Back to the Source in Uganda | The EQ Issue 5
DC’s legendary Bad Humn Arthaus crew fly to Uganda with WBL for an enriching cultural diplomacy experience.
Through the eyes of hip-hop, perspectives of triumphs, tribulations and art demonstrate the long tradition of African storytelling and cultural tradition. Hip-hop is an indigenous art form and expression, and it is unique to reach back to the source and share in the rich traditions of exchanging rhythmic calls and responses with tribal unity. Theory, Dimensions (DIMES), Lord Betta, Ben and Noyeek The Grizzly Bear make up the charismatic and genius collective known as badhumnARTHAUS now known as the MERIDIAN. In the latest iteration of Words Beats & Life Inc.’s dedication to cultural diplomacy in hip-hop, Founder and Executive Director Mazi Mutafa traveled with the five multidisciplinary artists as cultural diplomats. The annual Ugandan festival is an Indigenous hip-hop leadership event designed for artists to “explore the transformative power in reconnecting emerging hip-hop communities to their indigenous spirit.” The Meridian joined elders, scholars and practitioners to encourage education for liberation among young indigenous leaders. With leaders from Uganda, Africa, Europe, North America and Australia, this conference was designed to hold space to share skills and sustainable strategies for entrepreneurial visions.
In true WBL fashion, each member brought a depth of experience, knowledge and principles to shaping the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) hip-hop sound. With roots up and down the East Coast, and a longer lineage on the Continent of Africa, badhumnARTHAUS creates music that moves beyond the realm of time and space. Bringing unique rhythms that tap into the source of Indigenous African sounds that we know as hip-hop, they are true pioneers of this art form. Traversing through experimental sonic terrains and breaking down various barriers within the music industry, the MERIDIAN is the latest iteration of the legacy of badhumnARTHAUS’s music in the DMV and around the world.
During the group’s inception, founding members Infinite Loop, Noyeek, DIMES and THEORY released several albums since 2009. With each new member joining at different periods of the group’s forming, the creation story of badhumnARTHAUS has had many twists and turns. Through every stitching of the fabric of this collective, each member has a unique origin story, each representing a deeply complex part of this hip-hop transformer badhumnARTHAUS. From Infinite Loop to A.R.K., each member of badhumnARTHAUS caught the sounds of producers Lord Betta, THEORY and Ben. In every era of the collective through present day, Words Beats & Life Inc. has been there each step of the journey. From 20 years of collaborations to the tune of the five pillars of hip-hop (knowledge, MCing, DJing, graffiti and breakdancing), badhumnARTHAUS and Words Beats & Life inc. brought the energy and sound of DMV to Uganda. Fusing their love of the culture, the music and the art form, the cohort connected with fellow stewards of the culture in a mutual honorarium of the hip-hop art form.
“Hip hop is OUR culture.” - Noyeek The Grizzly Bear
In the moments between the rhymes, the intricate rhythms create a melodic force that drives the narrative of badhumnARTHAUS’s storytelling and iterations. Now known as the MERIDIAN, you can hear the influences of local sounds like go-go in the enclaves of their melodies, another indigenous African art form created by African-Americans in Washington, D.C., in the mid-to late 1970s. It would be insurmountable to make these connections of how Black artists have continued to transform the music landscape today without referring back to the source. Artistic formulas for new waves of music genres have always been present in the history of the African diaspora. The rhythms and melodies once played on war drums and for elemental dances have transformed into what we have come to know as hip-hop. Much like its originators, the MERIDIAN has created its own unique sound from the roots of its musicianship and lived experiences as young Black men growing up during the inception of this trailblazing genre. With influences from other traditions of music, each member can vividly recount how music has changed their lives at different stages. Using their ability to create anew each iteration of badhumnARTHAUS, each member recalls the journeys of their art through connecting with prolific visual artists as well as some of the most gifted producers among the DMV and beyond. Using the stories within to cultivate rich stories that are nestled between infinite loops, they have carried these seeds to the motherland for this immersion into Uganda as cultural diplomats.
“I never thought hip-hop would take us this far.” - Lord Betta
The first of many full-circle moments for the group, traveling to Uganda as cultural diplomats for their artistry and embodiment of the ingenuity of hip-hop has reignited some of the woes that come with participating in this industry. Because of the ways they have ushered in the DMV hip-hop sound and scene, this opportunity is obviously aligned with their tenacity for remixing the old, creating the new, and innovating with the future. Described as a “whirlwind of activity” through the lens of THEORY (producer), this lush country nestled to the west of Kenya and north of Tanzania encompasses rich natural resources and even more abundance in creative sounds. Beyond creativity, the void of familiar tropes and egos that plague mainstream hip-hop in the West created a refreshing experience for the group. Similar to the forming, storming and norming of a group, or song, they immediately felt the shared connection to the community. The synchronicity of their cultural communication to the continent was inevitable as they began their creative process in Uganda. With heavy importance on connecting to the land and exchanging free expression among other artists, badhumnARTHAUS shared in the inspirations of the past, present and future of hip-hop artists.
“It’s a source speaking through us.”- Dimensions, DIMES
Much like the camaraderie they experienced in Uganda, badhumnARTHAUS members describe at length how the experience with other hip-hop ambassadors resembled the pivotal elements of experiment and play that come with making music. Noyeek (a.k.a. The Grizz), recalls how being in Uganda felt like participating in the culture in ways fundamental to the traditions. Twenty and many moons ago, this cultural diplomacy partnership with badhumnARTHAUS generated new horizons for getting acquainted with the core knowledge of self. As Dimensions (a.k.a. DIMES) offers a new outlook on the perspectives of breaking the mold of the marketplace hip-hop, he insists we should examine our relationship with the heart of Africa, which is the people. He notes that leading with your heart and making connections with the people are part of the alignment of the hip-hop future … and that has been made clear.
From consistency and patience, the MERIDIAN reminds us of the ability to tap into the joys of the lessons of the ten thousand hours and how it should remind you of the source of your unique expression. Working out the aggressions of life and pain, as well as the ebb and flow of joy, this collective is practicing gratitude for new ways of thinking about their craft. Peering into this creative journey, the group hopes to continue combining various elements of their identities into their future vision of hip-hop. From culinary arts, education and financial literacy, badhumnARTHAUS is envisioning a hip-hop future that creates a true sense of community and stability for artists inside and outside the industry. In the rich tradition of creating space for release, the source of hip-hop is always resonant in each period of the group through the MERIDIAN.
Written by: Crystal Alexandra
