The Ghetto Kids’ Top-Tier Performance at BGT.

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING: Ghetto Kids from Uganda Smash Golden Buzzer record at Britain’s Got Talent

After rising to fame in 2011 having featured in Eddy Kenzo’s “Sitya Loss”, the youngsters have consistently churned out a multitude of musical art pieces through dance which has seen them soar above and beyond the proverbial heights of entertainment each time going even bigger than the former. The Ghetto Kids always striking with a fresh touch of talent did not leave any crumbs as they spun London around with their agile dance moves and passionately took the crowd on a dance trip to East Africa and around the world on April 15 while appearing at the Britain’s Got Talent show to audition.

Upon arrival to the stage, one of the ghetto kids with lots of joy and excitement introduced the team saying, “We are the Ghetto Kids from the Pearl of Africa Uganda, Kampala and we are excited to be here”  went ahead to greet the judges and audience and the extremely hard to impress hair-splitting head judge Simon Cowell. The room went loud with cheers as the troupe from Uganda took up their positions firm and steady giving off,  “in it for the win” energy. Dressed up in green “Kitenge”  shirts and shorts adorned with intricate black patterns for a firmer African look making the yellows and oranges in their costume pop even more conspicuously the team assumed their positions on the stage.

The start of the music brought out their inner enthusiastic-primal, passion and energy as they agilely turned and broke into dance wowing the crowd with their peculiar moves as they executed their story in a simple yet extremely sophisticated and tender choreography before turning the heat up even more when they transitioned into the ‘Waka Waka’  song by Shakira. In the heated mid-part of the choreography, Italian Judge Bruno Tonioli couldn’t hold it anymore and was literally swept off his feet when he smashed the Golden Buzzer, a straight ticket to the semi-finals as he said shrieking in joy, “I have to do it now”. The extremely talented group didn’t get carried away by the excitement of the confetti flying around the stage, they stayed the course to see this beautiful masterpiece come to an even more stunning finish. What a moment for the ghetto kids. “It was magical. I think it’s incredible that you are so young. And you flew all the way and no fear. This is an audition we are going to remember. It was brilliant. That’s what the show is all about, and that’s what the golden buzzer is for,” were the statements from judge Simon.

Media Frenzy

After being the first team this year at the British has got talent show (BGT) to get golden buzzer with a record of getting it mid-way their performance, the media back at home in Uganda heat up with Fans taking to their social media to post and tag the amazing group of entertainers for doing them proud on such a huge global platform and representing Africa on such a huge stage. The team’s videos trended on twitter, tiktok and Instagram. Many people had lovely captions to accompany the videos of the ghetto kids they posted. Many Ugandan artistes and huge influences in the Ugandan music and entertainment industry such as Bobi Wine had only great things to say about the team, ‘The Ghetto is proud of you. Uganda, Africa and the rest of the world are so proud of you’, Mr. Bobi Wine mentioned.

Show Opener

Before the show, a brief documentary was shown that depicted the inspiring tale of 30 youngsters facing adversity. These children, some of whom are totally orphaned, and others who previously lacked a stable residence, now live together with volunteer caretaker Daouda Kavuma. Kavuma utilized their innate talents to transform their lives and create a purposeful future, as per his statement. “Ghetto Kids is one family. If one is happy, we are all happy,” one child voiced in an interview.

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The trio of trailblazing Ghetto Kids consisted of Alex Ssempijja, Bashir Lubega, and Hassan Sseruwu. The fame of the group skyrocketed when they were highlighted in the 2014 chart-topping track "Sitya Loss" by Ugandan music sensation Eddy Kenzo.\

An epic voyage.

Their road to international recognition has been remarkable, and now they hold sway over the globe. One of the early significant achievements of the group was a remarkable incident in 2010 where Eddy Kenzo, a well-known and celebrated Ugandan musician, performed at the Zoo in Entebbe, where Kavuma and his team were present with the children. a few moments later, Kavuma advised Alex to swiftly climb onto the stage once Kenzo appears in sight. "Make sure you dance where he can see you. He was a great dancer and got Kenzo’s attention" Kavuma mentioned while speaking to 'the daily monitor' earlier this year. After the performance, Kenzo specifically approached Alex among the numerous children present and inquired about who had accompanied him and Kavuma was present and seized this chance to collaborate with the celebrity. Kenzo handed over his contact information to Kavuma and instructed him to reach out when the time came for the singer's next video project. In 2011, they collaborated on several video projects with Kenzo and were subsequently offered the chance to showcase their dancing skills in the music video for one of his songs. They ultimately decided to dance to "Sitya Loss."  “We trained for ‘Sitya Loss’ and then looked for Kenzo but we couldn’t find him. We kept trying until we got him. Finally, we shot the video and ‘Sitya Loss’ became our breakthrough, and the song went viral” Kavuma recounts. Sadly, Alex the boy who mesmerized Kenzo at that Entebbe Zoo concert — died in an accident in 2015.

Unstoppable Ghetto Kids‍

The talented stars have conducted shows in various nations including Canada, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Unforgettable official video by French Montana a US rapper was filmed in Uganda in early April 2017, and featured the Ghetto Kids.

In the previous year, the children had showcased their talent at various events, including the PSG football match in Paris, during the FIFA World Cup season, and received such a huge applause from renowned music personalities like P-Diddy and Nicki Minaj, who shared their performances on their social media with such amazing captions. A major moral boost for the young talented group.

Last year's Paris trip presented an opportunity for the children to mix and interact with esteemed football personalities like Sergio Aguero, Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi.

The Ghetto kids have made Uganda and Africa proud and will continue to gain the favor of all who encounter their authentic style of art through dance, the team has opened doors for many other children like them in Uganda and they unceasingly use their talents to the fullest.

Despite the Ghetto Kids' growing fame, they still encounter obstacles in obtaining travel documents such as passports and visas, limiting their ability to travel overseas. Nevertheless, they continue to utilize social media to distribute their content and connect with fans around the globe.

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