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 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.
In 1998, the Bataka crew continued to dominate the hiphop scene and in December, Saba beat a long list of musicians of the day including members of his crew and won the `Mr. Club Silk' Contest for his social-political ballistic rhymes of the day.
In 1999, the Bataka Crew was at the climax of their game rocking at most of the major events of the time. `Bana Beka' one of their other songs got crowds bobbing heads to the sound of one of the realest Ugandan hiphop songs.
The same year, Saba changed his style of rhyme from the braggadocio lyricist to the social political conscious rapper. They then began working on their major project, the overdue hiphop album from Bataka, `Foundation'. `The Foundation' album was released in 2000 and hit the underground hiphop scene containing songs like `Ndimubi' (Am bad), `Lets ride', `The Foundation', `Eno Ensi' (This world), the hit singles `Ssesetula' and `Atooba' and other songs.
BATAKA SQUAD-"AMAWULILE"
In 2001, Saba Saba, Chizo, DJ Benarda, alongside some of the Bataka crew, went for a tour in Kigali, Rwanda and Bujumbura, Burundi. Bujumbura gave Bataka so much love and are still revered up to today. The same year, they hooked up with `Niga Soul' one of the best rap groups in Bujumbura and had several performances together in places like Havana and Casanova, Burundi.
In 2005 Saba Saba changed his stage name from Krazy Native to Saba Saba to reflect his growth as an artist and his increased political and social consciousness of his homeland Uganda and Africa as a whole. That same year, Saba Saba and Frances Agaba represented Uganda at the UN's Global Hip Hop Summit in South Africa. Saba Saba performed at the Summit, hosted by Guru of Gangstarr and featuring .
In 2005 Saba Saba released a single and video `Tujababya'. He was nominated for both best hip hop artist and best hip hop single in the 2005 Pearl of Africa Music Awards [1]. By the beginning of 2006 he released the album titled `Tujjababya the hardway' which highlights the tribulations of a Ugandan hiphop artist. Songs from this album include Wansi Wagalu that addressed police brutality, and an accompanying video which documented the riots in Kampala during the 2005 presidential campaign. Tujjababya is now a hiphop community anthem celebrating the suppressions of the local hiphop artist by the main stream media.
In 2006 Saba Saba began a quest to introduce thousands of Americans to the sounds of Lugaflow and inspire dialogue about African history and the globalization of African hip hop.
2007 holds great things for Saba Saba, including the release of "Diamonds in the Rough" a documentary produced by 3rdi aka Brett Mazurek, about the efforts of Bataka Squad members Saba Saba and Babaluku using music to inspire and bring hope to the young children of Uganda who are facing great odds, such as AIDS and poverty.
Saba Saba will also be contributing to the Bavubuka All Starz compilation CD, taking on more shows in the United States and completing his next album "Cup of Coffee with Idi Amin", a reference to a reflection on the history and complex politics of Uganda.
"HARAMBEE"(2010)- SABA SABA feat E.Dee
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