Six Chapters
Pajok, South Sudan
Mark Otim was born in Pajok, South Sudan, a son of the Acholi people. It is where the story, the rhythm and the name begin.
Uganda
War pushed the family out. His formative years were spent in a refugee camp in Uganda, where his grandfather gave him two words he still carries: keep smiling.
America
He came to the United States in 1999, the kid who couldn't read out loud in class. That kid now has a whole library.
Portland, Maine
In Portland he built his life, his music and his community presence, through hard years he has written about openly: betrayal, loss, nights with nowhere to sleep.
Everywhere
Music that fuses hip-hop, reggae and dancehall with East African rhythm. Memoirs and guides. Then tools for other creators: the Thunder Roots kit and Dundada Master Pro.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Based in Salt Lake City: the album Thunder Before Rain, the podcast The People's Champ, DUNDADA Speaks, the books, the Tribe and the community.