Category: Entertainment

By Andrew Kareba

Tom Close on Wednesday received a cheque of six million Rwandan Francs after being crowned the winner of Primus Guma Guma Super Star 2011. He will also travel to USA to record a song and a video clip with Sean Kingston and have a concert on 17th September in Kigali.

“We are overwhelmed by the competition. It is beautiful to see how the Rwandan public and Artists respond with excitement and passion to the competition,” said Sven Piedriet Bralirwa’s Managing Director

Piedriet added that Primus Guma Guma Super Star competition enabled young performers to grow artistically and we are looking forward to the next edition.

Aline Asselot Bralirwa’s Marketing Manager said, “It was a shocking attitude we did not expect from Rwandans to throw stone on the stage and we truly believe that, violence is never a solution.”

More on that, asselot notes: live shows, technical problems like sound, and RTV as some of the challenges hindered Guma Guma Super Star.

“I apologize on what I said that I am confident that I will take the trophy” I did not mean to hurt people I just wanted to comfort my fans, Said Tom close In front of Journalists and producers.

He further said that, the first trophy was to bring me closer to my fans in the whole country and before being a superstar, “I was Muyombo” he says.

“You cannot make fire one wood” This award is giving me more responsibilities and tasks as someone to represent Rwanda, he elaborated.

After leaving him out of breath impatiently waiting for the final verdict of Guma Guma Super Star, King James said, “If we could charge the fans during the campaign, there could only be the well off ones”. I thank all people who support Rwandan music,” he said.

We were the new kids on the block in the tournament and used the chance to appear in final four before the thrilling minutes of suspense, said Platini from Dream Boys.

“We did not expect the tournament to have such outcomes,” said Joseph Mushyoma, from East African Promoters and calls up on Rwandans to support the second edition.

Sven Piedriet assured King James, Jay Polly and Dream Boys to sponsor their Album Launch.

Guma Guma Super Star in collaboration with East African Promoters (EAP) offered music fans fantastic moments for the past months, where the ten contestants toured the whole country through road shows and all three elimination phases with the objective of improving Rwanda music and encourage music talents.

By: Andrew Kareba

After 91 days that got Africa talking, Big Brother Amplified sixth season has come to an end with amazing winners- Nigeria’s Karen Igho and Zimbabwe’s Wendall Parson taking home US$200 000 each.

After Rwanda’s Primus Guma Guma Super Star(PGGSS)that left people in speculations, BBA also left people in speculations, according to blogger Oluwaseyi Ogunbameru who said: “From the onset, Wendall has been very laid back and only had time for his cigarettes and beer.

“He was never a fun to watch and could sit all day on a spot. He never exhibited any kind of emotions; rather he devoted his attention to his cigarette sticks.

“He hardly entertained, so he was definitely an unlikely winner.” he says.

“Wendall had a positive side, very hardworking. Voluntarily he cleans, unlike the other housemates who all make a fuss about household chores, and also made it clear he doesn’t like being touched.” Said Ogunbameru.

In interviews before announcing the final results, the simply-dressed Wendall said, he had no strategy in the house because: “things changed every day” and he was there to “enjoy himself”,

And after winning, Wendall flung himself into his mother’s arms after she ran onto the stage.

Miss Karen did not expect much from the game, she was a bit different from Wendall and had a strong character, lovable, selfless and entirely original.

Karen revealed emotions and even shed tears during the show and suggested that the winning prize should be shared among all housemates.

Before Big Brother, Karen was jobless and now has turned wealth and model where she won six country votes of the participant 14 countries and a 15th, which comes from all the other countries not represented on the show.

According to New Vision, the Ugandan Sharon Salmon Nalukenge, who made 4th, placing Uganda’s best performance in the reality show’s six seasons, got only the Ugandan vote, with Kenya and Tanzania not showing any love for their East African Community member.

Her father Joe Salmon, a travel agent and mother, Bank of Uganda’s Rebecca Sebuyira, were there to console their girl who, by making it to the finale, got sh26m

By Dianah Mutimura

At a Blissful moments witnessed by a full packed Amahoro stadium, Tom Close emerged the overall winner among the ten competitors on Saturday night and walked away with a Frw 6 Million majestic prize.

