Flex D'Paper - Biography, Career and Discography

Alex Julius Kwesigabo, widely recognized by his stage name Flex D'Paper, is a prominent Ugandan rapper and songwriter who hails from Kampala. His journey into music began during his high school years when he co-founded the rap group The Rapaholix alongside his friends, Dasper Cosine and later Apass as an affiliate member. The trio gained attention with their mixtape "The Eviction Notice," which featured popular tracks like "Burning," "Party Life," and "Follow Me" (featuring Allan Toniks). These songs became hits on Ugandan music charts, including NTV and Sanyu FM.

Flex D'Paper made a significant impact in the Ugandan music scene as part of the 2014 UG Cypher, where he collaborated with some of Uganda's top rappers such as Navio, Keko, Big Tril, Don MC, and others.

Early Life and Education

Born on January 19, 1990, in Kampala, Flex D'Paper is one of eight children. He attended Greenhill Academy for his primary education, followed by Seeta High School for his Ordinary Level and St. Mary's Kitende for his Advanced Level studies. He later pursued a degree in Information Technology at Makerere University.

Career

During an interview with Hot 100.9 FM in Uganda, Flex D'Paper explained the origin of his stage name. He chose "Flex" to represent his versatility in music, reflecting his ability to write and ghostwrite in various styles. "Paper" symbolizes his motivation to earn money and improve his surroundings. He also mentioned that his influences include Jay Z, Biggie, Nas, and other prominent hip-hop figures.

As a member of The Rapaholix, Flex D'Paper and his group performed at numerous high school events. In 2013, they released a joint mixtape featuring popular Ugandan tracks like "Shutting Down Towns" with Martha Smallz, produced by top Ugandan hip-hop producer Aethan, and "Follow Me" featuring Allan Toniks. That same year, Flex D'Paper ventured into solo music, releasing the hit "More" featuring Kemishan, produced by Baru. He then focused on completing his album, "The Kampala Boy," which had yet to be released.

In 2014, he dropped the single "Leader" featuring Sheila Wya, which premiered on Bryan McKenzie's Weekly Top Twenty Countdown on Radiocity, a prominent radio and TV platform in Uganda. The song also gained airtime on Mister Deejay's SNMS show. The following year, Flex D'Paper released the music video for "Leader," which became popular on various countdowns across Uganda and East Africa.

In 2015, Flex D'Paper was invited by the United States Embassy in Kampala to perform with the Next Level group, an initiative by the US State Department and UNC Music Department. This program sent artists around the world to use hip-hop for cultural diplomacy and conflict resolution. Flex D'Paper has shared the stage with numerous artists, including Navio, Maro, Megaloh, GNL Zamba, Allan Toniks, Keko, Chameleone, Bebe Cool, Octopizzo from Kenya, Radio & Weasel, and even opened for the international artist Ne-Yo.

Flex D'Paper continued to make waves in the Ugandan hip-hop scene. In 2015, he was featured on the official Ugandan rap cypher (Ug Cypher 2), alongside other top emcees like Navio, The Mith, Ruyonga, and St. Nelly-Sade. In 2016, he released a Ugandan remix of the popular Kenyan song "Ting Badi Malo," originally by Khaligraph Jones, and later "Day Ones," featuring Navio and Martha Smallz. "Day Ones" topped the charts on major urban radio stations like Sanyu FM and Radiocity's Top Twenty Countdown. It was also listed among the top hip-hop songs from Uganda in 2016 by Tribe.Ug.

In October 2016, Flex D'Paper embarked on a city tour across Europe, performing at festivals and clubs in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Berlin in Germany, followed by a show in Brussels. That same year, in November, MTV Base recognized his talent by naming him one of the top MCs from Uganda on the Base Top MCs Uganda list for 2016.

In June 2017, Flex D'Paper released his first solo mixtape, "Not For Sale," which featured the chart-topping single "Yenze Aliko," produced by Mio Made. The mixtape also included "Never Give Up," a collaboration with German rapper Mako Loco. One of the mixtape's standout tracks, "Day Ones," featuring Navio and Martha Smallz, was nominated for Hip Hop Song of the Year at The Buzz Teeniez Awards. The remix of "Day Ones," which included German rappers Mako Loco and P Bane, was released later.

On 16 October 2017, Flex D'Paper held the Mixtape Release Party at the Uganda Germany Cultural Center, where he also provided a platform for other artists to showcase their talents. At the UG Hip Hop Awards 2017, his mixtape won the Mixtape of the Year award. His single "Yenze Aliko" also earned the Song of the Year award at the MTN UG Hip Hop Awards on 8 February 2019, an event sponsored by MTN Uganda.

In 2020, Flex D'Paper launched the "Eno Hip Hop" festival, an annual event celebrating Hip Hop. The inaugural festival, featuring performers from Uganda, Kenya, and the DRC, took place in December as a two-day event. On 10 December 2021, Flex released his debut album, "Kampala Boy," which debuted at number 4 on the Apple iTunes charts in Uganda across all genres, with several singles making it to the Top 100.

The "Eno Hip Hop" festival, founded by Flex D'Paper, had its first edition as an online virtual show in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, featuring various Hip Hop artists from Uganda and around the world. The second edition, held on December 9, 2023, was a physical concert with fans in attendance.

In 2023, Flex D'Paper received five nominations at the UG Hip Hop Awards and won two awards: Album of the Year for "Kampala Boy" and Collaboration of the Year for his song "Cheptegei," which features Navio, Fik Fameica, and Mozelo Kidz.

Other Ventures

Rapaholix Clothing Line

In 2012, Flex D'Paper launched his own clothing line, Rapaholix Wear. The brand has gained significant popularity, particularly among the youth and public figures in Uganda, becoming a staple in the local fashion scene.

One Million Campaign Against Cancer (1MC) 

In 2015, Flex D'Paper, alongside other artists like Keko, Daisy Ejang, Nava Grey, and comedian Pablo, participated in the One Million Campaign Against Cancer. This initiative, led by the Uganda Child Cancer Foundation, aims to support children and young people in Uganda who are battling cancer.

Ambition Mission

In 2015, Flex D'Paper was also among the young artists and public figures involved in the Ambition Mission, a non-governmental organization. He joined forces with artists such as Juliana Kanyomozi, Eddy Kenzo, and Mun G in campaigns like "I Am Ambition Mission, Sili Taaba," which promoted anti-tobacco awareness.

Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli

In March 2016, Flex D'Paper became one of the Ugandan artists to collaborate with Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli, a charity organization based in Hamburg, Germany, focused on providing access to fresh water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). He performed at a concert organized by the charity alongside international acts like Octopizzo from Kenya, Ghanaian Stallion, and Lady Slyke. 

In 2017, during the World Water Day celebrations in Moroto, Uganda, Flex D'Paper performed alongside fellow ambassadors Keko, The Mith, and Maro. Later that year, he took part in the We Love Youganda festival on December 2, organized by the Kampala office of Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli. The event featured performances from artists like Maro, Navio, Muthoni from Rwanda, and Chef Boss from Germany.

In 2018, Flex D'Paper was one of the headliners at the "WE LOVE YOUGANDA" concert held on November 17 at The Square. The show included performances from top Ugandan artists as well as renowned German rapper Samy Deluxe.

Discography

Albums

Kampala Boy

Singles

2016 - Day Ones

2017 - Yenze Aliko

2019 - Level Up

2020 - Mbikwasagwe

2022 - Cheptegei

2022 - Nkola Mpya

Mixtapes

Not for Sale (mixtape)