By Staff Writer
- Kalibala Peter (Trap Kid) wins inaugural edition and walks away with shs15, 000,000 cash prize, a one-year recording deal, MTN Pulse ambassador title as well as a chance to have his music uploaded to Tidal.
- The rap competition is one of the giant telecom company’s efforts to provide a platform for rappers to express themselves as they develop their talent
- MTN has been at the forefront of supporting this music genre in Uganda which has now grown in popularity from just being loved in high schools and karaoke to being one of the most loved genres in Uganda.
Peter Kalibala aka Trap Kid has beaten off stiff competition to emerge as the inaugural winner of the MTN Pulse Rap battles.
With this win, Kalibala (Trap kid) walked away with a cash prize worth shs15, 000,000 and a recording and management deal that includes mentorship for a period of six month as well as becoming an MTN Pulse ambassador.
He will also have his music uploaded to Tidal, an global music streaming app that is available to MTN customers and is owned by renowned American rapper, Jay-Z.
Tamusa Disan aka Gibbon MC was the first runner up while Timothy Bauma, aka The Homie was the second runner up winning shs7, 000,000 and shs5, 000,000 respectively.
Sponsored by Uganda’s leading telecom company and organised by KUNTA productions, , the MTN Pulse Rap Battles aimed at seeing young unknown talented Rappers take part in the competitions that will help them showcase their talent and be recognized in the entertainment circles.
“We have a lot of talented youths in the country, but they usually just lack a platform to showcase their talent. The MTN Pulse Rap Battles therefore sought to inspire youth to develop their music talents as a future source of livelihood but also offer the rap community a sustained opportunity to express their talent,” said Martin Sebuliba, MTN Uganda Senior Manager Brand and Communications.
The 13-episode televised show was set in a battle format in various settings like cages, streets, forests etc. in the presence of renowned judges, a super hyped host and the participation of the general public especially through digital.
The epic rap competition saw contestants face off in various categories such as; Pass on the Mic: A beat was dropped in a cypher set up and each rapper was to freestyle without losing the beat and passes on the mic after the given time period. Contestants were subjected to physical activity while rapping out. Speed test: Contestants were rewarded for speed and articulation. Spoken word: Contestants were challenged to write and perform the spoken word.
The competitions started in September 2019 and have been running for 6 months before the grand finale on Sunday, 8th March 2020 when the winners were announced.
MTN Uganda has been at the forefront of developing this music genre that has since grown from being only popular in High School and Karaoke to become one of the most loved music genre today led by the decent of Lugaflow, a type of music that accounts for almost 90% of urban music played today.
The other interventions the telecom giant has undertaken to develop this music genre is the support of the MTN HipHop awards now in its 4th year, to celebrate the contribution of individuals and organisations to this industry while awarding leading rappers.