ACCES 2024: PAM’s Christian Askin on Rap in Kigali project

Robberecht’s work provides an intimate lens into the people and spaces that connect the different rap forces across the Rwandan capital. His work has been shown at the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris, France, and at The French Institute of Rwanda.

The panel discussion will feature actors in the country’s youth culture who will explore the emergence of new identities within Rwandan hip hop and how it shapes a cultural movement. It will reflect on Rwandan hip hop culture – where it has been, where it is now, and where it’s going, in look, style, and sound, and how to take it to the world.

It will be moderated by Cornwine Agency project manager and associate producer Aubin Muhire, who is well known for the promotion and close collaboration with artists. Muhire will be joined by Big Team productions co-founder Eazy Cuts, who has been key in constructing Rwandan hip hop’s visual identity, poet, rapper, and singer-songwriter Angell Mutoni, Boldy Bonza founder Uwera Laetitia, and co-founder of Kigali Multimedia Hub and 63 inc Khalilu Rahman.

Topping off the proceedings will be a live performance by +250. Composed of Ish Kevin, Angell Mutoni, B-Threy, Bushali, Slum Drip, Bushali, Nikita Heaven, Sema Solé, and Ice Nova, as well as producers Pro Zed and Dr Nganji, +250 (a reference to Rwanda’s country code) celebrates Rwandan youth under the banner of hybrid, free and instinctive music. By connecting the different generations and styles of rap in the country, while taking a look back at the traditional music that makes Rwanda unique, +250 promises an exciting step in Kigali’s hip hop evolution.

Askin added: “We are proud to bring these efforts to life for this year’s ACCES event, in the gallery, on stage, and with animated discussions of the actors that have created a new youth identity out of the culture and codes of hip hop.

“We have been following the rap scene in Rwanda for some time, exploring the origins of kinyatrap (a Rwandan hip hop subgenre) in a recent Off the Map documentary with B-Threy, commissioning photo reports, interviewing Ish Kevin and the LoudSound movement, and putting together an international tour with Bushali and his team.”

Below Askin tells Music In Africa more about the project.

MUSIC IN AFRICA: Can you tell us a bit about the Rap in Kigali project? When and why did PAM get involved?

CHRISTIAN ASKIN: The Rap in Kigali project is a long-term initiative to help develop and promote the rap scene in Rwanda. Several years back we stumbled upon the kinyatrap phenomenon while reporting on the different rap scenes on the African continent. The sound and stories were so compelling that we followed up with some investigation, and eventually produced a short documentary on one of the key figures of the movement, B-Threy, directed by Michiel Robberecht. At PAM, we love stories that open a window into the broader culture, and kinyatrap and Rwandan hip hop are powerful examples of using music to find a voice, investigate taboos, and unite a generation. After a few trips to Kigali, meeting with Cornwine, and listening in on the many different movements under the hip hop umbrella, we knew we wanted to go even further, which led to Rap in Kigali, a comprehensive, multimedia exploration of the scene involving long-term investment in its development locally and internationally.

What has the project achieved so far?

So far, we have hosted a photo exhibition and film screening by Michiel Robberecht at Paris’ iconic Théâtre de Chaillot at the Trocadéro overlooking the Eiffel Tower, topping it off with a kinyatrap performance. We also used this event to launch a European tour for rappers Bushali and B-Threy and producer Dr. Nganji, beginning with our Nyege Nyege Festival in Paris, and then several dates in France, Belgium, and Poland. We’ve also begun investing alongside Cornwine to provide the scene with the tools they need and working together to create a collaborative project, +250, that brings together multiple generations and styles of Rwandan rappers and artists to showcase what the scene has to offer. With a live band, +250 and traditional musicians are coming together to build an original performance with new and old compositions that aim to highlight and expand Rap in Kigali. There are many other exciting activities in the works, including a new documentary, a +250 album, and more live events that will roll out over 2024 and 2025.

Why did you choose to partner with ACCES?

ACCES and PAM have a strong working relationship, so it was logical for us to propose this multimedia partnership for the Kigali edition of the conference. This will give the artists the opportunity to showcase their work to music professionals from around the globe and tell their stories via a photo exhibition, a panel discussion on Rwanda's youth culture, and a live performance from +250.

Register here to attend the Rap in Kigali project panel discussion, photo exhibition and showcase at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda from 14 to 16 November 2024. African delegates register for free.