Ice Nova is one of the budding rappers signed to Green Ferry Music, a fast-rising local music label based in Kicukiro.

After two years with the label, the 22-year-old, real name Olivier Ishimwe, has put out his first studio album, which he will be officially launching soon.

Titled Ubuvanganzo I, the 15-track album was produced entirely at Green Ferry Music.

Producer Nganji On The Beat (Dominique Ngabonziza) handled the entire project, on which Ice Nova features several collaborations with other artistes signed to the Green Ferry Music label.

"I met Nganji early in 2016, and he told me he liked my flow and would want to do some long term projects with me. Good enough I already had some songs written, so we started recording,” says the rapper.

Initially, the two planned on producing a mixtape, but this idea was shelved in favour of a compilation mixtape for all the artists on the label.

"When it was time to release individual projects, we found they were each bigger than just mixtapes and so we decided to make albums instead.”

Of the 15 songs on the album, eight are collaborations: Twaje (ft Bushali and Mazimpaka Prime), Piece Of Mine (ft. Weya Viatora), Ntawuneza Rubanda (ft Bushali and Pogatsa), Agahenge (ft. Bushali), Umugabo (ft. Weya Viatora), Ndabona Unsanga (ft. Mazimpaka Prime and Bushali), and Fight A Little Longer (ft. Amalokn and Clout).

The solo projects on the album are; Ubuvanganzo I, the title track; Ntibigukange, Zana Uruzanga, Medicine, Yawe, Korumuti, and Can’t Stop.

"In English, Ubuvanganzo means literature. The reason for the name is based on my lyrical style which goes deep in Kinyarwanda. It’s called Ubuvangazo 1 because I intend to do parts 2 and 3,” Ice Nova further says.

The album is already available for free streaming on Kigaliciousmusic.com, a local online music streaming platform, and the artiste promises that in three weeks time, it will also be available on Spotify, Googlemusic, and iTunes.

Physical copies are also available, and can be obtained from Green Ferry Music in Kicukiro, at Rwf 5,000.

The artiste will officially unveil the album with a launch concert on June 30 at Mamba Club in Kimihurura. Presently, he is in the middle of shooting video clips for some of the songs.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw