Flex D'Paper

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]

Flex D'Paper
Flex D'Paper photoshoot in Germany.
Background information
Birth nameAlex Julius Kwesigabo
Born19 - January - 1990
Kampala, Uganda
GenresHip Hop / Trap
Occupation(s)Rapper, Producer
InstrumentsVocals
Associated actsDasper Cosine, Klear Kut, Aethan music, GNL Zamba, Navio, Keko, Allan Toniks, A Pass
Websitewww.flexdpaper.com

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

During 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 comes from being motivated to get the money, and change his environment for the better. It’s on the same interview that he says, he gets his influence from Jay Z, BIG, Nas and more.[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 Bryan Mckenzie's Weekly top twenty countdown, on Radiocity.[14] a popular radio and TV personality in Uganda.[15] It was also played and featured on Mister Deejay's SNMS show,[16] another popular radio personality in Uganda.[17] Flex D'Paper released the video to "Leader" in 2015, a song that went 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 artists like Navio, Maro, Megaloh, Ghanaian Stallion 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] 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 Base Top MCs Uganda list 2016.[35][36]

2017: Not For Sale mixtape release and other recordings

In 2017, he went on to put out his first solo mixtape Not For Sale (mixtape) in June, that featured the chart topping single Yenze Aliko produced by Mio Made.[37][38] The mixtape also includes Never Give Up a collaboration recorded with Germany rapper, Mako Loco.[39]

Day Ones featuring Navio and Martha Smallz, a single off the mixtape was nominated for The Buzz Teeniez Awards for Hip Hop Song of the year. The remix to the song was later put out featuring Mako Loco and P Bane both rappers from Germany.

On October 16, 2017, the Mixtape release party was held at the Uganda Germany Cultural Center a platform he used to introduce other various artists to show case as well.[40] [41]

In the Ug Hip Hop Awards 2017, the mixtape won Mixtape Of The Year award [42][43][44]

2019 - present

Yenze Aliko, a single by Flex won the song of the year award at MTN UG Hip Hop awards On 8 February 2019 at the annual MTN Ug HipHop awards, Flex D'Paper's single Yenze Aliko was announced as the Song Of The Year.[45][46] The awards are sponsored by MTN Uganda a leading telecom company in Uganda.

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
Day Ones2016(featuring Navio and Martha Smallz) Produced by The Aethan
Yenze Aliko2017Produced by Mio Made
Level Up2019Produced by Mio Made [47] [48]

Mixtapes

Not for Sale mixtape by Flex D'Paper [49]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Ceremony Prize Work/Recipient
2016
 UG Hip Hop Awards Best Inspirational Song [50][51][52] Victory Song ft. Ruyonga and Levixone
2017
 Buzz Teeniez Awards Hip Hop Song Of The Year [53][54][55] Day Ones ft. Navio and Martha Smallz
2017
 UG Hip Hop Awards Mix tape Of The Year [56][57][42] NOT FOR SALE
2017
 UG Hip Hop Awards Sweet 16 (Verse of the Year) [56] 6AM In Nairobi freestyle
2019
 MTN UG Hip Hop Awards Song Of The Year [45][58][46][59] Yenze Aliko
2019
 HiPipo Music Awards Rap Song Of The Year [60][61][62][63] Yenze Aliko
2020
 MTN UG Hip Hop Awards Video Of The Year [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] [69] [70] Level Up
2020
 Hipipo Music Awards Hip Hop Song Of The Year [71] [72] [73] [74] [75] Level Up

Rapaholix clothing line

In 2012, Flex D'Paper created his own clothing line, The Rapholix Wear.[76] The brand has gained popularity over time especially among the youth and different public figures.[77][78][79]

Endorsements and Campaigns

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.

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. He later performed on the We Love Youganda festival held on December 2 organized by Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli Kampala office alongside various artists like Maro, Navio, Muthoni from Rwanda and more including Chef Boss from Germany.

In 2018, he was among the headliners for the WE LOVE YOUGANDA concert 2019 held at the square on 17 November 2018. The show included performances from Ugandan artists as well as top German rapper Samy Deluxe.

References
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