G-Battalion: A musical brotherhood forged in Gatsata

G-Battalion is a loose grouping of young artistes in the low income settlement of Gatsata – in Kigali. In it are a host of up-and-coming singers, instrumentalists, music and video producers, directors, composers, actors… name it. But the “G” in G-Battalion has got little to do with Gatsata, neither does it stand for “gangsta”, for a group that is made up largely of Hip Hop artistes. “The “G” actually stands for Gorilla”, explains crew member Shaga Kiz, before adding: “We chose the name Gorilla Battalion because most foreigners who come to Rwanda want to see the mountain gorillas.” Started in 2012, the group has an open-door policy in which members can join and leave as they wish. Some of the better-known names in the crew are: Cox Wine (Hip Hop); Baby Stone (Hip Hop); Ras Cub Lion (Reggae); Shaga Kiz (Dancehall, Hip Hop, Blues); Ghisley (Afro-Hip Hop); Jozy (Zouk, Afro-beat, Rn’B, Reggae, Pop); and Eric Mucyo, who does Gakondo fusion style. “The idea came as we tried to find something to do collectively as a group living together like brothers. We were many young people with different artistic and creative talents,” explains crew president Jimmy Kayayi. Kayayi is the resident producer at the Celebrity Music Studios, along Gatuna Road in Gatsata. This is the official base and convergence point for the group, from where it holds weekly meetings to plan strategy and address emerging issues. Indeed, it is where most of the crew members take their audio recording projects. However the crew runs another base in Kicukiro, The G-Storm Media Productions, that is specially dedicated to its video projects, while the Gatsata wing handles the audio. The idea for G-Battalion was first conceived by crew member Badox, in Uganda, while at an entertainment place called City Garden. “I told my brother Andrew Kayongo about it, and I also talked to Jimmy Pro because he had a studio and passion for young talent” he explains. “We started by producing some music as a group, after which we made our first movie – Mu buzima (In life),” explains Kayayi. “The movie was about the life of Hip Hop artistes in Rwanda. It was inspired by a song by one of the group members, Badox, which had a similar title.” The singer further agreed to a remix of the song, featuring the entire G-Battalion Crew. It took the group two solid years to complete their maiden movie project. Badox Black Box (real name Badule Oscar): He joined the music industry in 2009, in Kigali. Badox attributes his music talent to his father and grandfather, who were both accomplished singers. His father owned a Jazz band that has since disbanded. Before joining the music industry he was a street fashion designer. “I used to import clothes and other accessories from Kampala and sell or hire them out to local musicians.” However he downplays this as a contributing factor to his career decision. “It’s my talent and passion for singing that convinced me to join the music industry. When I was a fashion designer, I was just doing it for the money so that I could launch my music career.” It was not until 2010, however, that fans got to know of him and his music. “My first song was a love ballad called Mvuna. After that, I did Mu buzima (In life), and a few others which did not do very well because of lack of promotion.” Currently he is working on his first album, a twelve song effort. Ten of the songs are already complete. The album was jointly produced from Celebrity Music and Narrow Road Productions. Badox’s elder brother Andrew Kayongo supports the group financially and morally, and is also its director and executive producer. Shaga Kiz Kiz ventured into music in 2002, in Kenya. In 2004, he released his first song, Honey, from The Future Productions (TFP), produced by Busy Bee. “At that time music in Rwanda wasn’t good,” he laments, adding: “In fact, I stopped singing and started thinking seriously about the challenge of promotion which is the biggest hurdle for upcoming artistes.” He went on to create a company and TV show on Rwanda Television to promote local music. That was 2010. Shortly after, he hit studio again (Freedom Studio), where producer Mico Prosper made him his follow-up single – Freedom. In 2012, I met Badox, who had a dream to make a movie, which is the same idea that I had. Hence the movie, Mu buzima was born. On music “As a child growing up I saw the love my parents had for music. They would throw parties at home and I would watch my father dance as my mother sung. That was in Congo.” The youngster recalls that when he relocated to Tanzania, an Anglophone country, his love for music grew even stronger. “I was introduced to Jamaican Dancehall and to American music. In Congo, it was mainly Lingala and French songs I had been listening to.” “Music makes people happy and it reminds me of my family as a little boy growing up.” His word to up and coming artistes is that “when you dream of something, you have to work hard to attain it, and finally, you will achieve it.” Ras Cub Lion (real name Noel Nkubito): Music aside, Nkubito is also a painter, and sewing instructor at Reborn Kyoto, a Japanese sewing project based at Gaculiro Vocational Training Centre. He joined the music fray in 2000, and ten years later, in 2010, recorded his first album, which he admits didn’t do well owing to the low quality of production. “That is when I found these guys (G-Battalion), and Jimmy Pro made me a free beat on which I recorded a single called Rastaman. He has a live band, the Kwanda Band with which he performs two major concerts every year. Joining the music industry Nkubito’s late mother was a musician who sung with Cecile Kayirebwa in Nyanza district, Southern Province, he recalls. “When she passed on, I decided to do music to keep the family legacy.” Baby Stone (real name Regis Niyonkuru) He started singing in 2010, recording his first single, Uzwirwaneho at Celebrity Records. “I always felt I had the talent and wanted to do something productive with it,” he explains. One day participated in a talent search competition in Kigali. He won the competition and got a recording contract with Celebrity Records, “where I met producer Jimmy and the G-Battalion Crew.” He reveals that “the sense of brotherhood in the group has helped me to learn team work and to be social. I also learnt music and how to manage my life as an artiste.” His wish is to further grow in his rap music so that he can positively influence other youths. Cox Wine (real name Jean Bosco Muzaliwa): He kicked off his music career in 2011, at Celebrity Records in Gatsata, where he later met the G-Battalion Crew, which he joined the following year. “I joined the group because they work together as a family, and some even live together. We live in the same neighborhood of Gatsata”.

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G-Battalion: A musical brotherhood forged in Gatsata