Rwanda’s first-ever ‘I Am Hip-Hop’ festival which took place at Institut Français from July 5 to 6 stood out as not only a true celebration of the genre’s culture but the platform also showed positive signs of rappers’ comeback to Rwanda’s big stages. The two-day rap festival’s stage welcomed some 28 rappers and other beat makers, exclusively showcasing the spirit of hip-hop culture. This debut edition celebrated the vibrant street rhythms of the genre. Since its inception in the United States during the late 1970s, the hip hop culture has emerged as a beacon of self-expression and empowerment for the youth, particularly in marginalised communities. Central to hip-hop culture are its four original elements: DJing, MCing (or rapping), graffiti art, and breaking (also known as breakdancing, b-boying, and b-girling). These elements have become tools for storytelling, social commentary, and community building, reflecting the realities and aspirations of an entire generation. ALSO READ: I Am Hip Hop festival in the rapper's perspective Similar to its essence, the two-day festival, organised by Green Ferry Music, hosted concerts, breakdancing, graffiti, open mic, streetwear, street photo exhibitions, BMXing, documentary screenings, deejaying and pop-up shops. In the semi-live stage performance, the event kicked off with Trizzie Ninety-Six, whose energy elevated the atmosphere from the first song. He left the stage to welcome Romeo Rapstar, who maintained the same momentum with tracks like “Umwotoro” and many more. Thedicekid, Ngaara, Muta II, Slum Drip, Insibika, and others followed respectively, setting the stage for star of the day BullDogg. The “Zana” singer performed his classic hits, confirming his ability to carry the rap movement with smash hits like Mpe Enkoni, Nkumusaza, and Mood. This opened a joint performance with B Threy, a combinatination that left none on the seats. The next stage featured exclusively live performances, spearheaded by rappers like Icenova and B Threy. Later, Angell Mutoni, regarded by many as the queen of rap, joined them. Her energy and passion for rap immediately changed the mood. She performed some of her collabos with Icenova and B Threy before performing her own tracks, including the latest hit “Bounce”, which is making waves this summer. Next up was Ish Kevin and his crew, kicking off with “Amakosi”, one of popular tracks that pushed his breakthrough and helped him to introduce himself on the rap scene, especially through his ‘Trapish’ subgenre. Ish Kevin was later joined by Ririmba, Big Zed, Logan Joe, and other emerging rappers, where each of them performed their hit songs, bringing the show to an energetic conclusion. It was a pure hip hop show which left many festival goers inspired and feeling the need to have more and more in the near future in order to boost Hip Hop’s appeal in the Rwanda creative community. Romeo Rapstar, one of the festival organisers, told The New Times that the experience was way beyond his expectations given the fact that the turn up was so impressive whole rappers also gave their whenever they had a chance to perform. “This concert brought together more than 28 rappers, making it the first-ever show to host such a large number. Everyone who attended had a great time.” “This is an annual show, and we're looking forward to taking it to various places in the country, beyond Rwanda to East Africa, and even Europe. It's very possible. With collaboration from institutions like Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and initiatives like Visit Rwanda, we believe we can expand it widely,” he said. Rapstar highlighted that the event was more of a networking festival, attended by Pan-African event organisers affiliated with renowned festivals like Uganda's Nyege Nyege, the Amani Festival in Goma, DR Congo, and other notable guests in the music space.
