Fresh Kid in the UAE: what is the young Ugandan rapper doing in Dubai?

The seven-year-old viral sensation jetted in to perform in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Young Ugandan rapper Fresh Kid arrives in Dubai

This weekend, a seven-year-old Ugandan school boy wheeled his luggage out of a Dubai airport and into the UAE for the first time. He was accompanied not by family, but by his tour management.

Young rapper – and internet sensation – Fresh Kid, whose real name is Ssenyonjo Patrick, flew into the Emirates to perform, though he appears to have been fitting plenty of sightseeing into his schedule as well.

The musician, who hit the limelight earlier this year, was first discovered in 2018 in a local bar in Luwero, a district in the central region of Uganda by manager Francis Kamoga. Patrick was swiftly signed to De Texas Entertainment, and released a number of songs including Taki Taki and Banteek.

His single Bambi, which was released three months ago, has long since passed the 100,000 view mark on YouTube while his most recent single, Victim, dropped last month.

He balances his primary-school education with his music career, which is closely monitored by his parents and manager.

Fresh Kid and his management hit the headlines in March, after Uganda's youth minister Florence Nakiwala told the BBC that the rapper's career breached labour laws, which state no one under 18 should work.

Social media takes have been divided, with some siding with Nakiwala and just as many expressing support for what has so far been Fresh Kid's promising career.

He continues to perform and release music, however, and his arrival in Dubai was documented by several Ugandan social media outlets on Saturday.

Fresh Kid tweeted a photo of himself yesterday morning as he touched down, escorted by a cadre of his touring crew in T-shirts emblazoned with his performance dates.

While little is known about his supposed shows (The National has reached out to his management), the young talent has certainly been enjoying his time in the UAE.

He visited the Burj Khalifa a day after he touched down in Dubai, along with his manager, and also dropped by The Dubai Mall, where he posed next to the shopping spot's famous waterfall.

He also made time to visit some superheroes. We can only assume that he's as enamoured with the Marvel and DC universe as any kid his age, as Fresh Kid is seen here in front of a statue of Captain America.

The caption reads: "Forget about Captain America, it's time for Captain Uganda." Bold words that he may still yet grow into.