PHOTOS: BNXN headlines a night of music, friendship, memories at ‘Friends of Amstel’

Kigalians turned out in droves at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village, formerly Camp Kigali, on Saturday, November 23, for the annual Friends of Amstel Experience. Although the show started later than anticipated, it brought together an impressive lineup of artists, headlined by Nigerian star artiste BNXN. The musician shared the stage with local rap talents like Kenny K-Shot, Mistaek, Bruce The 1st, ET, Nillan, and others. The event follows last year’s success, which featured BNXN’s countryman Johnny Drille. ALSO READ: Make the most of Kigali this weekend As much as it was a concert, Friends of Amstel lived up to its name by offering a full experience. Starting as early as 2 p.m., attendees indulged in painting sessions, pool games, and, of course, a variety of drinks, snacks, and food. Dedicated photo booths added to the fun, proving a hit among revelers. Drawing inspiration from its recent South African edition, the Rwandan event delivered nonstop DJ sets, with crowd favorites like DJ Montag, DJ Khizzbeats, Selekta Danny, DJ June, DJ Marnaud, and DJ Mooon keeping the energy high. The evening’s performances began with Symphony Band, delivering a vibrant set featuring tracks like Respect and Ide. Their soulful melodies paved the way for Diaby Qusay Shema, known as QD, who performed Teta and Idage. ET Ndahigwa, one of Rwanda’s promising rising stars, followed with an energetic performance of hits such as Hasi, Coconut, and Standard. ET later rejoined the stage to support Kenny K-Shot, reflecting their frequent collaborations and camaraderie. Nillan kept the momentum alive, embodying the Friends of Amstel vibe as his friends flanked him onstage. His set featured popular tracks like Size, Credit Card (with Mistaek), and Sober, which had the crowd singing along. Bruce The 1st turned up the energy with his anthem Up Up before inviting collaborators Sagamba and Soldier Kid to perform their track Demo. The rapper rounded out his set with hits like Ku Mihanda, Bwe Bwe—a standout hip-hop track this year—and Umutima. Mistaek followed with a crowd-pleasing set, performing his viral hit Ku Cyaro alongside Ndi Kwikora and One Time. Despite playful critiques about being a “one-hit wonder,” his stage presence proved otherwise, keeping the crowd fully engaged. Kenny K-Shot, one of Rwanda’s most celebrated rappers this year, made a bold entrance in sleek black leather and a T-shirt from his recent Intare 2.0 merch line. He admitted to the audience that he had been under the weather but couldn’t miss the event, joking, “I’m stronger than y’all at this partying thing, yet I’m sick.” Kenny performed fan favorites like Intare, brought his newly signed artists Xeventeen and Lov3rboy onstage for Airplane Mode, and closed with tracks like Kantona (featuring ET) and Tequila. A shared sense of camaraderie defined the performances. Many artists brought their collaborators onstage, reflecting the essence of Friends of Amstel. From the ticketing format encouraging group purchases to the seating arrangements fostering togetherness, the event celebrated friendship in every detail—including a lineup that felt like one big musical family. BNXN arrived at KCEV around 10:45 p.m. and took the stage shortly after a set of African classics played by members of his team. Despite brief microphone issues, the technical hiccup was resolved quickly, allowing the Nigerian artist to perform his popular tracks, including Ole featuring Qing Madi, Finesse with Pheelz, Gwagwalada featuring Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibes, Propeller with JAE5 and Dave, Bae Bae, and Cold Outside with Timaya. The audience particularly responded to What’s Poppin with Stefflon Don, a track well-known among both locals and visitors. Rwandan dancers Jojo Breezy and Divine Uwa accompanied BNXN, adding vibrant choreography to the set. During the performance, he frequently expressed his appreciation for Kigali, stating, “I love Kigali!” The show concluded just before midnight, though many stayed for after-hours music. BNXN, whose full name is Daniel Etiese Benson, has steadily built his reputation in Nigerian music. He launched his career with the 2021 EP Sorry I’m Late and gained further recognition with hits like Finesse and Propeller. Born in Lagos and raised in Gbagada before relocating to Ogun State, he credits artists like 2Baba and Burna Boy for inspiring his musical journey.

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PHOTOS: BNXN headlines a night of music, friendship, memories at ‘Friends of Amstel’