to the end of year's progress report-

Pour nothing out/ these drinks never go to waste-

So we fill glasses up/ and serve grapes-

Guess it's coz we're Royal-

Cut from the same cloth/ so we're loyal-

Toast to you/ coz we're here for you-

Hear from you-

So it's only right that we share the same view-

We reminisce as we drink it slow-

It's only right/

We TOAST TO LIFE/

Coz we're involved.

Song Title: Toast To Life

Produced by: Hannz TactiQ

(This Be The Realest Shit I've Ever Wrote)

THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER

I keep getting asked, "Why that name for an album?" It's very simple. I was born on September 8th (1990 :-)) and I started conceptualizing my album in the month of September 2005.

A couple of weeks before P-Tech passed away.

Originally, the album was supposed to center around my life. From my early days in Safari Kindergarten, to now. 

But I realised THAT album would be hard to digest and equally hard to deliver in Uganda. So that idea was thrown in the backseat and the punchlines, metaphors, wit, tough talk and all the sleekness and charm  in me took the front seat.

The album though shouldn't be dismissed because of that. No. It's definitely going to be a more rounded album than what most people listen to. 

Definitely going to draw from a lot of what the Ugandan public goes through. It has to really. That's the only life I have known, lived.

The Week Of September, or TWOS as I call it, (I'm really a Hillsider deep down) is real life. So I'm treating it that way. I get angry. I get happy. I get boisterous. I get bossy, shit. I damn near get horny on this album. Basically, I get real. Hope you will like what I deliver.

My Supporting cast:

* Navio

* Nonini

* Percussion Discussion Africa

* Don M.C.

* Tickie Tah

* Naava... And loads more

Chairman Of The Boards:

* Emon

* Aethan

* Koz N Effekt

* Hannz Tactiq

* Sam Lamara

THE MITH

-THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER-

No one does it better/

Black, Yellow Red on, it's NEVER looked fresher.

Song Review: Fire

Well be back Mith! Obviously the light shines bright on KlearKut’s Navio, however we are moving it swiftly to TheMith after hearing this track. There is a certain Jozi, South African feel to Mith’s delivery and it sounds good.

It’s never easy to break from a group and do solo projects without being faced with harsh criticism. With this song, Mith proves a good rapper, and even better story teller.

The reggae chorus makes the song movable, current and fun.

We think it’s gonna be fire.

Matooke Rating 9/10

http://matookenation.com/?p=1534

Mixtape Review - By Ernest Bazanye

CD Review 
September Reign Volume 1 
By Ernest Bazanye 


September Reign is being called a Mixtape, though the difference 
between this and a real album is moot. 16 tracks long, it begins with 
a light homage to the MC’s heroes, Jay-Z and Biggie. (“I like this guy 
because when he came out, he came out with the phrase, ‘I’m so UG.”) 
An intro which establishes that you are about to listen to a fine 
lyricist at the top of his game. 

As the CD progresses you will find plenty of reason agree that that 
sentiment was justified. Not only are his cunning punchlines plentiful 
and on point, but he has increasingly become more daring when he 
experiments with new rhyme schemes and new tools of wordplay, 
incorporating sharp alliterations, canny allusions to hip hop classics 
and sudden but vivid imagery of the Kampalan lifestyle. The writing is 
incredibly proficient, and this, I found myself thinking, as I reached 
the halfway point of September Reign, may be both its strongest point, 
and its greatest weakness. 

Because that last paragraph read like a school essay from Lit class. 
Technically The Mith is soaring, but while that may excite hardcore 
hip hop fans, will it appeal to the general crossover audience? The 
club? Those who just want to dance, who want to hear their music from 
speakers, not headphones? 

As the second part of the CD opens up, Mith seems to answer that 
question. An R&B love song with Benon, a joint with GNL (Where he does 
spit a Luganda verse) and the anthemic Watugamba by UNIQue should 
satisfy the club while not alienating the hardcore fans. 

Klear Kut joints have come and gone, but it’s only now that we are 
hearing the Mith of old. Brash and cocky and comedic, but also, 
beneath the jokes, aggressively determined to show you that he really 
is as good as he says he is. In hip hop parlance, we would say here, 
in September Reign, Vol. 1, we finally get to see the Mith really Go 
hard.