Barely two years since they combined skills, the Nep DJs are arguably one of the most sought after disc jockeys in Kigali. The duo, made up of Bertrand Kaysan Iyarwema, aka DJ Berto, and Habib Kamugisha, also known as DJ Habz, has been the premiere go-to choice for corporate product launches, activations, promotions and concerts. Recently, however, they decided to take the notch up higher and released their first three mixtapes dubbed— “Unexpected mixes.” The three mixtapes are a series of oldies, old-school and throwbacks before 2010 songs, which as Berto explained were released with the intention to cater for all age groups. “We infused a number of international and local songs, for example, throwback mixtape has songs like, ‘Amarembe” and “Step in the name of love’. Our mixtapes have since been well received and we appreciate everybody who supports us,” he said. Nep DJs is an outfit of the Nep Family, a handful of sister companies that are all under the umbrella of RG Consult, a local creative, production, experiential marketing, and events company that is behind the popular Kigali Jazz Junction music series. The other companies are; Neptunez Band, Nep Records, Nep Films, and recently added Nep Queenz. In just over two years in the industry, Nep DJs has established their own footprint on the local DJ/music scene. Theirs is a progressive journey that they attribute to their brotherhood, skill development, good connection and support from their audience. According to Nep DJs, their first gig was playing at the launch of Feel Mag at the Galaxy Hotel in Kiyovu in March last year. They have since graced several editions of the Kigali Jazz Junction, played at Seka Fest comedy show, DJ Pius’s “Iwacu” album launch, and product launches for Amstel Malt, Heineken, and Mutzig Class, among others. The two had previously pursued separate but similar musical journeys before their paths crossed at Royal FM in 2016, where they currently play together every Saturday. Their most recent stride was their live performance on the MTV Base Instagram live show on Saturday, August 1, where they represented East Africa. “We represented Rwanda and played mostly Rwandan music because we only had 45 minutes,” said Berto, adding that: “This is a big achievement for us because not only are we improving our skills but we are showcasing them and Rwandan music to the world.” The duo is currently working on a number of projects, among which is releasing a new mixtape every first Friday of every month.
