A few days ago, I had the opportunity to chat with Manzi Fleur, a member of the Mellow Couch collective, about the vision behind MellowFest. Initially, I couldn't fully comprehend the need they saw in the audience, but as an avid rap listener, the idea of seeing Rwandan rap dominate charts, get new listeners or even win awards intrigued me.
Manzi Fleur, Reddy and Sema Solé, both headliners and part of the Mellow Couch collective, fulfilled their promise of bringing together diverse rap talents that are loved by many but often don't get enough stage time for their fans.
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The festivities unfolded on Sunday, December 17, amidst a range of events scheduled for the day. I was surprised to witness the turnout of fans.
Arriving at Mundi Center after receiving your wristband for ID purposes, attendees had various options for chilling while waiting for the main event. There was a food truck with drinks, an indoor drinking area, an outdoor space, and a streetwear merch stand featuring the brand Fra. The atmosphere was buzzing with young people, and the sense of community was evident—no one seemed alone, and everybody found a companion.
From 5:30 to 7:45, the audience enjoyed a variety of music, primarily amapiano, and the first act took the stage at exactly 7:45. Kraft Mutabazi, an up-and-coming talent in the rap scene, kicked things off with a freestyle, mixed in a few of his hit tracks, and set the tone for other rappers to follow.
From 7:45 pm to 00:30, the colorful stage was filled with "straight bars," as some fans described it. Attendees witnessed performances from Samy, Paintedblvk, 99 Gang, Underworra, Delah Dube, 1Key, Nikita Heaven, Kimzer, Arnaud Grey, Maestroboomin, Ish Kevin, Manzi Fleur, Sema Solé, Ehlers, Sogokuru, among others.
Standout performances included 99 Gang, with ‘2 Billz’ turning into a sing-along, and a surprise appearance by thedicekid during "What Dat Mean?". Headliners Sema Sole and Manzi Fleur also had surprises for fans, taking the stage accompanied by dancers in all black and performing their collaborations and solo tracks.
When asked what stood out for them at MellowFest, responses varied. Kelsey, a fan of hip-hop, shared, "What stood out for me today was just the vibes, to be honest. I saw so many people come to support rap music, and these are not your regular folks because we have celebs among us too, so you can see the culture is growing."
For me, what stood out was the camaraderie. Artistes like Ish Kevin, considered the biggest in Rwanda’s rap scene today, lent their voices to perform with fellow rappers, even though they weren’t scheduled to. I also witnessed Bushali, another popular rapper, cheering on his colleagues. Figures in the fashion world, like Darina Kayumba, members of Distant Relativs, Pineapple Undertones, among others, were also present to show their support.
Mellow Couch promises to be back with another MellowFest next year. In the meantime, as Manzi Fleur puts it, "keep streaming our music."