Rapper Zungu Oriz “the undertaker” released a 7-track long Hiphop/Rap EP, titled “Shadow EP”, on 21st October 2026 on YouTube under Steady Nigaz Entertainment. His debut EP, its recorded in Luo, Luganda and English and spans over 22 minutes.
Who’s Oriz?
Born “Mzungu Morris Oyuru” to Adong Grace, his mother, and Apire Charles, his father, the rapper hails from Gulu in Northern Uganda. He studied primary at Unifat Primary and Holy Rosary Primary, schools that shaped his childhood years till he attained PLE. He then joined Kithende college on Namirembe-Rubaga road for UCE, Kampala Secondary Schools for UACE before graduating at Kyambogo University in Kireka-Banda.
His inspiration to do music came from his brother alias “Angel Shady”. His brother’s lifestyle and penchant for playing hip hop all-round strictly attracted him to the game.
While in high school, he also witnessed mainstream rappers like GNL Zamba perform at school functions like “Leaver’s Party”. As he caught with the craze, he later followed Zamba and often watched him perform and got to socialize with his team at “Honey’s Pub” which was next to the school.
In addition to other deluxe Ugandan rappers, his style has been inspired by LUMIX Da Don, Atlas Da African, Rap Drawz, Lyrical G, Navio and others from the West.
The Rundown of the EP:
“Shadow” opens the EP as its title track. According to Oriz, the song took shape during a visit to his close friend Wo-Nam Scar. After hanging out, reading, and listening to underground hip-hop, Scar introduced him to producer Kro-bin, who fell for the artist’s flow on first listen and subsequently made a beat on the spot. The rapper named the instrumental “Shadow,” wrote his verse immediately, and the next day received a verse from Davizo, recorded in Gulu and emailed back. Wo-Nam Scar also appears on the track. He adds that the title is about how the song “rings on [him] under the shade”.
This song is a callout to the rappers that keep the game deprived by co-signing to only what the radio consents to and uses metaphors alluding to Shemy B’s signature track ‘Ebinchoma’
“Mak-Tic”, the second track, continues the EP’s focus on preserving hip-hop’s foundations rather than diluting the form for commercial gain.
The artist frames this idea with the quotable “music for business, not business for music.” The title is a Luo word meaning “work hard.” The song is a dedication to those who hustle for their dreams and on it, the rapper introduces himself with ‘the undertaker’ moniker attached too for the first time.
“Ma Gal (Sweet Luv)“, the third track, shifts into kidandali rap and is a love song addressed to a partner. The song features Ciro Boy and Feno.
Oriz has described its creation as almost accidental: a friend urged him to stop by the studio, where he found the instrumental already prepared. After listening on repeat, he caught the vibe, wrote and recorded his verse.
“Mama”, the fourth track, features Feno on the hooks. It is a tribute to the artist’s mother and to mothers in general, acknowledging the daily struggles they endure to raise disciplined, respectful children.
Oriz frames the song as a recognition that the corrections, cane, and raised voices that parents adopt towards their adolescent children especially, are not born of hate but of an effort to shape character; the result, he suggests, is the person one eventually becomes.
“Lubanga Na”, the fifth track featuring Feno, is a gospel song set to a boom-bap beat layered with soul samples. The title is Luo for “my God.” Oriz frames the track as gratitude to divine power, pointing to everyday observations: people securing jobs without formal education, recovering from illness without conventional medical care, rising each day to hustle without a clear plan yet still managing to get by, and surviving accidents that could have ended otherwise. These experiences, he has said, shaped the song.
“Lanyani”, the sixth track, is a boom-bap cut built around sampling and loop variations.This song was produced by Legendary Kodd.
The title, which translates as “adoration,” frames a love story about personal transformation in everyday life marked by the absence of stress, nightlife excess, gambling, and similar addictions or distractions. According to Oriz, the song was his first recorded collaboration with Davizo G of the Gulu-based ensemble Soulz of Afrika, a longtime friend with whom their paths have run from Kampala to Gulu and whom Oriz regards as one of the region’s strongest rappers.
“My connection with the Soulz of Africa team is like glue [and paper because] we grew up together before the label even became too prominent. So the CEO told me I don’t need a stamp to do business with them”, the rapper reiterated when asked.
“Story pa Pele”, the seventh and final track, is grounded in a true account of a young man who excelled academically, earned strong grades, and was later sent overseas. From abroad he continues to support his community back home. Oriz presents the subject as someone loved by his parents, exceptionally hardworking and courageous, and widely respected in his community, a figure who stood as a pillar from the land of Parwaja all the way to life abroad.
Apart from the producer mentions, the rest of the EP was mixed and mastered by Ricko Da Realist.
“This game chooses you when you are ready to die and live for it, when you put everything expecting nothing but still move on … I choose to be ‘undertaker’…from ‘understood’”, the rapper concludes on why he chose his rap name.
Listen to “Shadow EP”:
One Response
Big up Oriz, Kro-bin and Ricko for the EP.
And for holding down Luo rap…