Hip hop formation Bataka Squad (Babaluku aka Sniperous MC, Saba Saba aka Krazy Native and MC Big Poppa Momo) was founded in Kampala, Uganda 1994 under the name Bataka Underground. They are considered the originators of Luganda hip hop and one of the oldest groups of Ugandan hip hop. They became known in the local scene with the hits ‘Atooba’, produced by Mukalazi, and ‘Ssesetula'. Bataka Squad rapper Krazy Native started to develop social political conscious lyrics, which brought the group to perform in Rwanda and Burundi.
In 2000, the group released the album ‘The Foundation’ with songs like ‘Ndimubi’, ‘Lets Ride’, ‘The Foundation’ and  ‘Eno Ensi’. Bataka Squad worked with Niga Soul, Newton and Lyrical G and Shrine but became quiet for a while soon after.

Each of the members of Bataka Squad went their own way until 2005 when Babaluku came back to Uganda from a stay in Canada to produce the documentary ‘Diamonds in the Rough’ with Dj 3rdi. The documentary portrays Bataka Squad and other hip hop artists in Uganda who are fighting fore positive change in their communities, not just through their words, but through deeds and actions that give back to the community. During the filming of this documentary, they linked up with Female MC Tshila, who, grounded in the roots of African music, contributed to their album ‘The Revolution’ (2005).  Bataka Squad won the Pearl of Africa Music Award for best Hip Hop Single with the song ‘Utake Anthem’ in 2007.

GENRE: Hip Hop
COUNTRY: Uganda

RECORDLABEL: Tujababya Productions
WEBSITE: http://www.batakasquad.com