Makabila Umoja is a music label focused on tribal music mainly from Africa and South America, created from the perspective of the constant change, bringing the past to life with the help of technology and a whole wave of new music styles.
It started in Uganda between 2018 and 2019 when Leo PaLayeng and Emiliano Motta met through the International Festival Nyege Nyege and decided to start running their own label, coming with the first release on December 2019
The label focuses on the current movement of new producers creating music with computers and synthesizers; incorporating “roots” music” mainly from Africa to a new sound described in some cases as Afrofuturistic, and also the pure “roots music” where we make tribute to our artists.
Makabila means Tribes, while Umoja means United.
This is reflected in the multi tribal catalogue of the label’s music, starting from the hearth of Uganda with Baganda rhythms and heavy MC’s from the ghetto in Kampala, to hypnotic accelerated Acholi music, influences from west Africa with wolof rhythms and tama (talking drum) from Burkina Faso, direct collaborations with great musicians with heavy lyrics in Lingala from Goma and Kinshasa (DRC) as well as some catchy Swahili lyrics from Kenya.
Makabila Umoja also promotes intercontinental and inter tribal collaborations, including musicians from the Americas like Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Jamaica and Brazil so far.