WARRIOR (The Single The Story The Mindset)

                                      WARRIOR (The Single The Story The Mindset)                                

Every time I hold my pad and pen to write a song, the one thing I ensure I keep is the element of “relativity” by this I mean I want the listener to be able to relate to what am rapping about, I want the listening party at the back of their head to think “yap I have been there”, so when my boy McKenzie of Rude boy Music emailed to me the beat to #WARRIOR the same element fell into play.

The Oxford advanced dictionary defines a Warrior as a person who fights in a battle or a war, so where is the point of relation you ask?? .I view life in these days and times as a battle or war in itself, I mean with the struggle to paid rent in time that’s if you’re lucky to find a descent place to rent, complete ever hiking school fees, finding gainful employment in a ocean of unemployment, staying safe in a town where Politicians and police clash causing life threatening chaos, bitter hard to work with bosses and the list goes on and on and on. These are wars these are battles that everyday Ugandans  are facing and somehow still survive, somehow get up day after day, week in week out, year after year and still push, still live and still have dreams and go out to achieve them. This is the will, the spirit that makes them Warriors, this is the story that inspired my writing of the single #WARRIOR cause to me if through it all, your still moving on, you’re a warrior my friend.

I wrote the lyrics seated on the floor of my campus hostel room and I strongly believe (not because I wrote it but even if, sh*t I reserve the right to be bias over my own sh*t,cool?) if you listen to the lyrics you will find a line that directly or at least indirectly relates to your life, that of a friend, a relative or a story you heard or lived. If you look close enough you will see a society filled with Warriors just given different names, For instance I think mothers are Warriors, I mean they produce and look after the gift of life for years despite all the bullsh*t society throws at women, it’s rare that a woman will heartlessly walk out on her child, they stand their ground no matter what, warrior like right? . I also think a Ugandan police officer is a warrior(on this you may agree or not, depending on your situation with the law),but by this I mean Ugandans are one group of hardheaded drama loving people, let’s take two examples, look at the A4C activists who cause trouble every week and clash with police routinely then to that Ugandan boda boda man who intentionally skipped driving school and rides recklessly and has the balls to insult the traffic officer standing under the blaze of the sun choking on dust(ironically dressed in all white), trust me this police officer work is warrior ish…...

The single was recorded at Yego Productions with producer J.T.The single #Warrior was recorded and released in June 2011 on Hot100 and received good airplay upon release, then in 2012 it was re-released and distributed to all leading urban radio stations in preparation for the release of its video, Follow this link to watch the Video http://youtu.be/daNeyfr7REU The video was shot by Gost screen and post production was done by Guleytonda Roland of LL Pictures. The single #WARRIOR is available for free download, Follow this link to download the singlehttp://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_8913321

So the question is, are you a Warrior???...................

   

MY GENESIS MIXTAPE(The Behind The Scenes Story)

                                   MY GENESIS MIXTAPE (The Behind The Scenes  Story)

As I write this, so many thoughts  run through my mind, like the fact that am blogging about a mixtape I recorded in 2009/10 then put it out in 2011,its 2012 now, why the delay? I ask myself as I write this, then it hits me, this mixtape is my story, a reflection of my musical journey and nobody is going to tell my story better than me,so here we go…

I chose the title ’’MY GENESIS” after months of mentally changing the name of the mixtape over and over, any artist will tell you that choosing a title is tricky business. Every artist wants that title that stands out, relates to the project content entirely. In most cases the title is a reflection of the artist state of mind while working on the project. After working on this project I felt I was still at the start, the beginning, the genesis… MY GENESIS..

Understand to me this project is/was my baby, my first born ,my first full musical compilation over 14 songs(it felt good looking at a box full with my own cds marked and labeled with my name,damn). I learnt a lot off this project and made so many mistakes while getting it done. At times when I listen to it I can’t help but think “damn that there is an error”, but hey you live you learn and you have to start somewhere and this is where I started. Recording at Muddy Boots Studios with Producer B.Styles (and the 1^st recording session lasted 3 hours), then moved to R.O.W Records and Bava Studios with Producers Big Mart and Magic Mike who produced most of the songs, then YEGO Productions also contributed to the project with work from producer J.T.

