Stop Watching Everything: Exposure is Killing Creativity
Sitting down with Techa Abraham, known to the world and our community simply as Abramz, was a reminder of the power of resilience and human imagination. As the host of the StageLync podcast, I get the privilege of speaking with incredible creators who make magic on stage and backstage, but Abramz’s story is one like no other. He is a Ugandan creative facilitator, a veteran hip-hop artist, a b-boy, and an educator, but at his core, he is someone who mastered the rare art of turning the absolute smallest moments of opportunity into a life purpose.
Our conversation started by looking at his roots in Kampala. Abramz fell in love with hip-hop around eight or nine years old, but his introduction to the art form didn’t come through formal dance studios or structured training. It emerged from a period of profound personal loss and scarcity. When he was just seven years old, in 1989, both of his parents passed away from HIV/AIDS in the same year. At that time, the stigma surrounding the disease was massive, driven by fear and intense misinformation. As Abramz recalled, “People thought that if they touched you, they’re going to get HIV. If your parents died of HIV, you definitely have it.”
Forced to move from place to place with his siblings, looking for somewhere to call home, he faced a lot of rejection. Yet, it was precisely within this environment of absolute lack that his creative journey took root. Without access to a television, video tapes, or formal mentors to teach him the standard moves of hip-hop, Abramz had to rely on whatever fleeting glimpses of the dance he could catch. He would sneak out of his house to go to a friend’s place, who owned a TV, to watch dance videos on VHS, despite the trouble that he would face upon returning home.
Reflecting on those early days during our interview, Abramz shared a perspective that completely shifted my thoughts on the value what is so readily available to us now. In today’s world we are inundated with media and exposed to all the dance styles, all the arts, all the videos we could consume, but there is value in the opposite.
He noted, “In that time, I didn’t realize how important that was, to not just have everything given to you, you know what I mean. But later, when I started to reflect, I’m like, ‘Oh my god like when you go into spaces and people are like, “You’re so different, you’re original.” What thing is that? Like, what move is that? Where did you get that from?’ And I realized that not being exposed to much, allowed me to use my imagination.”
Instead of being a disadvantage, Abramz lack of resources became his greatest asset. He didn’t have a full arts education handed to him, so he took the fragments he could see and built his own dance foundation out of them. “It allowed me to use the few steps that I could learn just by watching,” he told me. “That became my foundation. I didn’t realize that I had created something beautiful or a different version of it. A variation of it, until I went into a space where we were dancing and everyone was like, ‘Wow, that’s so cool. Where did you learn that?'”
What began as unique dance moves evolved into a career for Abramz as a creative facilitator working across schools, prisons, and community programs worldwide. As the founder of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU), an organization established in 2006 to drive education and social change through dance, Abramz has dedicated his work to personal growth, youth empowerment, and community building using dynamic tools like movement, theatre improvisation, and dialogue. Alongside his brother Sylvester, Abramz forms Uganda’s longest-serving socially conscious rap duo, having been a driving force in the local hip-hop scene since the late 1990s. His impactful work and international travels across more than fifteen countries have earned him widespread acclaim, featuring prominently in global media outlets like the BBC and CNN, as well as headlining major documentary films like Bouncing Cats and Shake The Dust.
It is an admirable life, and a worthy one.
It is a reminder for all of us in the arts; when you have nothing, your imagination becomes your most powerful tool. Limiting your exposure to external media can be the ultimate catalyst for originality. When you disconnect from the constant stream of pre-packaged content, screens, and standard blueprints, you remove the temptation to simply copy others or be influenced by them. True creativity doesn’t come from consuming everything; it comes from within.
Watch the Podcast here:
All images courtesy of Tekya "Abramz" Abraham's Website.
Back to Home
Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.
🎧 Join us on the StageLync Podcast for inspiring stories from the world of performing arts! Tune in to hear from the creative minds who bring magic to life, both onstage and behind the scenes. 🎙️ 👉 Listen now!
