Fort Portal, (UG):- They say there’s time for everything and when they tell you, your time is coming, they are probably right about it, you never know when yours is right or wrong! Well, both time and action will tell when you should be flying or walking!
So, this is it, I guess there’s no need to waste a great lot of grammar but just so you know, it’s now DJ Mark’s time, now, the confusing bit of it is whether it’s his time to win hearts, takeover or just to shine and have his fair share of the industry! Well, we can only assume that his time has come and he is already conquering, at least to those typical Tooro partiers and all guests that had gathered at Buhinga Stadium on Saturday, September 14, 2024, to have a great time and vibes.
They (partiers) as well as the royal family led by King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru IV, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya and the Queen- Best Kemigisa among others had gone to have fun and that’s exactly what they got!
At around 11:00 Pm after performances from Tooro’s local acts, it was then NBS’ MC Casmir took it out and gave it his best and when he made his move, of course, received really heroic heap of praise from the main MC, he did not waste much of his time but spent it trying to convince the crowds that he had not moved alone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Fort Portal, are you ready, I did not come alone, I moved in here with the incredible DJ Mark and by the count of 9,8,7 and until 0 and wow! The no-nonsense Mark pumped the basslines, calling it spinning the discs.
Truth be told, this has never happened in the arts industry, at least not in For Portal, it is one of the most outstanding shows the magical Dj Mark has ever had and if much emphasis is required, there will never be such a show in Fort Portal!
Do you know that way back, DJs in Uganda used to play at functions just to be given food in return? You must be wondering why all these questions and does anyone by any chance have the answer(s)? Well, you don’t need to know everything, because we have the answers.
One of Uganda’s legendary Deejays Dan-Yo in an interview with media personality Emuk Benjamen, confirmed that deejaying way back in the 80s had no meaning; he revealed that it wasn’t any easy those days mixing music since technology couldn’t allow it.
“It wasn’t any easy job at all those days, at the time of music tapes, no one knew how to mix music but as time went by, we were able to figure out how to do the mixing of music in those tapes and they would contain our signature names,” he said.
In another interview, DJ Alberto put it clear that after all the impossibilities and when they finally established and mastered the art of deejaying, they at first would play at both village and town functions for just a plate of food and some small hand-outs in return, which is not the case anymore.
“We later on gathered respect from event organizers and society started appreciating and respecting our art.”
Based on Alberto’s disclosure, it is very clear that DJs now command respect in Uganda’s music industry and are playing a huge role in developing the industry. Talking about payment, DJs now get some hefty pay and close big deals with big companies to perform at different events.
To put it right, DJ Mark took bold moves and there he is, we can proudly say that he has made it big, claiming what rightfully belongs to him at least by the way he mashed up the Talent Africa Group Ekyooto Ha Mpango festival, and it’s only a matter of time for fame, and him to gain the popularity he requires.
And yes, he now has it, mostly in the Tooro region and with the just concluded edition of the Ekyooto, no one comes close to Mark’s incredible skills.
Listen, this is a moment you need to grab your whiskey, wine, and beer and if that is not okay for you, better still, get your reading glasses, for all you need is to pay much attention here. Much as the festivals can be exaggerated, it can’t be the recently concluded Ekyooto Ha Mapngo 2024 edition.
Everything went on according to the plan, not to talk of the stage, lights among others.
What shocked revellers the more is how DJ Mark kick-started spinning the decks, and off with his unpredicted move, what we can call the perfect journey he ever chose. Mark started off his performance with the big international tracks; of course not the usual way others do it. He has really mastered the art of going international!
We are talking about tunes like ‘Unity’ by Alan Walker featuring Walkers, ‘International Love’ by Chris Brown and DJ Khaled’s ‘All I do is Win’ among others and he would go reggae and a great mix of all genres, never leaving anyone behind. Mark would then go on and on, playing Good Lyfe music among other local songs that kept the crowds all on their toes, dancing to the tunes, as well as singing along to the lyrics word by word.
Forget other festivals and shows; this is one–of–a–kind real experience exclusive show very few Batooro have ever witnessed. But was it really meant for Tooro? One would ask. Ohhh! Yes, because it was the King’s special moments and his subjects and guests equally enjoyed it along.
Mark would later on later on play Ugandan music before and blend it again with big Reggae tunes including the late Bob Marley’s (RIP) ‘Buffalo Soldier’ among others before he could pave way for other singers including Irene Henda, Raya Rosette, Atwooki Richie, and the concert main acts Beenie Gunter and Blu 3 whose performance came in handy and all did their best to match the already highly set bar and keep it there!
And just as revellers thought it was all over, they yet experienced something extraordinary, one that the award-winning writers would describe as what only the eyes saw and heard by the ears but way too heavy for the mouth to speak.
And just as everyone thought the show had come to an end, well, it wasn’t over yet, it was still ongoing as singer Fik Fameica took up the stage all the way to 3:00 am.
As we retire from this article, we want to accord MC Casmir and DJ Mark RESPECT for they just attained great recognition not only in Kampala but Tooro as well.
Ekyoto Ha Mpango Festival which is part of the broader activities honoring and celebrating the legacy of the beloved King Oyo coronation ceremony, scheduled for the 13th and 14th September 2024, was indeed a success!
Earlier on before the festival climaxed with the concert, Ekyooto Ha Mpango saw guests treated to a royal tour, exciting tourism excursions to Sempaya hot springs, an exciting visit to the crater lakes, royal palace tour, chimpanzee trekking in Kibaale, Amabeere Ga Nyinamwiru, a fashion gala spectacular fashion show showcasing traditional and contemporary designs, and various sporting activities including golf, basketball, and netball.
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