For a first mixtape you can’t deny the artists featured on it were/are a solid line up, Enygma, Sulfuric, Lyrikal Proof, Hardcore Prince, XOD, Lethal, Tbro, Naava Grey,KrackBone and Trigger who are all artists with their own followings. Quite a line up right? Since this was my first project I wasn’t  knowing  about a lot of things especially in the areas of marketing and promoting my artwork, however at the time I put it out I was still in university, I sold a copy to every class mate whether they liked hip hop or not they got a copy. A Copy went for 5000/= Shs I sold 169 copies among classmates, friends and family.( Do the math). To me in a small way this was/is a victory in this journey of mine. I moved with a bunch of cds for every lecture every party every gathering where I could sell a copy. I learnt a lot and still keep learning every day. Earlier this year I made the whole mixtape available for download for free and with every download a little bit of me is shared with the world, somewhere in this world someone is bumping my shit through their speakers and that makes me happy, very happy.

As I write this am on to my next project my next mixtape hoping that that the mistakes I made off my 1^st mixtape don’t happen again on this next project, I want to brag less and inspire more off the next project, if conscious music bores you then this may not be a mixtape for you, not being cocky just being honest. I however thank every person who contributed to this project from the artists who granted me their voices and time on tracks, getting a collaboration is a different ball game all together with artists having different hectic and on the move lifestyles it means a lot. Shout out to the producers/beat makers who provided the beats for the project. I cannot stress how much this of a learning process this was lot of ups and downs and UMEME didn’t make it any easy and of course the dishonesty that comes with the game (The topic of dishonesty is wide and deep some other time we may look into that, cool?)

If you asked me to rate my first mixtape without bias that would be impossible but let’s just say I rated it anyway, I would give it 9/10 (and yeah before you yap mbu am being biased go record your own shit then rate it “objectively”)..Moving on..Here is a link to the “MY GENESIS”mixtape http://www.reverbnation.com/opu, it’s up for free download.Kiss it or diss it. Either way am still the O.P.U and this is my story.. :-)

Who Is The O.P.U??

O.P.U is a Hip Hop Artist hailing from Uganda in East Africa.He was born in 1988 in a family of 8 children and happens to be the last born.His father was a high court judge and mother was a nurse and is currently a private business woman.His father was from Koboko and mother from Arua.
O.P.U attended Safari Kindergarden,then went to Eas Kololo Primary School for his Primary Education.For his high school he went to St.lawrence Citizens' High School then finally to Uganda Christian University where he pursued a bachelor's degree in Social Work and Social Administration.During his time at school he was a head boy a record 3 times.
O.P.U interest in music showed at an early age as he started writing songs as early as 11 years old.He was strongly influenced by music shows like jam agenda and the music Channel MCM,a channel he would watch late into the nigth.His early influnces were Backstreet boys,NSYNC,BoyZone,5ive before being introduced to hip hop music.It all started when his elder sister gave him a tape of Mase's "DOUBLE UP" album,after that there was no looking back as O.P.U started his own Hip Hop music collection of rappers like Bow wow,Snoop,Eminem,2pac,Notorious BIG,Mase,Puff Daddy e.t.c.He was an active member of his high school drama club and mimed several songs during his time at school.
Professionally the first time O.P.U ever stepped into a recording studio was 2009 at Muddy Boot Studios.His first song was called "put yo hands up" produced by beatmaker Mupe.The song didnot do well and was actually rejected by a leading radio station as "a in-complete song".As a result O.P.U went back to the drawing board,he recorded several tracks but released non til late 2010 when SMILE OF A CHILD with ENYGMA and NAVVA GREY got on radio.http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_11991803(Link to the Song Smile Of A Child)
O.P.U has worked with several hip hop stars in Uganda like ENYGMA,KEKO,JT,NAVVA GREY,BLACK REIGN,HARDCORE PRINCE,LETHAL,TBRO,SULFURIC,LYRIKAL PROOF,TRIGGA among others.
He is currnetly managed and promoted under his own label O*NATION.In full O.P.U is Original Precise Unique,a name adopted from his real names Opu Isaac.He is an occasional poet,writer,story teller and any other pen and paper related tittle..Any questions???