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- Essays of a Revolutionary MC: PopTech 2024 - Uncharted Territory
Essays of a Revolutionary MC: PopTech 2024 - Uncharted Territory
Bana Mutibwa
October 31, 2024
Happy Halloween !
I hope October brought sweet memories for you and your loved ones. I managed to squeeze in two short breaks—one for a team retreat in Italy, and another in Bucharest, Romania, with two stars of my life, Tonje and Louis. This month, I also had the privilege of attending and performing at PopTech 2024: Uncharted Territory in Washington, D.C. My first experience in the U.S. couldn’t have been more meaningful than joining the vibrant PopTech community.
PopTech is a global gathering at the intersection of technology, science, and creative expression. But it’s more than just an exchange of ideas—it’s a catalyst for collaboration and action. This transformative experience was made possible by the newly established Alain Sylvain Creative Fund, a scholarship supporting emerging creatives and leaders with mentorship from PopTech, SYLVAIN, and Ghost Note Agency. Created in honor of Alain Sylvain, the fund made my journey to PopTech possible, and for that, I’m profoundly grateful.
Alain Sylvain Creative Fund Recipients from Top-Left: Hadiya Masieh – Founder and Executive Director of Groundswell, Christina Vang – Founder of La Bang, Dillon St. Bernard – Leader of Amplify Pledge, Christian Labossiere – Senior Program Associate for Africa at PartnersGlobal, Marcy Brown – Lead Storyteller and Game Designer at Mycelium Youth Network, and Bana Mutibwa
My performance aligned with Uganda’s Independence Day on October 9, and I opened the forum with a spoken word piece to mark the occasion. I reminded the audience:
Uganda gained independence in 1962 from Britain and became a member of the Commonwealth. But wealth, where I grew up, was not common. It was common to see the rich get richer, and the poor, poorer. I was a member of the latter club... I was just a Ghetto Child—living and experiencing the inequalities of a society that is not free, that is not democratic.
I can only be grateful to stand before you today in the capital of the land of the free and the home of the brave. But the question is—do I feel free? Hell, no. Do I feel brave? Hell, yes. But how can I be free when you are not free? - that is not freedom! What is freedom? Is it to live in a democracy or to be elite in an autocracy? Is freedom in money, in power? In the 9-to-5 or the six-figure? Please, help me put freedom in the bigger picture.
Some say freedom is in Bitcoin, on Nostr. Some say it’s in arts, design. Others say it’s in politics, in markets. Is freedom in tech or is it less, or more freedom with AI? I DON’T KNOW. Truth is, I am just a freedom fighter, democracy defender, and explorer. Freedom for me is to live where I want to live. Freedom for me is to say what I truly believe. Free me and free we
For those who may not know, Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transition of power. We’ve been ruled by dictators. Our current leader has held power since 1986. Think about that—he’s met with Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Today, Yoweri Museveni remains the biggest burden of the Ugandan people.
These themes and more will be featured on my upcoming album, Essays of a Revolutionary MC, set for release on December 23. Be on the lookout! (End of commercial break.)
At PopTech, I also invited the audience to reflect on the concept of freedom. I asked:
Ask yourself, are you truly free? Do you have free will? Do you want to live in a free world? Is my lack of freedom intentional or unintentional? Let’s learn to be emotional. Let’s start a revolution of the soul, and chart a new path forward in these uncharted territories. Let’s start with freedom.
Because the search for freedom always gives us hope. And when we have hope, we have a reason not to stop—to take action, to innovate, to dream, to live, to love, and to forgive.
Until next time, thank you for your support and for staying tuned. I’ll be sending out just one email per month, where I’ll share insights into my music, my life in Denmark, and stories from Uganda. If you enjoyed reading this, please feel free to reach out or share it with a friend.
📅 Nov 28 – Dec 02, 2024