Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
You’ve likely seen them dominate your timeline with moves that make you hit replay instantly. Uganda’s Ghetto Kids have been commanding social media attention for years with their electrifying choreography and infectious energy. Now, the Kampala-based dance collective is about to take their talents to football’s biggest stage, joining Shakira for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final halftime show. Their featured appearance on “Dai Dai,” the tournament’s official anthem alongside Burna Boy, has already set the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable moment at MetLife Stadium on July 19th.
The Ghetto Kids story starts in the Katwe slums of Kampala, where founder Dauda Kavuma established the group in 2014 as an extension of his foundation work. Since 2007, Kavuma has been using performance arts—music, dance, and drama—to create opportunities for street children. Today, the collective houses and educates 60 young performers aged 4 to 16, all from underprivileged backgrounds. What began as a grassroots initiative has evolved into a globally recognized platform proving that talent and determination can transcend circumstance.
Their breakout moment arrived in 2014 when a homemade video of them dancing to Eddy Kenzo’s “Sitya Loss” exploded online. But it was their 2017 collaboration with Rwanda-born choreographer Sherrie Silver on Dotorado Pro’s Afro-house track “Marimba Rija” that truly cemented their international presence, racking up over 25 million views. The momentum kept building when they made Britain’s Got Talent history by receiving the franchise’s first-ever mid-performance Golden Buzzer, catapulting them straight to the finals and into European households.
The World Cup won’t be the Ghetto Kids’ first rodeo on a major platform. They’ve already starred in French Montana’s platinum-certified “Unforgettable” video, performed at the 2022 Qatar World Cup events, and recently made their Norwegian debut at the Oslo Business Forum in September 2025. Along the way, they’ve collected an AFRIMMA Award, a YouTube Creators Award, and RIAA recognition. Their journey from Kampala’s streets to global stages carrying traditional calabash props has become one of African entertainment’s most inspiring narratives.
The relationship between the Ghetto Kids and Shakira started organically through a dance challenge they created to one of her songs. That online moment evolved into a featured spot in the Hannah Lux Davis-directed video for “Dai Dai,” where they brought their signature style alongside Burna Boy. Now Shakira has confirmed they’ll share the MetLife Stadium stage with her for a halftime performance that will broadcast to over one billion viewers worldwide. For a group that started recording routines in Kampala’s slums, it’s the ultimate full-circle moment.
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