Here are the artists you can watch at RBF’s Pan-Africa event

Ahead of the digital conference, Music In Africa has complied a playlist featuring this year’s showcasing artists, including Tems (Nigeria), Awa Khiwe (Germany), Kelvyn Colt (Germany) and Yugen Blakrok (South Africa), whose performances will be broadcast via the Music In Africa Facebook page on 31 May from 8pm CAT.

Tems

From Nigeria, the country steering the Afrobeats renaissance, singer Tems is becoming one of her country’s biggest musical exports. Despite being relatively new to the scene, the ‘Try Me’ star’s rare and courageous fusion of R&B, neo-soul and indigenous melodies in addressing mainly softer emotions has ensured her widespread admiration among her peers, industry watchers and music lovers alike. Born Temilade Openiyi, Tems has been included in YouTube Music’s Foundry incubator programme and has appeared on prestigious playlists on the leading streaming services globally. She has been associated with African pop greats such as Wizkid and Davido, and is behind a number of successful releases, most notably 2020’s For Broken Ears EP. 

Awa Khiwe

Awa Khiwe enjoys a reputation as a Zimbabwean hip hop powerhouse. It is not for nothing. Across music and social activism, Awa’s voice is one that has become a formidable weapon for freedom and the empowerment of women; the first three letters of her stage name stand for ‘African Women Arise’.

“I feel that, as one of the few women in hip hop, I should speak out for women. I could be the voice of many women,” she says. Awa’s music has been characterised by her activism in social issues such as prostitution, domestic violence and teenage pregnancy. Awa’s exciting style is founded on her innovative use of click consonants, which come across in a medley of fiery hip hop and African rhythms. Steadily, Awa is accruing international attention, her music taking her to Germany, the UK, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland and the Netherlands, among others. 

Yugen Blakrok

From touring with renowned hip hop veterans including MC Lyte, GZA and Public Enemy, to soundtracking American blockbuster Black Panther alongside US rappers Kendrick Lamar and Vince Staples, Yugen Blakrok is unstoppable. She is behind two acclaimed albums: 2013’s Return of the Astro-Goth and 2019’s Anima Mysterium. She is widely acclaimed for her highly technical and conscious poetic delivery, which is set in everything from traditional hip hop to acid jazz.

“I love puzzles, I love putting things together,” Yugen told Bandcamp Daily in 2018 of her highly nuanced creations. “I enjoy the research part of my job. I’m a curious person. I think that will translate into everything that I do – even the style of writing. Even the movies and books I love. There’s something for you to figure out as the listener, clues to a story that you already know, you’re just being urged to remember it; fill in the blanks for yourself.” 

Kelvyn Colt

To many, German-Nigerian rapper Kelvyn Colt is among the names redefining Berlin’s burgeoning hip hop scene and the future of forward rap. A versatile act who names Kid Cudi and 2Pac among his inspirations, the artist quit rap school to pursue his hip hop dreams. His vision is to be a constant voice of empowerment. Kelvyn Colt is the founder of the independent label TBHG Records. In 2018, he partnered with Mercedes-Benz for his single ‘Benz’. The rapper also joined the car brand’s EQ Community, established in 2018 and geared towards interdisciplinary dialogue on the future of mobility. In addition, he has also been associated with leading fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Reebok. 

For more information about Reeperbahn Festival Pan-Africa, visit the official website.