Munachi Gail Teresa Abii Nwankwo

PHOTOS: Hip-Hop reigns supreme at Icyumba cya Rap butTuff Gang owes fans

When chatting with a fellow rap enthusiast, they mentioned something intriguing—that rap might be cursed in Rwanda. While I’m not one for superstition, I couldn’t ignore the timing of their comment. The first attempt at this show was washed out by heavy rains that wrecked preparations at the outdoor venue at Canal Olympia, Rebero on December 28. But did the so-called curse linger? Fast forward to Friday night, January 10, and the scene at Icyumba Cya Rap suggested otherwise. Kigalians and visitors turned out in droves, packing the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village (KCEV) like I hadn’t seen in ages for a hip-hop event. If you’ve been to KCEV, you’d know the staircase leading to the entry point is spacious, yet it was jam-packed with lines, and that was just for the VIP and VVIP sections. The regular entrance? Pure chaos, in the best way.