Rwanda’s first- ever I Am Hip-Hop festival is around the corner and, with just two days to go, rappers on the lineup are giving their maximum in rehearsals, as they vow to deliver great performances enough to entertain their fans who are looking forward to the festival. The two-day festival, whose performers are exclusively rappers, is slated for July 5-6, at Institute Français. ALSO READ: Who will perform at I Am Hip Hop festival? Organized by Green Ferry Music, I Am Hip Hop festival will host concerts, breakdancing, graffiti, open mic, streetwear, exhibitions, documentary screenings, deejaying and pop-up shops which are all aimed at not only entertaining revelers but also celebrating the hip hop culture. What do rappers think of the festival? The Dice Kid, one of the rappers set to perform at the festival, told The New Times that he will be right there to join the community in celebrating the hip hop culture and has his verses ready to get the crowd rolling during the show. “I am excited and I take pride in performances. It is great to bring all these creatives together to celebrate Hip-Hop, I can’t wait for the big day,” he said in an interview after rehearsals on Friday, June 28. The up and coming rapper said that battle rap has always been an inspiration to him where, growing up, he could make himself crack his raps and punchlines. Hip Hop, The Dice Kid said, is a representation of who he is and, as an artist, being a rapper is the best way to express himself, from how he wears, talk and every aspect of his being. According to Romeo Rapstar, the excitement for the festival is all over the place to celebrate Hip-Hop and prove doubters that it is there to stay and ready to defy odds. The rapper, who has been in the game for a decade, said “it is a great time to celebrate personal growth and entertain all Hip-Hop fans in Kigali to non- stop rap music.” Another rapper aiming to make history is Big Zed who looked fired up after weeks of rehearsals at Green Ferry Music. For Big Zed, Hip Hop is more than just a genre. “Hip-Hop, to me, is like prophecy and I have witnessed that from the rappers like Jay Polly who paved the way for many rappers. Rap itself is a lesson and in every song a rapper makes you learn a thing or two,” he said. The festival, he said, is here to speak for rappers who have been forgotten over the past years. It is like a liberation day for rappers who have now a big platform to showcase themselves, he added. I Am Hip Hop festival originated from a series of concerts dubbed I Am Hip Hop.” First held on July 8, 2017, the event was at the time organized by rapper Prime Mazimpaka and Green Ferry Music. The event ran for eight seasons, taking place at different locations around Kigali City, witnessing remarkable growth, with artists demonstrating unparalleled creativity and gaining widespread recognition.
