Kendrick Lamar stars at Move Afrika: Rwanda debut

Kendrick Lamar served as the star turn at the inaugural Move Afrika event, designed as a launchpad for the first pan-African touring circuit for international artists.

Created by international advocacy organisation Global Citizen and Lamar’s creative imprint pgLang alongside the Rwanda Development Board, Move Afrika: Rwanda debuted last night (6 December) before 8,000 people at the sold-out BK Arena in Kigali.

Headlined by Lamar, the event was held in association with global production company Done and Dusted and the Rwanda Events Group. In addition to showcasing leading African artists, creators and entertainers, it employed more than 1,000 Rwandans, engaging 75% local crew and production staff, with a focus on creating opportunities for skill development and international event training. More than 4,000 free tickets were provided to young people.

“We know what it’s like to not have access, so we wanted to ensure that young people from across Rwanda had the opportunity to experience the first Move Afrika event in Kigali,” says pgLang.

The initiative is aiming to build on the collaborations to generate long-term opportunities for local entrepreneurs, and foster long-term partnerships that pave the way for more international artists to perform in Rwanda.

“We see this event as just the start of a promising journey for our industry”

Each year, additional countries will be added to the Move Afrika tour schedule, which aims to expand to five countries by 2025.

“We see this event as just the start of a promising journey for our industry,” says Rwanda Events Group CEO Christian Gakwaya. “With our talented crew and creative minds, coupled with increased international shows and further investments in equipment and skills, we can for sure take our rightful place as global leader in events.”

Show highlights and performances will form part of a broadcast special, to be released worldwide in early 2024.

Move Afrika is Global Citizen’s latest effort to address the world’s inequities by creating job and entrepreneurship opportunities through live events. The organisation’s previous events in Africa include: Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, which brought Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Usher, Eddie Vedder and Chris Martin to Johannesburg, South Africa in 2018.

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