By Our Reporter
There was a time when baggy jeans, oversized baseball jerseys and slanting caps defined the look of a night out. On Independence Eve, at Motiv, Kampala revisited that era as DJ Bugy staged the fifth edition of The Bugy Show, dubbed the Y2K Edition.
The outfits were a cocktail of early 2000s references. Some revellers arrived in oversized American football jerseys, while others embraced baggy jeans and slanting caps. One person even wore a plaster over one eye, recalling the look Nelly popularised during the Country Grammar era. There were also nods to TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, whose distinctive style left a lasting mark on hip-hop and R&B culture.
The idea was not to recreate the decade perfectly, but to interpret it individually.
That spirit aligned with Tusker Lite’s Own The Lite platform, which champions experiences where people can express themselves freely and celebrate their individuality.
“Music and fashion have always been powerful ways for people to express who they are, and the Y2K edition brought that to life,” said Denise Paula Nazzinda, brand manager of Tusker Lite. “Through Own The Lite, we want to be part of experiences that give people the freedom to show up as themselves, connect through shared moments and celebrate life in their own way.”
Before Bugy took over the decks, MCs Josh MC, Hanz MC, Omi MC, MC Wright and Saint Trevor kept the crowd engaged, while DJs Em That Guy, Dread Lazer, DJ Kai, Melvyn DJ, DJ Alza and Diziz took turns playing music from the era. Although newer songs occasionally crept into the sets, the DJs generally returned to the sounds that defined the theme.
Emerging performers Echoled, Neyma and Kyle Simbwa also took to the stage, adding a contemporary touch to the nostalgic experience.
When Bugy finally stepped up, he opened with classic R&B before moving into hip-hop and Uganda’s kidandali, playing familiar favourites such as Mungato, Wikendi and Kankyakyakye.
The night’s biggest moment came when he brought Navio and The Mith on stage. The rappers, currently promoting their collaborative album God LVL, revisited hits from the 2000s, performing verses from Mr DJ, Locomotive, Amaaso and Air UG. They later brought the performance into the present with Coast to Coast, from their new project.
The appearance connected the music that helped define an earlier era of Ugandan hip-hop with the artists’ current work.
For Bugy, whose journey into DJing began with online tutorials before growing into a career on Kampala’s entertainment circuit, The Bugy Show has become an exercise in curating experiences rather than simply playing music.
At Motiv, the music, fashion and performances brought that idea to life. With Tusker Lite’s Own The Lite philosophy woven into the experience, revellers were free to interpret the decade in their own way.
By the end of the night, the Y2K edition had offered more than nostalgia. It reminded Kampala that old songs can still bring people together while creating new memories.