Celebrity Watch:Asher Junior

Asher Junior, real name Isaac Mutijima, is one of the upcoming Hip Hop artistes in Rwanda. Born in 1991, he wrote his first song in 2005. He made his first impact on local radio a year later, with “Ndagukunda”, a love single he did alongside veteran Queen Ali. He went on to record a couple of songs with some famous singers like Diplomat, and his close friend, DMS, at his TFP studio. Lately he is attached to Barick, an emerging music promoter. By 2008, Asher Junior had already found his way into the realm of good rappers within Rwanda, with his self-styled rap and lyrics in English. His sluggish rap flow, however, exposed him to critics—who said he was copying African-American rapper, Lil Wayne—but he did not change his style to impress them. Asher Junior became silent after 2008, apparently getting busy with high school studies. He later made a fair comeback in early 2011 with songs like ‘Familiar’. This song was one of the 19 tracks that featured on the teen rapper’s debut album, “Real Talk” which was launched in mid-December, 2011. Asher Junior does not have any other special interests besides music. His wardrobe is particular, as he prefers comfort to smartness. He is still single and says he’s comfortable with that. emma.mprince@gmail.com