By Emmanuel Ssejjengo
GNL Zamba has released a list of the people he refers to as the 10 greatest Ugandan rappers of all time.
The list has since raised a storm in the local hip hop circles, with his critics lambasting him for missing out what they deem are important personalities, while some have remained in complete agreement with him.
As an act in self-praise, GNL labelled himself as the Greatest Rapper of All Time (G.O.A.T) in Uganda, and that raised the expected controversy. How did he rate himself against his contemporaries? GNL went ahead to explain his criteria, which included lyrical skill, genre evolver, genre pusher, malleability, credibility, discography size, originality and longevity.
His critics also noted that his nemesis, Gravity Omutujju, did not make it to the list. GNL Zamba and Gravity have in the past had bitter exchanges on social media over who is better. He was, however, defended by some who argued that Gravity leans more to a localised brand of dancehall than hip hop.
The feminists also felt cheated that only Keko made it to the list of 10. Many, however, did not give options. Others wondered why the likes of Big Trill and Mun*G, who left GNL’s Baboon Forest label, did not make it to the list. Sour grapes?
GNL’s 10 greatest Uganda rappers of all time
- GNL Zamba
- Dlux Ibraw
- Mulekwa Nampeera
- Lyrical G
- Navio
- Silas Babaluku
- Lumix Da Don
- Keko
- Rocky Giant
- Feffe Bussi
Babaluku
Feffe Bussi
Keko
Navio
Lyrical G
The late Lumix
Rocky Giant
