Last week, Don Julio tequila joined Kampala’s elites and party animals to celebrate DJ Spinny’s incredible ten-year career behind the decks.
The celebration dubbed “Spinny and Friends,” took place at Mestil Hotel, which was turned into a sophisticated, tasteful, and rhythmic playground. It was, arguably, a declaration of quality, artistry, and culture rather than just another party.
The energy was evident right away. Top DJs and MCs from Kampala, including DJ Anselm and Selector Jay, set the tone for the afternoon with R&B grooves and nostalgic old-school hits.
As day dimmed into night, the tempo shifted with the energy, creating an atmosphere for amapiano to thrive. Sheila Gashumba, who joined the trade just recently as DJ Lil Stunner, also brought her A-game on the decks.
Her Amapiano-dominated set was not only engaging, but also inviting; with dancers, some from her team, and others from the audience, she almost sent the crowd into a flash mob as they tried to pull off famous dance moves associated with Kwaito, Amapiano and Afro-house sounds.
By the time DJ Dash took over alongside DJ Kash Pro and Fem Deejay, the dance floor was a blur of movement, energy, and laughter. But it was DJ Spinny, the man of the night, that ruled the decks. He was the reason music lovers had gathered, and he made it count.
He made a grand entry, with fireworks that tore into Kampala’s dark skies; it was crystal clear the show was getting to new heights. DJ Spinny was received with thunderous applause, as fans pulled out their phones to capture the special moment.
Born Joseph Kaliisa, DJ Spinny is famous for many things, but the biggest is appearing on Hotlist Africa’s list of the continent’s top DJs, alongside heavy hitters such as DJ Neptune, DJ Spinnal and DJ Maphorisa.
His set was a masterclass and a proof of concept on experience, reinvention and innovation; it was storytelling captured through EDM, Garage, Afro-house, Gabber, Amapiano, and more variants of electronic music, which stood tall alongside mainstream sounds such as reggae and dancehall.
But getting the audience on their feet was never meant to be the climax of the night; they took it higher with electric performances from South Africa’s Jazzworx, Thukutela, and GL Ceejay, who brought the house down with Amapiano anthems Tholukuthi (the Clap Song), Bengicela, Isaka (6am), and Mawhoo, turning Mestil into a continental celebration of African sound.
As the music roared, guests indulged in exquisite blends of shots and cocktails crafted for the occasion. The night drew Kampala’s crème de la crème, city trendsetters, nightlife enthusiasts, and big spenders, all toasting under the stars to a man who has soundtracked their weekends for a decade.
From the chic décor and curated cocktails, to the rhythmic pulse of the crowd, Spinny@10 was not just an anniversary; it was a cultural milestone, a reminder that mastery takes time.
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