Tekya Abraham commonly known as Abramz is a Ugandan creative facilitator, veteran Hip Hop artist, coach, speaker, mentor, educator, B-boy (breakdancer), change agent and actor. He is a passionate facilitator for growth, education, empowerment, well-being, community building, creativity and social change.
Abramz has worked with schools (local and international), community centres, juvenile and adult prisons, festivals, universities, drug rehabilitation centres, foster homes, orphanages, media companies, NGOs, government organizations/ institutions, grassroots community programs, arts organizations, IT companies/ initiatives and other kinds of partners and clients. His multi-disciplinary approach plus having over one and a half decades of professional work experience (locally & internationally) enable him to work well with children, youth and adults.
His creative facilitation work focuses on personal growth, empowerment, self-awareness, critical thinking, practical thinking, teamwork, leadership, creating safety, team building, effective communication, building confidence & self esteem, boosting creativity, problem-solving, motivation, cultural exchange, cohesion, effective communication, collaboration, community building, conflict resolution, promoting diversity, promoting self expression, skills & knowledge exchange and having fun.
Some of the tools and approaches he uses are; movement, stillness, games, sound, silence, dialogues, group discussions, theatre improvisation, writing, drawing, reflection, among others. His personal and professional development training and mentorship work focuses areas such as, mindset shift, problem solving, goal setting, work ethic, effective communication, building skill sets, innovation, practical thinking, planning & preparation, sales & promotion, teamwork, self awareness, discipline, strategy, networking, resourcefulness, leadership, among others.
Abramz is the founder and director of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) , an organization that uses dance, Hiphop and other art forms for empowerment, education and social change. One of BPU’s major focuses is promoting the importance of both formal and non-formal education as well as increasing people’s access to both. He has performed and taught in many countries and has judged local and international breaking (breakdance) competitions. Abramz is also a former member of the legendary Rock Steady Crew.
Abramz started rapping in 1992 at a young age. He empowered himself through Hiphop and later formed a socially conscious rap duo with his brother Sylvester in the late 90’s. Since the late 90’s, Sylvester and Abramz have performed at lots of venues, won competitions, organized events, facilitated workshops and have ran a number of programs to create platforms as well as opening doors for many other artists. They have been instrumental in the growth of the local Hiphop scene and are considered the longest serving duo in Uganda Hiphop.
In 2006, Abramz founded Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) to empower other Ugandan youth, for which he has been recognized around the world.
Abramz is the main subject of the international award-winning Hiphop documentary film “Bouncing Cats,” released in 2010, which was directed by Nabil Elderkin and produced by Red Bull Media House. It was narrated by Hiphop artist Common, and featured BPU, Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew, K’naan, Mos Def and Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas.
Abramz has travelled around the world and has become one of the best-known Ugandan artists abroad for his social relevance. Outside of Uganda, he has worked in Tanzania (Zanzibar), Kenya, Denmark, Poland, Burkina Faso, Swaziland, Senegal, South Africa, Italy, Austria, USA, Switzerland, Mozambique, Germany and Sweden.
Abramz has been featured on BBC, CNN Breaking News and CNN African Voices, The Huffington Post, Documentary Channel, The National Geographic, Discovery Channel, New Vision, TuWroclaw, The Daily Monitor, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Voice of Africa, and others. He and BPU were also featured in the documentary film “Shake The Dust,” produced by the American Hiphop artist Nas, and Adam Sjoberg.
In 2016, he was given the We Free hero award at San Patrignano in Rimini, Italy.
Abramz believes in empowering and practically challenging disadvantaged people in both third world and first world countries to be part of the solution to their own problems. He has travelled to perform, teach, speak and facilitate workshops across Uganda and in several in other countries.
TEKYA “ABRAMZ” ABRAHAM HAS WORKED WITH:
Breakdance Project Uganda, Oxfam, USAID, UNICEF, UNHCR, Makerere University (Uganda), National Geographic Museum (Washington, D.C.), DFID/UKaid, Uganda Prison Service, French Embassy (Uganda), Action AID, Red Bull (North America), Product Of Prison (Uganda), Alliance Française, Ambrosoli International School (Uganda), The American International School (Mozambique), Brave Festival (Poland), San Patrignano (Italy), Breakpoint (Denmark), Virginia Tech University (U.S.A.), The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs/CKU, Maputo International School (Mozambique),
Educate! (Uganda), Festival of The Black Arts (Senegal), Four Elements International Hiphop Convention (Austria), Get Down (Denmark), Global Youth Partnership for Africa, U.S Mission Uganda, Ghetto Radio (South Africa & Uganda), Goethe Zentrum Kampala/UGCS, Hands For Hope (Uganda), Health Education And Literacy Sports (HEALS – Uganda), Hope North (Uganda), In Movement Art for Social Change (Uganda), InterAID (Uganda), Kampala International School (Uganda), Kids of Africa Orphanage (Uganda), The International School of Uganda (ISU),
Kinship Orphanage (Uganda), Maputo International School (Mozambique), MTN Bush Fire Festival (Swaziland), The Naguru Remand Home (Uganda), New York University (U.S.A.), Nomadic Wax (U.S.A.), The Norwegian College of Dance, Partnership for Youth Empowerment (PYE Global), Rice University of Houston Texas (U.S.A.), Rock Steady Crew (U.S.A.), Street Gam3 (Denmark), TASO – The AIDS Support Organization (Uganda), Dance Week Festival Uganda, Thought Works, Uganda Christian University (Mukono), Uganda Health Marketing Group, British Council (Uganda), Viva Con Agua (Germany & Uganda), Uganda Pioneers Association,
Waga Hip Hop Festival (Burkina Faso), Zanzibar International Film Festival, Break-Through Festival (Switzerland), YAEP! (Switzerland & Uganda), European Union, PCCP (Uganda), Whitehead Communication Consult (Uganda & Kenya), BreakFree (Houston, Texas), Bridge-Works (Uganda & Germany), Garcias and Roca Consultants (Ltd), Refugee Rising (Uganda), Tanzwerk101 (Switzerland), Silhouette Projects (Uganda), Tanzraum (Switzerland), Willow International (Uganda), RocTop (Switerzland/ Uganda), Breakfast Jam (Uganda & Kenya), Collective Glow, MindLeaps, Take A Break (Kenya), Tropical FM 88.4 Mubende (Uganda).
Tekya "ABRAMZ" Abraham 