The year 2020 was a defining moment for the Rwandan music industry. It marked the emergence of a generation of young artists who not only introduced a new wave of sounds, but also put their own spin on world-conquering music genres, blowing them up in Kigali and beyond. It is the same period that Loud Sound Music, arguably Rwanda's first movement of drillers and trappers (artists who produce the drill and trap genre) rose to prominence after releasing their debut collective album 'Rwanda Rw’ejo I', contributing to the rise of artists like Kenny K-Shot, Ish Kevin, Logan Joe among others. The success of the first project encouraged the production of Rwanda Rw'Ejo 2, which like its continuation of the first project, featuring youngsters including Bobby Bangs, who added a unique vibe to the whole tape, with his verse on track eight 'Amaribori' being the highlight of the entire project. After the song went viral, most local listeners began comparing his voice to that of auto-tune worriers like Travis Scott, Don Toliver or even Future, and credited his ability to flow over melodic trap beats with rhythm and blues influences. His influence went beyond Loud Sound, he later started to feature on mega projects like Ish Kevin's first album 'BST', the 'Nitwa Ririmba' album and many more. Who is Bobby Bangs? Real name Francisco Amani, Bobby Bangs' exposure to music started at a tender age when he met the likes of Logan Joe and OG 2tone who introduced him to various music studios around Kigali. Like many other kids, I grew up listening to different kinds of music and that's how my love for the art grew,” Bobby told The New Times in an exclusive interview. “At school, we could sit and discuss different artists, who makes better music, who are the best producers and many other topics related to music that made us more attracted to this profession, he recalls. Bobby's uniqueness at the time was his ability to observe the environment with a poetic eye, something that came naturally to him growing up in the vibrant capital of Rwanda, where he recorded his first song. His early musical journey was defined by collaborations, notably with Kina Beat, who produced his first solo project 'Rira Trap' in 2021 and shaped his early understanding of hip-hop, but it was his appearance on 'Rwanda Rw'Ejo 2' that gave him visibility in the Rwandan music industry. In 2021, I started releasing my own stuff. That's when I dropped 'Rira Trap' which consisted of seven dope tracks that I can't deny gave me some visibility in the industry. After that, I started jumping on collabs with some established artistes and the rest is history, he pointed out. ALSO READ: From ‘Tukabyine’ to making Trap, Drill and Afro-beat: The evolution of Rwanda’s music He credits connections like OG 2tone for introducing him to Pro Zed and Loud Sound Family, a key figure in boosting his name and widespread acceptance in the country's trap and rap scene. Inspired by the likes of Travis Scott, Don Toliver and many other trap stars around the world, Bobby decided to use Autotune as his unique tag and his own distinctive mark on the local music scene. It was 2023 when Bobby teamed up with other young talents on Rwanda Rw'Ejo 2, a project he describes as a game changer in his music career that exposed his talent to the rest of the country. A put my verse on 'Amaribori' like any other song, but it quickly caught the attention of most listeners, with many asking who I was, says Bobby, adding, Most people vibed to it and I knew it was my time to shine.” Just the beginning After Rwanda Rw'Ejo 2, Bobby did not stop grinding, producing more records until he recently signed to KA$$H Records, founded by his long-time collaborator and producer JoeKA$$H. With the help of his management line, Bobby dropped the 'Bangazi' EP on 31 January, which shows his versatility in producing different genres of music from R&B, Afrobeats to Dancehall and Hip Hop among others. Banganzi is the first of many projects the artiste is working on for release this year, including a studio album currently in production at KA$$H Records. Bobby's craft, he believes, taps into challenges, ambitions and his daily life through lyrics expressed in a deep, auto-tuned voice. My sound is not special, but it reflects my real life and transforms it into universal messages that reach far beyond its origins. I believe that music is powerful and with my craft a lot will change and be achieved. This is just the beginning, he adds.
