One of the youngest disc jockeys in Kigali, 22 year-old Arnold Ishimwe (DJ Toxxyk) first fell in love with playing music while in high school at APE Rugunga High School. He did not wait to finish his studies before he could pursue his passion, and at 20 years of age, was juggling school and spinning discs at the former Ogopogo Nightclub in Kimihurura. 

Today, he still plays at the same establishment, which now goes by the name Trattoria, and the Chillax Lounge in Nyarutarama .

Who is DJ Toxxyk?

I was born in 1993 in Kigali. My Rwandese name, Ishema means pride. I attended high school in schools like La Colombiere, Glory High School, and APE Rugunga. I fell in love with music five years ago, when I was still in high school at APE Rugunga.

What was your introduction into music?

There were shows in high school called street ball, a basketball competition where they would also bring in a DJ and dancers, and for me my eyes would always be on the DJ. I always wanted to know what he was going to do next and what he is playing, and I always fell in love with how people always reacted to the next song.

It was back in the days in high school, and then I started hustling my way to get a job while still in school.

How did you learn to DJ?

As I told you I was hustling. I would go on Youtube and see videos of legendary Hip Hop DJs like DJ Jazzy Jeff and Grand Master Flash. I would just see what they did with their turntables. By that time I didn’t have a turn table so I would just play on my lap top every morning. 

Before going to school, I would take about an hour of rehearsal. I remember my mum would come into my room and ask me to go to school.

I used to finish school at mid day, and I started going to the former Ogopogo Bar and Nightclub. I met the boss, Serge, who I told that I was a young DJ who just wanted to play music. I don’t need much, just transport to come and go. 

He gave me two weeks to show him what I had. I worked two days in a week, Fridays and Saturdays, and each time I got RW F 2,000 for transport.

I would start playing at 7:00 pm, and leave at 2:00 or 3:00 am because I had classes to attend in the morning.

How would you get out of home at night?

My mum knew about it because we were very close. I grew up with her only. She used to see it in me. She used to come every day from work and she would see me playing music on my computer.

At first she used to ask why I was not concentrating with school, and I told her this is what I love. I love being a DJ and it’s my life. I’m very thankful that she understood and became supportive, because it’s not always the case with other parents.

She understood and told me boy, do your thing, as long as you go to school and learn and give me good grades, I will allow you to go out at night. She told me that she knew my boss and would always get information about me from him.

I’m glad that my boss liked my work, and by the second week he gave me a small raise and I was now earning Rwf 5,000 for transport every time I played. I was really happy and told my friends about it. 

Some of my friends, from school they’d go home and change clothes, then come to listen to me playing, and that would give me too much happiness just seeing my friends and family there to support me.

That is when I said to myself that ok, probably this is what I’m meant to do. 

By then Ogopogo was just a lounge and restaurant, and then they introduced a nightclub and my boss transferred me to the nightclub. That’s when I really made my name, because everyone would come there and see this young kid playing (by that time I was 20. 

After a year the boss moved the nightclub to Papyrus and I had to go solo and start looking for gigs because I had a name already. 

When he went back to Ogopogo he renamed it Trattoria and called me back and that’s where I still am. I play at Ogopogo on Fridays, and Saturdays, I’m at Chillax Lounge in Nyarutarama. I also get frequent private gigs. 

I also do events like the ROC New Year’s Eve party that happens every New Year’s Eve at the Kigali Serena Hotel, and I also do some gigs for corporate companies like Heineken and Skol.

Next year I plan to go on radio as well, and I’m targeting either Heart FM or Royal FM. 

Apart from DJ-ing, I also do music production. I produce artistes like Angel Mutoni and Mike Kayihura and many others. I work from an underground studio called Barick Music Production in Kacyiru which has no name yet, and I share it with a friend of mine called Aristide.

How do you get your clients?

Most of my clients get me through social media, while others I get through referrals from people I have worked with before.