Saba Saba - Biography

Biography

Born in Jinja, Uganda, during the dictatorship of Idi Amin, Saba Saba spent the early years of his life running from place to place with his family to avoid political turmoil and fighting. He went to Kabojja primary and later Kasasa Secondary where his hiphop career kicked off after he met Lyrical G, one of the members of the crew Bataka Underground - later the Bataka Squad - Bataka means 'native' in Luganda. Saba's first taste of the mic was in 1992, a few months after he saw the movie 'Wild Style', a hiphop breakdance video. The game changed for Saba in 1994 when he hooked up with the Bataka Underground. On the team was Babaluku, Momo MC, and Lyrical G. They were later joined by Newton, Chagga, Shillingz, Furious B from Burundi, Larat, Lyn, and Slob MC the youngest of the crew.

The Bataka crew had their first major performance in Mwanza, Tanzania and recorded their first single 'ATOOBA',written by Babaluku and produced by Mukalazi. The single was only able hit the airwaves three years later, as a result of the lack of hiphop appreciation and the negative stereotype associated with hiphop by radio stations. The song became a favorite on the underground hiphop scene and is still regarded as a Ugandan hiphop classic. The song was one of the first major hiphop songs sung in Luganda or Lugaflow, the native Ugandan language - Lugaflow.