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KAMPALA — When 21-year-old Dean Rapper stepped up to the microphone at the BNN Youth Summit 2026 in Kampala, his effortless melodic flow captivated an audience of young leaders, policymakers, and delegates from across Africa. Born and raised in East London with deep Ugandan roots, the rising Afrobeat artist and Aviation Management student represents a new generation of diaspora youth blending cultural heritage with creative drive.
In an exclusive interview with Kampala Edge Times, Dean Rapper shares his full journey. It all starts from making terrible songs on an iPhone as a teenager to overcoming a severe childhood medical condition. We see him excelling in academics, and eventually discovering his unique sound.
How did Dean Rapper start his journey into music?
Dean Rapper: “Around 2019, I was always interested in music when I was very young. Me and my cousin were just making songs for fun. On iPhones, there’s an app called GarageBand, and that was the first software I knew how to use to record myself singing and rapping.
At the age of 13 or 14, I made a certain song—it sounded so bad, but I thought it was cool! I sent it to my friend, and little did I know, he sent it to my other friends. He put it on SoundCloud, and the whole school or my whole year found out that I made music. The song was so bad, that’s why it got popular in the first place! But a few people saw that I actually had potential.
When the 2020 lockdown happened, me and my cousin decided to make a song together. We looked for beats on YouTube and used BandLab to record. At first, Drill was the most popular genre in London, but Drill beats are around 140 BPM, which is very fast. At the time, I didn’t have that skill set. So I decided to try Afrobeat. Afrobeat is more subtle and nice because you can glide on the beat.
Me and my cousin made an Afrobeat song called Vision and released it on SoundCloud. Friends listened and said, ‘This is actually a good song!’ That encouraged me to push my music journey further. At age 15, one of my best friends introduced me to a studio at a youth club called Project Zero. My friend Kristian taught me how to rap better, introduced me to sound systems, and showed me how Logic works. Later, with help from my friend Soul, I re-recorded my track Holiday in 2023, which became my first official song released on major streaming services.”
What song did Dean Rapper perform at the BNN Youth Summit in Kampala?
Dean Rapper: “The song I sang at the BNN Youth Summit was a track called Calling. I made it last year within an hour because I needed a new song for a music event as I was lacking tracks in my discography.
When my uncle, Humphrey Nabimanya, put me on the spot at the summit to perform, I wasn’t prepared! I was just sitting there listening to sessions about African governance and policies. Humphrey came to me and said, ‘You should rap, man! You should perform!’ I told him I wasn’t prepared, but he said, ‘You either do it today or prepare yourself and do it tomorrow.’ I told myself, ‘I’ve done this two billion times in my head. Let me just do it.’
I chose Calling because it’s a nice Afrobeat track, and Uganda loves Afrobeats. History was made that day—everyone stood up, vibed to the song, and liked it. For my first time ever performing in Uganda, the crowd reaction was amazing. It was also the very first time I performed in front of my entire family.”
Why did a London-raised artist choose Afrobeat over UK Drill?
Dean Rapper: “Growing up in London around 2020, the most popular sound moving my mind and melody was Afroswing—artists like J Hus, Dave, Mostack, Mist, and Young T & Bugsey. I chose Afrobeats because it’s generally easier to find your flow and rap over compared to Drill beats. I’m fortunate to have a lighter vocal tone, which allows me to create nice melodies.
Even though I do Afrobeat, I recognize myself as a rapper because I can do general rap tunes. My writing style and how I think as an artist resembles a rapper rather than a singer. My voice isn’t purely vocal singing; I focus on melodic rap and rap flows.”
Who is Dean Rapper? Full real name, age, and family background
Dean Rapper: “My full real name is Dean Mwekwatse. I was born on August 2, 2005, at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, East London.
I come from a full Ugandan family. My dad’s name is Dennis Mwekwatse and my mom’s name is Dorah Kabatesi. My mom is the sister of Humphrey Nabimanya, so Humphrey is my uncle. I have two younger siblings: my sister Denol, who is 17 years old, and my little brother Dion, who is 15 years old. We all have great chemistry together.”
Where was Dean Rapper educated and what course is he studying?
Dean Rapper: “I started school at Redbridge Nursery in East London, then attended Gearies Primary School from Reception to Year 6. For secondary school, I went to Chingford Foundation School from Year 7 to Year 11. It was an hour away from home, which taught me early independence in terms of traveling alone across London.
After getting my GCSE grades, I attended New City College from 2021 to 2025. Currently, I am a university student at London Metropolitan University studying an undergraduate degree in Aviation Management.
My main career goal is to become an airline pilot, ideally by my 30s. I chose Aviation Management at London Met because it is statistically one of the best universities for that field, bridging academic knowledge with real-world airport operations. I already have practical industry experience working as a passenger service agent at London City Airport.”
What medical condition did Dean Rapper overcome during his childhood?
Dean Rapper: “Growing up, I was born with a condition called craniosynostosis, where the growth joints in the skull fuse prematurely. It means that while growing up, there may not be enough brain capacity space, which affected my development in my early youth.
From infancy up to age 10, I was regularly monitored at Great Ormond Street Hospital, a specialist facility for neurodivergent children and childhood conditions. Doctors considered surgery, but my dad decided against it. Instead, we underwent regular tests and development monitoring appointments.
Because of the condition, I was quieter, more distant, and very emotional as a child, and I was slower in keeping up with other children in school. But through God’s grace and regular care, I caught up completely academically, socially, and physically.”
What are Dean Rapper’s proudest achievements and message to the youth?
Dean Rapper: “My proudest moment so far was winning Student of the Year for Travel and Tourism at New City College last year. New City College is the largest college group in the UK with over 2,000 students across six or seven campuses, and I was selected out of every travel and tourism student across all branches to win the award with both my parents present.
Outside of academics, I love traveling. Besides visiting family in Uganda regularly since I was three years old, I have toured France (Paris), Sweden (Gothenburg), Italy (Pisa and Milan), and Iceland during winter.
My advice to young people and creators is simple: always be yourself, put yourself out there, build strong connections, and seek support and mentorship. You can’t walk the entire journey alone. Most importantly, never give up, and never let a single setback hinder your overall progress.”