The young musician beat his fellow citizens with whom he had remained in the competition included King James, Jay Polly and Dream Boyz after the three-month battle.

The Prize he worn also included a one year contract with Bralirwa as a Primus Beer representative and to record a song and its video with famous singer Sean Kingston.

There was noticeable tension when the host Lion Imanzi was smiling on stage set to make the big declaration of the winner of the night.

When Tom Close was declared a winner, he flashed a big smile, to his admirers as King James walked away sure that his chance had ended.

Tom Close ended the night by thanking his fans for making it possible for him to win, but his speech was disturbed by furious fans of the winner’s opponents, who started throwing stones at him and the star at once was taken away by security staff.

Dream Boyz, despite their popularity in Rwanda only managed a fourth position as Jay Polly took the second runners-up position.

The battle continued among the two famous King James and Tom Close who were fighting for the popular position as Tom Close stroked him.

All the 10 Primus Guma Guma Superstar contestants, including those who were eliminated during the first and second eviction put an eye catching performance to show their fans that despite the fact they lost, they can still put a sizzling performance.

Mani Martin had a lovely performance which overwhelmed the audience when he sang Enrique Iglesias’s “hero”, and his popular “amazi magari” track.

Rafiki jammed his Coga style and impressed the audience with his “bigambo” hit and followed it with Jose Chameleon’s “kipepewo”. The energetic young star move down on the stage to adhere his fans not be discouraged with what happened to him.

Riderman did not miss the opportunity of shining to his fans where he performed his version of “umwana w’umuhanda” and “bombori bombori”.

Urban Boyz sang a love song “mbabarira” and went off on stage after making the audience yearn for more of their songs after singing “ishamba”. , Dr. Claude performed “Contre succes” and only a chorus line of “baramujyanye.”

The four contestants who were fighting for the big prize were not left behind to impress the crowd with their excellent performances.

“I wanted urban boys to win from the first and when they were evicted I felt bad but had nothing to do,” uwamaho Janet of Kigali institute of science and technology (KIST) lamented.

By: Dianah Mutimura

Relatives of the reknown singer Amy Wine house said her unfortunate death has left “a big hole” in their lives.

Amy’s family released a statement expressing their grief at the loss of the 27-year-old, who was found dead in her north London home. As the Evening Express, a newspaper from London quoted one the relatives :“Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece.She leaves a gaping hole in our lives.”

Amy Jade, Wine house was born September 14, 1983 and her life ended July 23, 2011.

She was an English singer-song-writer known for her powerful vocals and her free mix of musical types such as R&B, soul and jazz.

A spokesman for the family said the funeral would be held as soon as possible, but that the post-mortem examination and police investigation made it impossible to set a date.

He added that one of Amy’s security team had found her and called an ambulance, but she could not be saved.

Amy battled drink and drug problems throughout her career. Police, however, said it was “inappropriate” to speculate on the cause of death, which was being treated as “unexplained”.

The singer’s grief-shocked mother, Janis said she had seen her daughter the day before she was found dead.

She said: “She seemed out of it. But her passing so suddenly still hasn’t hit me.”
The performer had said “I love you” at the end of a day out together, and her mother said she would always treasure those words.

The deseased’s father Mitch, who flew back from New York when he heard the news, said: “This isn’t real. I’m completely devastated.”

Tributes have been left at the edge of police cordons surrounding the singer’s Camden home, including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, alongside soft toys, flowers and candles.

Metropolis Music, Amy’s management company, released a statement saying: “We are trying to come to terms with the death of a dear friend and colleague, the most amazing artist and talent.”

By: Dianah Mutimura

Sean Kingston fans will have to wait until September to see the artist perform in Rwanda.

The Kigali concert that was slated for 30th this month has been extended to 17th September 2011. The extension will enable the Hip-hop star recover from injuries he sustained in a jet skiing accident at the end of May.

The change of date has been announced by the concert organizers-Bralirwa. Sean Kingston suffered a neck trauma injury during the Jet Ski crash. Bralirwa says they have a letter from the star’s doctor verifying the reason why they should change the date for the star to recover from the trauma.

However, the preparations are still going on to declare the winner of guma guma super star on 30th of this month as the manager of East African promoters Joseph Mushyoma told Igihe.com yesterday.

