Flex D'Paper

Flex D'Paper
Background information
Birth name	Alex Julius Kwesigabo
Born	Kampala, Uganda
Occupation(s)	Rapper, Producer
Associated acts	Dasper Cosine, Klear Kut, Aethan music, GNL Zamba, Navio , Keko , Allan Toniks , A Pass
Website	www.iamflexdpaper.com

Alex Julius Kwesigabo (born 19 January 1990), better known by his stage name Flex D'Paper, is a Ugandan rapper and songwriter born and raised in Kampala.^[1] Starting off his music career, Flex D'Paper was part of the high school rap group, The Rapaholix, which he started with friends, Dasper Cosine and later joined by Apass as an affiliate with whom the trio put out a mix tape, The Eviction Notice^[2] that included chart topping singles like "Burning", "Party Life" and "Follow Me" (with Allan Toniks) which topped countdowns in Uganda such as NTV and Sanyu FM.^[3][4] Flex D'Paper was part of the 2014 UG Cypher including the finest Ugandan rappers: Navio, Keko, Big Tril, Don MC, AirporTaxi rappers (Tucker and LLyboc) St. Nelly Sade, GNL Zamba, DJ Global, JB, The Mith, Ruyonga, and Atlas.^[5][6]

Early life and education

Flex D’Paper was born on 19 January 1990 in Kampala. He comes from a family of eight children. He studied his primary school from Greenhill Academy and his secondary school from Seeta High School for Ordinary Level and St. Mary’s Kitende for Advanced level. He later enrolled to Makerere University for a degree in Information Technology.^[7]

Career

2012–2016: Eviction Notice Mixtape and other recordings

On an interview with Hot 100.9 fm in Uganda, Flex D'Paper explained how he got his name from being flexible because of the different styles of music that he can write as well as ghostwrite for other artists, while Paper is a name he got for being motivated to get the money, which many would call paper.^[8] He gets his influence from Jay Z, BIG, Nas, Snoop among other artists.^[8] Together with the group, they performed at many High school occasions and later went ahead to release a joint mixtape in 2013, with Ugandan chart topping singles like "Shutting Down Towns" featuring Martha Smallz produced by Aethan, a top hip hop producer in Uganda.^[9] and "Follow Me" featuring Allan Toniks.^[10][11] In 2013, Flex D’Paper went ahead to do solo music, and followed it up with the hit "More" featuring Kemishan. Produced by Baru.^[12] He put out only one single as he completed work on his yet to be released album, The Kampala Boy.

In 2014, he released the single "Leader" with Sheila Wya^[13] which premiered on Mckenzie's Weekly top twenty countdown,^[14] a popular radio personality and number six in Africa on Channel O list.^[15] It was also played and featured on Mister Deejay's SNMS show,^[16] a popular radio personality in Uganda and Africa who made it to the Channel O top radio personalities list.^[17] Flex D'Paper released the video to "Leader" in 2015, a song that has gone ahead to make it to most countdowns in Uganda and East Africa as well.^[18][19]

In 2015, Flex D'Paper was invited by the United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda to rap and perform alongside the Next Level group while in Kampala, An initiative of the US State Dept & UNC Music Department to send artists around the world to use hip-hop as a tool for cultural diplomacy & conflict resolution.^[20][21]

He has shared a stage and performed alongside some of Uganda's and East Africa's best artists like Navio, GNL Zamba, Allan Toniks, Keko, Chameleone Bebe Cool, Octopizzo from Kenya ^[22][23] Radio & Weasel among others and opened for international act, Ne-Yo.^[24][25]

Flex D'Paper with rapper Navio at the Neyo live in concert show 2015, in Kampala, Uganda.

In 2015, Flex D'Paper was once again among the top rappers/ emcees to be featured on the official Ugandan rap cypher (Ug Cypher 2) that included Navio, the mith, Ruyonga, and St. Nelly-Sade among others.^[26][27][28] In 2016, Flex D'Paper put out a Ugandan remix to popular Kenyan song Ting Badi Malo, originally performed by Khaligraph Jones ^[29] and later Day Ones, featuring Navio and Martha Smallz. The song made it to number one on the biggest Urban radios in Uganda, like Sanyu Fm^[30][31] and Radiocity's Top Twenty Countdown.^[32][33] and later was listed among the top Hip Hop songs from Uganda for 2016, by Tribe.Ug.^[34]

In October 2016, Flex D'Paper after releasing a compilation CD, with the different freestyles and singles he set off for a city tour in Europe performing at festivals and clubs starting with Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Berlin in Germany and later Brussels.

MTV Base in November 2016, named Flex among the top MCs from Uganda on the BaseTop MCs Uganda list 2016.^[35][36]

In 2017, Flex D'Paper was nominated for the Buzz Teens annual music awards in Uganda for the single Day Ones that features Navio (rapper) and Martha Smallz produced by Aethan music . ^{[37] [38]} Later he went on to put out his first solo mixtape Not For Sale (mixtape) in June, that featured the chart topping single Yenze Aliko producd by Mio Made. ^{[39] [40]}

Musical style

Flex D'Paper describes his hip hop as Uga Flow (Ugandan flow) It is a blend of western rap and African traditional beats.

Discography

Singles

Mixtapes

Eviction Notice with Rapaholix Music members and affiliates. (2012)

Not for Sale mixtape by Flex D'Paper

Awards and nominations

Rapaholix clothing line

Ugandan rapper Navio rocking a Rapaholix snapback by Flex D'Paper's clothing line

In 2012, Flex D'Paper created his own clothing line, The Rapholix Wear because of his love for fashion and new trends.^[47] The brand has gained popularity over time especially among the youth and different public figures.^[48][49]

Personal life

0n 17 May 2015, Flex D'Paper was shot in the hip at approximately 5:00 am at a residential complex in Wandegeya, Kampala by the place's Security.^[50][51] This was due to a misunderstanding between the two after Flex was denied entry into the place. Only close friends and family were allowed to visit him at the hospital, His manager later revealed that his injuries were not life-threatening and said he was "fine" and recovering.^[51][52][53]

Endorsements

One Million Campaign Against Cancer (1MC)

In 2015, Flex D'Paper together with other artists, Keko, Daisy Ejang, Nava Grey, comedian Pablo among others joined the One Million Campaign Against Cancer, a campaign by Uganda Child Cancer Foundation aimed at supporting children and young persons suffering from cancer in Uganda.

Flex D'paper, with rapper Keko and singers Naava Grey and Daisy Ejang (ambassadors for the One Million Campaign Against Cancer)

Ambition Mission

In 2015, Flex D'Paper was also among the young artists and public figures that represented the Ambition Mission. Some of the artists include Juliana Kanyomozi, Eddy Kenzo, Mun G among others. The non-government organization was behind campaigns like "I Am Ambition Mission, Sili Taaba'', an anti-tobacco campaign.

Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli In March 2016, Flex D'Paper was part of the artists in Uganda that joined Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli a charity based organisation located in St. Pauli/Hamburg campaigning for fresh water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

The organization held a concert where the artists including Flex D'Paper performed alongside some international acts like Octopizzo from Kenya, Ghanaian Stallion, Lady Slyke, Sylvester & Abramz among others.^[22]

In 2017, at the World Water Day celebrations held in Moroto Uganda, he performed alongside other ambassadorsm keko, The Mith and Maro.

References

External links

• Official website
• Flex D'Paper and Dasper Cosine ft Tracy. Burning (Music video). Rapaholix Music.