Jean-Paul SamputuJean-Paul Samputu (born 15 March 1962) is a Rwandan singer, songwriter, and musician. A winner of the Kora Award in 2003, Samputu travels the world as a cultural ambassador for Rwanda. Born in Rwanda in 1962, Samputu began singing in 1977 in a church choir, and was influenced by traditional and contemporary music, including Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Lionel Richie.
Ngoma drumsNgoma (also called engoma or ng'oma or ingoma) are musical instruments used by certain Bantu-speaking populations of Central, East and Southern Africa. Ngoma is derived from the Kikongo word for "drum". Different Bantu-inhabited regions have their own traditions of percussion, with different names for their instruments. In Kikongo, "ngoma" is used by extension to signify specific dances, social occasions, and rhythms.
RwandaFlag EmblemMotto: Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu(Kinyarwanda)Unity, Work, Patriotism(English)Unité, Travail, Patriotisme(French)Umoja, Kazi, Uzalendo(Swahili)Anthem: "Rwanda nziza"(English: "Beautiful Rwanda")Show globeShow map of AfricaCapitaland largest cityKigali1°56′38″S30°3′34″E / 1.94389°S 30.05944°E / -1.94389; 30.05944Official languagesKinyarwandaEnglishFrenchSwahiliNational languageKinyarwandaWorking languageEnglishEthnic groups (1994)100% Banyarwanda85% Hutu14% Tutsi1% TwaReligion 93.8% Christianity3.0% no religion2.2% Islam1.0% otherDemonymsRwandanRwandeseGovernmentUnitary semi-presidential republic under an authoritariandictatorship• PresidentPaul Kagame• Prime MinisterJustin Nsengiyumva• Speaker of the Chamber of DeputiesGertrude KazarwaLegislatureParliament• Upper houseSenate• Lower houseChamber of DeputiesFormation• Kingdom of Rwanda15th century• Part of German East Africa1897–1916• Part of Ruanda-Urundi1916–1962• Rwandan Revolution1959–1961• Republic declared28 January 1961• Independence from Belgium1 July 1962• Admitted to the UN18 September 1962• Current constitution26 May 2003Area • Total26,338 km (10,169 sq mi) (144th)• Water (%)6.3Population• 2026 estimate 14,418,145 (76th)• 2022 census13,206,731• Density578/km (1,497.0/sq mi) (21st)GDP(PPP)2026 estimate• Total$65.461 billion (129th)• Per capita$4,523 (159th)GDP(nominal)2026 estimate• Total$17.336 billion (137th)• Per capita$1,198 (174th)Gini(2023) 39.4medium inequalityHDI(2023) 0.578medium (159th)CurrencyRwandan franc (RWF)Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)Date formatdd/mm/yyyy (AD)Calling code+250ISO 3166 codeRWInternet TLD.rwWebsitewww.gov.rwRwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in East Africa.
Gospel musicGospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media, characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong harmonies) and lyrics that reflect Christian teachings and values. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context.IkinimbaIkinimba is a northern Rwanda dance, typically performed by young people are part of a courtship ritual. Songs that accompany the dance often advise unmarried women how to behave towards her prospective in-laws; women do not perform the dance once they are married.
Folk musicMusic genre"Folksinger" and "Traditional music" redirect here. For other uses, see Folksinger (other) and Traditional music (other).Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music.
NdomboloNationalistic and patriotic songs Regional musicNdombolo, also known as dombolo, is a genre of dance music originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Derived from soukous in the 1990s, with fast-paced hip-swaying dance rhythms, often accompanied by upbeat, percussion-driven music, the style became widespread in the mid-1990s and the subsequent decade, dominating dancefloors in central, eastern, and western Africa.
AfrobeatAfrobeat (also known as Afrofunk) is a West African music genre, fusing influences from Yoruba and Ghanaian (such as highlife) music with American funk, jazz, and soul influences. With a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion, the style was pioneered in the 1960s by Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who popularised it both within and outside Nigeria.
Hip-hopMusic genreHip-hop (also known as rap music or simply rap) is a genre of popular music that emerged in the early 1970s alongside an associated subculture in New York City. The musical style is a synthesis of a wide range of techniques, but rapping is frequent enough that it has become a defining characteristic. Other key markers of the genre are the disc jockey (DJ), turntablism, scratching, beatboxing, and instrumental tracks.
