Philly Lutaaya
Encyclopedia
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Before dying of AIDS, Lutaaya had spent his remaining healthy time writing songs about his battle with AIDS and touring churches and schools throughout Uganda to spread a message of prevention and hope.
Philly Lutaaya was popular in Uganda in the 1960s, and in the 1970s he toured Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In the mid 1980s he settled in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. There he recorded his hit album, "Born in Africa
Born in Africa
Born in Africa is an album produced by Philly Lutaaya and other Ugandan exiles in Sweden. The songs on the album remain ubiquitous in Uganda, and the musicians remain among the best-known Ugandan musicians; they include Sammy Kasule on bass and Gerald Nnaddibanga on percussion....
," which is still popular in Uganda. The Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n-Swedish musician Dr. Alban
Dr. Alban
Alban Uzoma Nwapa , known by his stage name Dr. Alban, is a Nigerian, Sweden-based musician and producer with his own record label dr-records. His music can best be described as a Eurodance/hip-hop reggae with a dancehall style. He is most famous for his worldwide 1992 hit "It's My...
, who has called Philly Lutaaya "one of the greatest African musicians" later released an album also named "Born in Africa".
After his death at age 38, the Philly Lutaaya Initiative Association continued his work. With assistance from UNICEF, the Initiative sponsors lectures in schools and communities across Uganda highlighting personal testimonials of hundreds of people infected with HIV. In Uganda, October 17 is the Philly Bongoley Lutaaya Day.
Christmas Album
Philly Lutaaya's Christmas Album, produced in 1986 remains his most popular album todate. The album whose songs were written in native Luganda remains part of a strong Christmas tradition in Uganda. It included classics such as "Tumusiinze", "Gloria", "Merry Christmass, Oh Happy New Year", "Azzaalidwa" and "Zukuka" among othersAwards
- 2004 Pearl of Africa Music AwardsPearl of Africa Music AwardsPearl of Africa Music Awards are annual national music awards in Uganda. The awards were first held in 2003. Since 2006 there has also been categories for musicians from other East African countries ....
(PAM Awards) - Lifetime Achievement Award
Later in 2007, various Ugandan artists came together to re-record some of Lutaya's greatest hits. Bebe Cool
Bebe Cool
Bebe Cool is a ragga musician from Uganda. He started his career around 1997 in Nairobi, Kenya, but a few years later he moved back to his native country...
sang Born in Africa, Juliana Kanyomozi
Juliana Kanyomozi
Juliana Kanyomozi, popularly known by the mononym Juliana, is a Ugandan female musician, entertainer and actress.-Background:She was born in Uganda on 27 November 1981. She attended Namasagali College in Kamuli District, for her high school education....
re-did Diana. Iryn Namubiru
Iryn Namubiru
Iryn Namubiru, also known as Irene Namubiru is a female, Ugandan performing artist, resident in Paris, France.-Background:She was born in Central Uganda...
and Nubian Lee of Fire Base Crew, both re-did Empisazo.