When it comes to doing it young and uncertain, few carry the scars and triumphs like Simplice Elinathan Himbaza. Known to many as AY, the record producer has been shaping sound since 2022, though the real work started long before. When I met him at his studio in Kabeza, in Kigali’s Kicukiro district, he was quick to remind me that everything people hear today began as years of quiet experiments, failed drafts, and long nights with his crew GMF. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AY (@youngest_ay) “This is where we built it all,” he told me with a laugh, recalling the countless tracks that never made it out of the booth. “Hip hop felt like it was fading, so we spent years creating a new wave, something fresh enough to spark a movement. Only after all those throwaways did we finally have something we could share with the world.” That “something” turned out to be Youngest, AY’s debut album. The twelve-track project dropped on July 1 and stands as both a milestone and a manifesto. It is a celebration of youth, drawn not just from his nickname “Youngest AY” but from the rising generation of artists it showcases. ALSO READ: Artists vs record labels: The fight killing Rwanda’s music industry? Rappers Taz, Hunni, PoppA, and Nzeythegreat trade bars alongside singers Real Roddy and Khire, with AY himself moving easily from one sound to the next. “The album reflects who we are right now,” he explained. “It’s about being young, being next, and not being afraid to try new things. There’s hip hop, afrobeats, dancehall, RnB. I even explored love in four songs, which is something I hadn’t touched much before. It’s all part of the experiment, and it makes the project fuller.” The music may be tailored for Gen-Z listeners, with packaging as sharp as its beats, but AY believes it speaks across generations. “These songs talk about struggle in a way that even older folks can connect with, because they’ve lived through the same things,” AY told me. “That’s probably why the album is already pulling in a following online, even though it’s only been out a couple weeks.” In just a few short years in the industry, AY admits his outlook has shifted. “We don’t have time to play around anymore. We’re grown now, and music is where our livelihood will come from. So if you’re contacting me, you better talk business,” he said. He is also quick to credit the industry connections that have helped push his sound further, landing his songs on major playlists — still the fastest way to break through today — and even earning him spots as a cover artist. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AY (@youngest_ay) “This is just the beginning,” he said with a grin. “We’re working on more, and if you check the visuals on YouTube, the whole vision makes sense. But really, it’s about staying tuned. The journey is still unfolding.” AY’s debut album Youngest is live.
