Kigali woke up to a rare moment in local hip hop history on Thursday, November 27 when media personality and businessman Charles Kakooza Nkuliza, widely known as KNC, told listeners he holds the last song ever recorded by the late rapper Jay Polly. He shared the news live on TV1’s morning show Rirarashe, which he co-hosts with veteran journalist Angeli Mutabaruka. ALSO READ: Ugandan artiste lauds Rwanda’s journey in ‘love letter’ song KNC told listeners that he produced the track himself. He also sang the chorus, making this a deeply personal project. “Many don’t know this, but I’m actually the one with Jay Polly’s last unreleased song that we recorded together before he passed away,” he said on air. Before releasing the song, KNC plans to add verses from some of Jay Polly’s closest collaborators. Members of the Tuff Gang collective are expected to lay fresh vocals, turning the track into a tribute from the circle that shaped a generation of Rwandan hip hop. The song carries an anti-drug abuse message, a theme KNC says was important to Jay Polly. Once the record is released, royalties will go toward supporting the children the rapper left behind. Jay Polly died in 2021 at Muhima Hospital, but his influence remains central to Rwanda's music story. Known for his commanding delivery and charismatic presence, he became the flag bearer of Rwandan hip hop. His discography still defines an era, from “Deux fois deux” to “Ndacyariho Ndahumeka” to “Akanyarirajisho.”