“Due to the changes that have come up, this will not change the announcement of the guma guma super star finalist on 30th where we have organized an eye-catching concert at Amahoro stadium as it was mentioned before.

“The top ten artists that were competed from the start will perform on that day and the winner will be announced where the prize is still standing of Frw6million” Joseph explains.

Joseph added that the winner will go to US in the middle of August to record a song with Sean Kingston where he will come back with him and perform together on 17th September this year.

As the Rwanda film industry continues to gain international recognition, the few filmmakers in the country ought to have professional skills backed by sophisticated equipments.

It is in this respect that a delegation of eight renowned film professionals from the American Academy of Motion Pictures are in the country to conduct a one week training to local filmmakers under the Rwanda Cinema Centre. (R.C.C).

In an exclusive interview with igihe.com, Ellen Harrington, a film director noted that the weeklong training will cover subjects related to film writing, directing, producing, acting and cinematograph amongst others.

She explained that though Rwandan films have exited many, the talent would manifest itself well if the filmmakers had professional skills since they wouldn’t only compete internationally but also their films would have a higher demand.

The weeklong training also marks the opening of the Kwetu Film Institute (KFI) that will be conducted by RCC with the aim of promoting professionalism in the film industry.

Pierre Kayitana, the director of the Rwanda Cinema Centre noted that enrollment of students is underway. “So far we have 100 applicants but it would be better if interested people first showed us their interest through a short footage they have made”.

He further said that one ought to have a minimum academic qualification of a high school certificate, explaining that its an institute of higher learning.Those that have completed a three year course will be entitled to a university degree.

Kayitana adds that the institute has a film master’s program for those who have both average skills and long time experience.

The visiting US professionals will focus more on the skilled filmmakers since there’re able to handle some sophisticated equipments which they might later acquire through donations.

Currently acquiring the right machines is still a major challenge to the Rwandese film industry.

“Getting better equipment is the main problem, the cameras for instance are highly expensive and even those imported are highly taxed; that’s why we don’t have a choice but to use some of the traditional cameras,” said Chrisitan Gakombe RCC cameraman.

He pointed out that he is disappointed to use low quality equipment because they’re not fit for modern production which frustrates him given the skills he has acquired from several trainings abroad on how to use professional cameras.

Reacting to that assertion, Redempter Batete, the Director of Planning and Policy at the ministry of youth noted that the ministry has the will to promote local film industry if the filmmakers unite and consolidate their ideas.

“If only they would unite and send us a credible proposal, who knows the advantages they would get? She wondered, adding that financing their activities would be followed by easing taxes on necessary equipment for film industry which is making a commendable progress.

She further revealed that the ministry has a project to promote film talent at the Kimisagara Youth Centre which is open to interested people.
Yet lack of sophisticated tools is not the only challenge.

Joseph Njanti, a screen writer at RCC noted that though he has acquired most of his skills through experience, getting a mentor to guide him in the profession is still a constraint for him since even the ones available are either expensive or inaccessible.

Trying to give a solution to Njanti’s concern, Kayitana was quick to note that lack of mentors was a major problem both for Rwanda and region but insisted that the film institute will try to deliver better studies.

“Our director who is a professional from German has assured us that he will avail more mentors through his network with some of the renowned film training centers,” he stressed.

Eric Kabera the RCC Chief Executive Officer says the rationale for the film school is simple: “We have over the past seven years trained over 200 young people, with the assistance of partners in Sweden, the USA and elsewhere”
Kabera explained that at first they invited similar professional trainers to assist those in post graduate classes which covers all aspects of film-making and in the end, Rwanda needs a real film school.

Moreover the school will not focus on Rwanda only because the institute aims at serving the whole region and that is why it was called it Kwetu , a Swahili word meaning home of the East Africa Community according to Kabera.

“A cinema is a social and cultural tool that can promote cohesion and integration within the region. We want to create a form of cultural expression from this part of the world – apart from the Nigerian film industry- Nollywood, there isn’t much.”

By Diana Mutimura

If you complain that Rwandan artists do not play live music, you must have got the satisfaction over the weekend at Gikondo Expo show ground- the Primus Guma Guma live concert.

