On Saturday, Rwanda’s straight-talking, no nonsense rapper Diplomate, who has just returned from a two year break, took time out of his busy schedule to speak to The New Times.

His early success was remarkable. Most talented musicians find themselves shoved into fame. Some are never heard from again. And then some take those experiences and fight their way back to victory. Rapper Diplomate Nuur Fassasi is one of those victorious comeback stories. Before you left the music scene, you were widely considered the most popular rapper in the country? Why did you decide to quit the music scene just when you were becoming a household name?I had to quit. I thought I should stop this (being a rapper) for a while. I decided to quit the industry for two years and then I came back. This is just a decision that I made. I did some meditation and other personal stuff. You have been on a self-imposed break for the last two years. Where have you been and what have you been up to?I was in East Africa, rotating between Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala. I was just relaxing for that whole moment. I wanted to run my life as someone who isn't a celebrity. When you quit the work it doesn't mean you're just going to sleep. After this time I decided to go back, this was always the plan. I was just waiting for the right time. In your absence, some of your rival rappers such as Fireman, Pacson and Green P have released songs saying "When the game became tough, Diplomate fled". What do you have to say in response to this?For me, I have no problem with that. If you interview them now, they have not 'made it'. This shows that most of them are cowards. I don't have time for this. We see each other all the time, they talk about you, we live together. We live the same life, we need each other. I'm the kind of person who doesn't put boundaries between people. Last year, Riderman won the annual music competition - Primus Guma Guma Superstar. Do you have any plans to participate in this competition?Ok, right now it's still early for me to answer that question. I will wait for them (organiser of the competition) to invite me to participate. The time is coming. Right now I have no answer. You are widely known and loved by your fans for having songs with a political message. You never rap about money, drugs or girls, but rather 'real issues' such as problems faced by society and the future of Rwanda. Why do you write these kinds of songs?I know it depends on society. Today, I can't sing about money, girls, and cars. I can't sing about these things in a country like this. We don't have to follow in the footsteps of American rappers. When you are rapping as an artiste, you have to focus on providing a message which is appropriate. There is a lot to be talked about. I rap about things that people care about. I think about what people are going to love.In the future, when you write new music, will you expand into performing in other languages like French or English so that you can reach a wider audience or will you stick to singing in Kinyarwanda?This is among the things I've been thinking about. For me, I've spent time off, so I have a lot of stuff to do. It's among my projects, I have a lot of things to accomplish but can be productive now and focus on it.What are you working on right now? Which artistes and producers would you be interested in working with?Right now I am with Touch Records but there is no stable agreement, no contract. I am free to work with any studio or any producer that I would like to work with. Track Slayer has produced and is working on my track release. Freezy is one of the main producers I am working with now. He works with a different studio, Bridge Records. I'm thinking of working on a solo album, if all goes well I will release it this year. Finally, now that you're 'back', what should your fans expect of the new Diplomate? How has your music changed?What I made is some innovations in my songs. If my fans focus on them they will hear the difference. People always say never change everything. There always have to be innovations, so people don't get bored. I always think about giving people something they will enjoy listening to and that will make them happy.My new track has just been released and it is called, Fasasi wa mbere. It is a song that explains a lot about me, everything is included in it. I would just like to say to my fans that as an excuse for being away for such a long time, I am working on big things and all I need is their attention. Happy New Year.