CELEBRITY CENTRAL: Riderman

Emery Gatsinzi aka Riderman, is the undisputed king of Rwandan hiphop music. This is evidenced by the numerous accolades he has already earned himself, in his two years music career. Gatsinzi was born in Burundi, Bujumbura in March 10th 1986. In 1995 he and his family moved back to Rwanda and he continued his primary school in Kabusunzu, and later joined St. Andre secondary school, from where he got his diploma in 2006. Riderman’s love for music, started at a tender age where he listened to a lot of rap music especially the legendary Tupac Shakur’s rap. However, his music career did not start until 2007, when together with three neighbourhood friends, came together and formed UTP Soldiers (Unified Troops for Peace). The group included Nag G the General, M.I.M and himself. They immediately released their debut song ‘va hasi’ which was in the form of crank and was an instant hit. They immediately followed it with ‘byina’ and ‘get it crunkin’ which followed the success of their debut hit single, thereby confirming the group’s tag as the kings of crank in the Rwandan music industry. By the end of 2007 the UTP soldiers had released 8 songs. In November 2007, Riderman went on to release his first solo track ‘Turi muri party’ which was an instant hit, and showed Rwandans the enormous talent he possess in Kinyarwanda rap. He did not stop at that; he went on immediately to release ‘igitende’ and ‘urutenderi’ in early 2008. By that time, his music was selling like hot cakes. After a year of going solo, Riderman released his first album ‘Rutenderi’, which contains an amazing 16 songs, launching it at petit stade on November 29th. The album, gained momentum as it had high sales, making it one of the highest sought for albums by a Rwandan musician. Being an industrious young Rwandan, he did not stop at that, he has already started working on his second album which he hopes to release at the end of this year or early next year. This year, he has already released various songs including ‘Nakoze iki’, ‘underground’ and the famous ‘Umwana w’ umuhanda’. Early this year, the soft spoken young man released a controversial hit ‘Amatopito’ which was a response to a beef that was started off by B-Gun in two songs ‘cisha make’ and ‘ibyahishiwe’. Being a peace loving person, after some time Riderman banned the song from being played on local radio stations despite its popularity saying he wanted beef with no one, and wants to rap about constructive issues. Along with him being one of the most sought for musicians in concerts and parties in the country, Riderman has already got himself various accolades the most prestigious one coming in the Salax music awards last year, where he was awarded the best hiphop male artist in Rwanda. Riderman’s vision is to continue developing his country using his various talents he possesses including music. He also plans to advance his and Rwandan music to the regional level of which he has already started. He has already had major performances in Burundi and Uganda.Gatsinzi’s stardom has not let him get over himself as some musicians become after being stars. He is a person who still interacts with his long time friends and his fans freely. He is at the moment studying Tourism at the Rwanda Tourism University College (RTUC) and says he takes his studies just as serious as his music. Apart from music and studies, Riderman loves watching basketball and college movies. He also loves being around friends and his family. Riderman concludes by sending a passionate appeal to the ministry of sports and culture to help promote Rwandan culture, because it helps promote the Rwandan culture outside our borders. LYRICS TO THE SONG ‘NAKOZE IKI’ CHORUS:Nakoze iki gituma abantu bamwe bamwe banzira Nakoze iki gituma banyitambika mu nzira Nakoze iki cyo kwamburwa uburengezira Bwo kubaho ntahemukirwa nkuko nabihoranye *2 VERSE: 1 Isi irasekeje ntawamenya aho yerekeje Njye nibaza abayirambyemo amayeri bakoresheje Bamwe bahanwa bazira ko ari ibigwari Naho abandi bahanwa bazira ko ari intwali Icyiza n’ikibi ntitukimenya aho bitaniye Kuko agahinda muri buri kimwe karakaniye Ubaho utiyenza ntawe urya ikinyunguti Ukurikiza amategeko inyuguti ku nyuguti Rimwe ukabyuka ugakora amahirwe akagusekera Rurema yagufasha ubwo ukagira intambwe utera Ukaba ikirego, ngo utangiye kurira urwego Intwaro zabo zose zikakubonamo intego Uvuze ibigusebya bakabyemera ngo yego Ukibaza uti ko nta muntu nigeze nkosereza Ndazira iki gituma abantu banyendereza Aahaah ko nta muntu nigeze nkosereza ndazira Iki gituma banyendereza bose VERSE: 2 Inshuti n’umwanzi inshuti n’umwanzi aaah ntituki basha kubitandukanya Kuko ikinyoma kiva kuko ikinyoma kiva mu kanwa kabo buri kanya Icyo bashaka n’isahani ibiryo n’ikanya Ntibatinya kurya n’ibiva mu buriganya Ubana nabo ukabizera utazi niba ari bande Niba ari abagitera cyangwa ari ba debande Ukabizera ukabagira inshuti magara Wibagiwe ko ntawizera umwana w’igisagara Nyuma uwo wagize inshuti akaba ariwe uguhe mukira Akaguteguza amrira uuuh ukabura aho umuhungira Wabibona utyo ukumva ushatse gusobanukirwa Uti Mana nakoze iki gituma mpemukirwa Ko numva muri njyewe ntangiye kunanirwa Kwizera abantu nikosa jye nagakwiye guhanirwa Rumuri nkurikira, murikira Menye icyo nakoze gituma abantu bampemukira Rumuri nkurikira, muurikira Menye icyo nakoze gituma bampemukira. dedantos2002@yahoo.com