Being one of the first evictions among the competitors, every performer had to give it their greatest, and give their chances of taking home the top spot.

However, in the Saturday’s concert the first three had to leave the competition because they had received few votes from the public, though they walked out with Frw200,000 consolation each.

Mani Martin Faycal and Dr. Claude were the ones whose luck of continuing the battle ended last night but this did not mean that they don’t qualify to be the among the famous artists we have in our country.

During the show the first top seven artists; Tom Close, Dream Boyz, Urban Boyz, Rafiki, Jay Polly, Rider man and King James were first announced before they started their second show.

The three artists who were evicted because of getting few votes from the public were given the microphone to have few words to tell their fans. And all grateful to their supporters and even promised them to continue doing their best.

“What I can tell my fans is that I will continue working hard and give my best to you all my fans and I don’t think it is the end of it.”

“Through you I am optimistic that I will reach very far,” Mani Martin said after being announced among the evicted competitors.

Faycal said, “I came in this competition when I was hardly known to the public and being out of it first, hasn’t surprised me because of lack of enough public support.

“But I am very grateful to Bralirwa that organized the competition because I have managed to capture some public support though I were unable get enough votes”.

Dr. Claude said he does not regret being in Primus guma guma super star. “Even if I am out, it does not stop me from singing and going high. Besides, it was not my chance to win but I’ll continue with my career of singing”.

Even if these famous artists did not manage to complete the competition, they were very happy for other candidates that remained in the completion and they did this by putting a stunning performance to wish them good luck.

July 14 among the seven participants that qualified, three will be eliminated paving way for the best four that will perform at grand finals with the international artist Sean Kingston on July 30, at Amahoro National Stadium.

Mushyoma Joseph aka Boubou, managing director of East African Promoters said that the winner on July 30 will record a song in USA and scoop Frw 6 million Prize.

The East African Promoters in partnership with Brarirwa sponsored the Guma Guma Primus super star concert.

Mighty Popo has a dream. The Ottawa-based musician is organizing an outdoor music festival in Rwanda that he hopes will bring the spirit of a Canadian music festival to his Central African homeland.

KigaliUp will be a family-friendly event that takes place in a park in Kigali, the capital, in September. The lineup includes the Juno-winning Canadian hiphop artist Shad, blues singer Shakura S’Aida, Popo and other musicians from Canada and Africa.

The festival has been in the works for years, inspired by the folk festivals that have had such a strong influence on Jacques “Popo” Murigande, who was born in Burundi to Tutsi refugees from Rwanda. He immigrated to Canada as a teenager and settled in Ottawa, where he was welcomed in the music scene. He released his first album in 1997; the latest, Gakonda, was nominated for a Juno Award.

“To me, the Canadian music festivals made me who I am, really,” said the singer-songwriter-guitarist during a backstage interview last weekend at Westfest. “They made me realize how healthy it is to do workshops with other musicians and to learn from them. If you’re open enough, you end up developing this art form that you really weren’t expecting.”

What’s more, Murigande has always been concerned about African children losing touch with their musical roots. The youngsters tend to idolize American rappers and stay away from learning to play instruments.

For many, their notion of making music is limited to singing or rapping along to a computer- generated track.

Murigande, who has a two-yearold son in Rwanda, wants to change the culture to bring back an awareness of creating music on instruments. The young people he meets at Canadian festivals talk about seeing him play when they were children, and how it made them want to learn an instrument and become involved in community events.

“How great it would be to create something like that in Rwanda, where the kids can grow up having some kind of reference to music, and somewhere they can really look forward to going to every year,” he says. “With this festival I’m copying (Bluesfest’s) Blues in the Schools program. Eventually we will go the schools and present music to them, and show the kids live musicians. ‘This is how the music is made: First there are the humans, the players of instruments. Not machines.’ ”

Not surprisingly, the biggest challenge is funding. Murigande has raised about $40,000 toward the $150,000 required to put on a oneday event, but it’s a slow process and he’s had to scale it back from the three-day festival he originally envisioned. The volunteer organizing team includes well-connected Canadians such as former CBC Radio broadcaster Tom Metuzals and the Calgary Folk Festival’s artistic director Kerry Clarke, who accompanied Popo to Rwanda in February to check out the site.

