Birth name Patrick Lumumba Genres Hip hop/luo rap Years active 1995–2015 | Origin Kampala, Uganda Occupation(s) Hip hop emcee/producer Labels Valley Curve Recordz | |
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Born February 21, 1978 ( 1978-02-21 ) Died 13 July 2015, Naguru, Uganda | ||
Lumix Da Don
Lumix Da Don, a.k.a Patrick Lumumba (February 21, 1978 – July 13, 2015), was an underground Ugandan rapper, record producer, founder and CEO of Valley Curve Recordz. He is also the producer with the most singles produced and recorded in Uganda. Although he was Northern Uganda's most visible personality, he stayed low-key in the central parts of Uganda. He remained famous among the old school emcees and some of the hardest hip hop fans.
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Most of Lumix's singles were either freestyles or were written 5–10 minutes before being recorded. Due to his catchy and crystal clear rhyme delivery techniques, Lumix Da Don earned his place as the most quoted artist in Uganda.
Career
Lumix Da Don started his career in Jinja College School in Jinja district in the eastern part of Uganda. While at Jinja College, he participated in rap contests where he proved he could have a place in hip hop. He started out with a group known as SNAG N' O and later formed the Disciples of Apocalypse (DOA).
Lumix was one of the founding fathers of hip hop in Uganda at large. This involved his going out and rapping in different night spots in Kampala in the company of other emcees including Lyrical G, Krazy Native a.k.a Saba Saba, Saint CA, Easy Tex, MC Yalla, Sylvester and Abrahams.
He won rap battles in Uganda that were organized at Club Silk, making him the three-time battle winner for three consecutive years (1998, 1999 and 2000).
In 2003, he recorded his first song, "Get Down", but felt something was lacking in the production. He then embarked on mastering the art of production, thus creating his own sound.
By 2005, he had created a 14 track album titled Inpe Ngeyo (literally, You Don't Know Me), from which he garnered a massive following in Northern Uganda. Lumix Da Don singlehandedly made hip hop an urban genre to be appreciated by the rural people. He then became widely known for his rhymes.
Production style
He is arguably the best hip hop producer in Uganda and most likely Africa at large. Lumix's beats were very catchy. He mastered the art of production, and a series of hardcore hip hop emcees followed his lead. The long catalogue of emcees included NL Squad (YBP, Tim Tovi and Big Pryce), Tha Rawfam, Detroit, D-Trick, Detroit, Fx, GNL Zamba, Lyrical G, Nob D, GOC (Guys Of Controversy), Heights, and Fellipe.
His production prowess got him a slot as an executive producer for the "Hip Hop Canvas" in 2006. Its emcees included Lyrical G, The LuoAncestors (Gipir and Labong), Emma Katya, Saint CA, Krazy Native and Easy Tex.
Lawraid Vibes, Easy Tex, Oukins, and Junior Lee are producers who were mentored by Lumix Da Don. Many have made careers off his mentorship. Easy Tex is now a producer with DEG (Deuces Entertainment Group), Lawraid has been helping build careers in multiple studios including Urban Aksent, and Junior Lee migrated to South Sudan and is running a studio there. Another notable emcee that grew under Lumix's watch is GNL, for whom Lumix mentored and produced for Omusajja in 2005. GNL now runs Baboon Forest, a record label in Uganda.
Death
On 13 July 2015 at about 12:00 am, Lumix Da Don died due to Liver failure. He was laid to rest in his ancestral home in Laroo Division in Gulu district, Uganda.
His burial was epic, and it was rumored that a school in Kitgum closed down for a while on the demise of the rapper as the moods there were very low. There was a 3-4 hour jam on Gulu – Juba road from about 11 pm (EAT) as thousands of fans gathered in disbelief while waiting for the body to arrive. His untimely death occurred at a time when most of the youth (students) were at school. The number of spectators would have been even greater if the body had arrived during daytime.
On 15 July 2015 the native artists fund-raised for the legend through a car wash. The body was then taken to the District Council Hall for public viewing for the whole day where thousands of fans paid their respects to him. It is also said that some businesses in the Gulu streets halted.
That evening there was a football match between the artistes and radio presenters where all the funds raised were taken to the family. There was also a fundraiser concert; the proceeds were passed to the family.
On 16 July 2015, prayers were held and that afternoon thousands flocked for the burial and there were performances at the burial scene.
It was said that Lumix Da Don will have a street or road named after him, that his picture will be put in the District Council Hall as one of Acholi greats, and that there would be a billboard in the center of Gulu Town in honor of the Legend.
Radio stations and individuals also dedicated all their resources to playing Lumix's songs, tributes and the like. One of his last recorded singles, "Try", went viral, and is also a chart topper in the region.
"He (Lumix Da Don) liked hip hop; he introduced hip hop at the time many feared venturing in it. It was hip hop that my brother loved and no one in the family objected to it", said Ochan Ronald, Lumix's young brother.
Accolades and honors
In 2011, Lumix Da Don beat the odds as he was crowned as Northern Uganda's Artiste of the Year in Uganda's PAM (Pearl of Africa Music) Awards for the single "Dirty Job".
On 2 January 2016, he won a posthumous award for "Try" as the Single of the Year at the Northern Uganda Entertainment Awards (NUEA).
Lumix is considered to be the foundation stone for hip hop in Northern Uganda and partly Uganda at large.
Condolences
Fans and the rap community in Uganda poured out their heartfelt condolences to the fallen veteran hip hop general. Radio stations' call logs were jammed as every fan wanted to say a word for him. Others did the same using the media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
GNL Zamba postad on his Facebook page, "He recorded my first demo for the songs yenze & Lukka on the Album koi koi at 3am after walking from ntinda centre with Easy teks to his house and we worked together on the Hip Hop canvass project.True Manhood song too, we Battled whenever we met, freestyled together. Lumix has been a true Pioneer of HipHop in Uganda. The loss of another Ntinda soldier, LugaFlow General, Friend and Ol'G. I will miss you Lumix."
Another notable rapper, Navio posted on his Facebook page, "Rest in Peace to the legend Lumix. An artist who came out of Gulu doing what he loved most - Hip hop. Rest in Peace to the Generale' Lumix!"