This Saturday,the biggest Hip-hop show in Kigali returns for its sixth edition. Dubbed, ‘I Am Hip-Hop Season 6’, the Women’s Day show is slated for Wakanda Villa (the former Kaizen Club), in Kabeza. ‘I Am Hip Hop’ is a series of hip-hop concerts that are organised by Green Ferry Music, a local collective of youthful rappers and hip hop artistes. The label boasts such promising hip-hop names like Bushali Trigger, Mazimpaka Prime, B-Threy, Maktain, Icenova, Pogatsa, and the Green Ferry Music founder and resident producer, Nganji On The Beat, aka Dr Nganji. The show will also feature some of Green Ferry Music’s newest signings like Lil K, Rod’B, Slum Drip, Mvfasta, Neriwest, and Mix by Samish. Founded in 2012, Green Ferry Music held its first major concert in 2017, at a concert dubbed, ‘I Am Hip-Hop Season I,’ at Blu Note Bar in Downtown Kigali. The success of the first edition spawned more ‘I Am Hip-Hop’ concerts at various venues in Kigali. The concerts were the brain child of one of Green Ferry Music’s more popular rappers, Mazimpaka Prime. His producer Nganji On The Beat agrees that “the journey of Green Ferry Music and its artistes started with that show”. Previous editions of ‘I Am Hip-Hop’ have been staged at the Mamba Club in Kimihurura, The Root House in Kacyiru, Discovery in Nyamirambo, and at Platinum Club in Kibagabaga. “I Am Hip-Hop, is a series we started in 2017, where we invite local hip-hop artistes and give them a chance to showcase their talent. The focus is on Green Ferry Music artistes, and our mission is to promote local hip-hop, as we all know it has been in a slump in recent years and not heavily supported, which we want to change,” said Nganji On The Beat, real name Dominic Ngabonziza. “We have been consistently doing the series all through 2018, and are starting 2019 with ‘I Am Hip-Hop Season 6’, and will be continuing the series throughout the year.” While some of the previous editions have drawn in local hip-hop artistes that are not signed to Green Ferry Music, the 6th edition is an all-Green Ferry Music affair. “All the artistes on the poster this year are signed to Green Ferry Music, as our roaster has become so large, we honestly do not have much space for other artistes, and we want to give a chance to some of the new names under our label to showcase their talent as well,” Nganji explained. Gates to the show open at 7pm, and entrance fee is Rwf3,000. editorial@newtimesrwanda.com