“It’s beautiful,” Clarke said in a phone interview. “It’s everything we’d want in a folk festival site. It’s lush, central and there’s lots of room for growth. I had heard that Rwanda was quite beautiful but I had no idea.”

Clarke first met Murigande several years ago when they were both serving on a Canada Council jury. They’ve been talking seriously about the Kigali festival for three years. The Calgary folkfest has already contributed more than $5,000 to the effort, while another $5,000 has come from the Edmonton Folk Festival. Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest has pledged $1,000, and an IndieGoGo. com campaign has raised almost $10,000 so far. Murigande is also performing benefit concerts to raise money, including one in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Clarke believes Popo not only has the initiative to make it happen, but also the connections in Canada and Rwanda. “He’s not just some Canadian landing in the country,” she says. “He has a long history in Rwanda. Popo has had such a good experience living in Canada and he loves Rwanda so I think it’s to meld the two experiences. Really, it’s just to give back.

“I think we all see that music festivals can be a very positive thing to bring to a country, and they can have a lot of other spinoffs in terms of education and gathering people together.”

The reaction in Kigali has been one of surprise. When Murigande went to the city for permission to use the site for a concert, officials thought the request was a mistake. Most public events in Kigali are held in the stadium. A music festival in a park aimed at families is a foreign concept.

“When I went to rent the park, they said, ‘Are you crazy? Music in here?’ ” Murigande says.

“But music should happen there, not in the stadium, where it’s VIP over there and soccer poles everywhere. I want your kids to be safe in the park and I want them to feel comfortable and feel like they belong to this Rwanda that we’re trying to build.”
source, Ottawa Citizen

A man has admitted to being involved in the attack on rap star Tupac Shakur in 1994, inside Manhattan’s Quad Studios in November of 1994, after allegedly being paid $2,500 dollars by James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond.

Dexter Isaac, a former friend of Rosemond, is an inmate currently serving life in prison for murder, robbery and other offenses. Isaac came forward Wednesday (June 15th) with the information on the eve of what would be Tupac’s 40th birthday.

He confessed to his involvement in the November 30th, 1994 robbery of Tupac Shakur after Jimmy Henchman identified him in a statement, relating to Henchman’s indictment for dealing numerous kilos of cocaine.

“I want to apologize to his family [Tupac Shakur] and for the mistake I did for that sucker [Jimmy Henchman],” Dexter Isaac from prison. “I am trying to clean it up to give [Tupac and Biggie’s] mothers some closure.”

Henchman, who’s is currently on the run from federal officials, claimed that Dexter Isaac, along with other incarcerated inmates were cooperating with the government in an investigation of his alleged drug dealing activities.

“If the government is relying on informants like Winston “Winnie” Harris, a convicted drug dealer and Jamaican deportee, who came to me and motioned via hand signal that he was forced to wear a wire and begged me to skip town or Dexter Isaac who is serving life in prison plus 30 years, then I’m sure I will not be offered a fair trial,” Henchman remarked.

Dexter Isaac highlighted that he decided to confess to the robbery to prove Jimmy Henchman’s involvement, in addition to clearing his conscience for his role in the robbery.

Isaac said he was comfortable going on record relating to the robbery and shooting which resulted in Pac being reportedly shot, five times.

Since the statute of limitations had expired, legally, no one can be prosecuted for the assault at this time.
Isaac was a lifelong friend of Jimmy Hechmen, who helped the former mogul set up his first company, Henchman Entertainment, in 1989.

Isaac claims he never cooperated with the government in any investigation, and Jimmy Henchman’s allegations infuriated him.

Isaac, who is also from Brooklyn, has long been suspected of being involved in the Quad shooting of Tupac Shakur, along with an associate name Spencer “Scooter” Bowens, who is also serving a life sentence and another man named George Roland Campbell.

According to the confession Dexter Isaac not only knows what happened to Tupac Shakur’s jewelry, but he claims he is also in possession of the Hip-Hop star’s chain that was taken during the altercation on that infamous night on November 7, 1994.

The shooting on November 30th, was the start of a deadly feud that resulted in the murders of both Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.
Their murders have never been solved.

Isaac was indicted by the government in 1998 and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for murder, robbery, fraud and witness intimidation charges.