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Rwanda: The Barber of Kigali
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Focus Media (Kigali)
INTERVIEW
7 July 2008
Posted to the web 7 July 2008
Steve Rukundo
Could you introduce yourself? I am called Jean Claude Yamuremye, a.k.a. Dr. Claude. I was born in Bujumbura to a Rwandan mother and a Burundian father.
How did you start up your musical career? Music is in the family; my mother was a singer in a church choir and my brother Desiré Nziza has made it big in the music scene in Burundi; he is now based in the United States. Personally, I started music back in 1992 in Burundi, where I was working as a DJ in different night clubs.
When I came to Rwanda, I once again DJ'ed in Maxim's Club in Kigali. I later left for Kenya, where I was a barber; even now, I still own a barber shop there.
What kind of music do you sing? I call my music "African ragga"; I already recorded two albums with songs in this style, and I will soon launch a third one.
Your latest hit single "Igikara" is hitting the local airwaves these days; what is the message behind it? This is a true story about something that happened to a friend of mine in Kenya. It is the story of a married lady with five children who left for further education abroad, she later forgot all about her family and fell in love with a white man in Europe, and she ended up refusing to return home.
As an artist, I decided to interpret it as her refusing a black person ("Igikara") for a white man, despite having five children with that black man back in Africa.
How do you find the music industry in Rwanda? We certainly have the talent, but there is a problem with the music promoters in Rwanda. I don't believe Nameless or Chameleon are better artists than some of our own, but it's just that they have promoters there. People think they are rich because they see them going around in big cars, but that's all about how showbiz is managed by the promoters.
In that way, they become famous and it's only later they start earning money from their music. I believe a good promoter should know and understand music, because if they don't, they won't give it the value it deserves.
Apart from music, what else do you do? As I said, I was a barber in Kenya, and I still own a barber shop there, but I am now concentrating on my musical career.
Which are the musicians that inspire you? When I was young, my dad often played an album of a musician called Tony Gatera; I liked his music so much that I even messed up my dads' radio because I played his songs over and over again. His songs really inspired me.
Apart from him, I think musicians like Masamba, Miss Jojo, Family Squad, Rafiki, KGB and Tom Close are also doing it very well here in Rwanda.
What advise would you give to young people who look up to you? I want to tell the youth who have that passion for music to keep on going and write their songs. But I urge them to write music that sends a message so that it contributes to develop the country. They should also strive for perfection, because then the promoters will be more interested. Last but not least, Rwandan musicians should come together, we should be united.
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What should fans expect from Dr. Claude in the near future? Well, first I want to launch my new album "Igikara," which will be towards the end of July. After that, I intend to tour around the country to promotion it.
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