Legendary Caribbean Zouk band Kassav’ is set to headline the Kwita Izina Gala Dinner on Friday, September 5, at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC), The New Times has learned. The much-anticipated performance will mark the group’s second visit to Rwanda, the first since 2020 and promises a vibrant showcase of their most iconic hits, including “Ou Le”, “La Medicina - Zouk La Se Sel Medikaman Nou Ni,” “Mwen di ou awa,” “Oh Madiana,” “Doméyis,” “Siwo,” and “Pa bizwen pale.” ALSO READ: Kwita Izina: 40 gorilla babies to be named this year The gala event will follow the renowned 20th edition of the Gorilla naming ceremony, Kwita Izina, scheduled for September 5, during which 40 baby gorillas—including 18 born in 2024—will be officially named. Formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus and Paris-based studio musician Jacob F. Desvarieux, Kassav’ revolutionized Guadeloupian carnival music by blending traditional Caribbean rhythms with a polished, modern sound. The band became the face of Zouk, a genre that fuses elements from a range of musical traditions including Haitian kompa, Dominica’s cadence-lypso, Dominican merengue, Puerto Rican salsa, Trinidadian calypso, and Cameroonian makossa. ALSO READ: PSG legend Javier Pastore set for Kwita Izina ceremony In the early 1980s, Kassav’ pushed boundaries by embracing digital recording technology in Paris, establishing themselves as the leading force in the burgeoning Zouk scene and giving the genre global appeal.