Rhythm and bluesMusic genre originating in the 1940s in the United StatesRhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to African Americans, at a time when "rocking, jazz based music ... [with a] heavy, insistent beat" was starting to become more popular.
East AfricaRegions of the African Union: Northern Western Southern Eastern CentralEast Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the region is recognized in the United Nations Statistics Divisionscheme as encompassing 18 sovereign states and 4 territories.
National Ballet of RwandaThe National Ballet of Rwanda (French: Ballet national du Rwanda), also known as the Urukerereza National Ballet (Ballet national Urukerereza), is a Rwandan dance company. It was created in 1974 at the behest of President Juvenal Habyarimana. Their long-running show features traditional Rwandan songs, drums and dances (not European ballet). Its name Urukerereza literally means "the one that causes you to delay", referring to how it holds the attention of the audience.
Ngoma drumsNgoma (also called engoma or ng'oma or ingoma) are musical instruments used by certain Bantu-speaking populations of Central, East and Southern Africa. Ngoma is derived from the Kikongo word for "drum". Different Bantu-inhabited regions have their own traditions of percussion, with different names for their instruments. In Kikongo, "ngoma" is used by extension to signify specific dances, social occasions, and rhythms.RwandaFlag EmblemMotto: Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu(Kinyarwanda)Unity, Work, Patriotism(English)Unité, Travail, Patriotisme(French)Umoja, Kazi, Uzalendo(Swahili)Anthem: "Rwanda nziza"(English: "Beautiful Rwanda")Show globeShow map of AfricaCapitaland largest cityKigali1°56′38″S30°3′34″E / 1.94389°S 30.05944°E / -1.94389; 30.05944Official languagesKinyarwandaEnglishFrenchSwahiliNational languageKinyarwandaWorking languageEnglishEthnic groups (1994)100% Banyarwanda85% Hutu14% Tutsi1% TwaReligion 93.8% Christianity3.0% no religion2.2% Islam1.0% otherDemonymsRwandanRwandeseGovernmentUnitary semi-presidential republic under an authoritariandictatorship• PresidentPaul Kagame• Prime MinisterJustin Nsengiyumva• Speaker of the Chamber of DeputiesGertrude KazarwaLegislatureParliament• Upper houseSenate• Lower houseChamber of DeputiesFormation• Kingdom of Rwanda15th century• Part of German East Africa1897–1916• Part of Ruanda-Urundi1916–1962• Rwandan Revolution1959–1961• Republic declared28 January 1961• Independence from Belgium1 July 1962• Admitted to the UN18 September 1962• Current constitution26 May 2003Area • Total26,338 km (10,169 sq mi) (144th)• Water (%)6.3Population• 2026 estimate 14,418,145 (76th)• 2022 census13,206,731• Density578/km (1,497.0/sq mi) (21st)GDP(PPP)2026 estimate• Total$65.461 billion (129th)• Per capita$4,523 (159th)GDP(nominal)2026 estimate• Total$17.336 billion (137th)• Per capita$1,198 (174th)Gini(2023) 39.4medium inequalityHDI(2023) 0.578medium (159th)CurrencyRwandan franc (RWF)Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)Date formatdd/mm/yyyy (AD)Calling code+250ISO 3166 codeRWInternet TLD.rwWebsitewww.gov.rwRwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in East Africa.Gospel musicGospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media, characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong harmonies) and lyrics that reflect Christian teachings and values. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context.IkinimbaIkinimba is a northern Rwanda dance, typically performed by young people are part of a courtship ritual. Songs that accompany the dance often advise unmarried women how to behave towards her prospective in-laws; women do not perform the dance once they are married.Folk musicMusic genre"Folksinger" and "Traditional music" redirect here. For other uses, see Folksinger (other) and Traditional music (other).Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music.NdomboloNationalistic and patriotic songs Regional musicNdombolo, also known as dombolo, is a genre of dance music originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Derived from soukous in the 1990s, with fast-paced hip-swaying dance rhythms, often accompanied by upbeat, percussion-driven music, the style became widespread in the mid-1990s and the subsequent decade, dominating dancefloors in central, eastern, and western Africa.AfrobeatAfrobeat (also known as Afrofunk) is a West African music genre, fusing influences from Yoruba and Ghanaian (such as highlife) music with American funk, jazz, and soul influences. With a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion, the style was pioneered in the 1960s by Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who popularised it both within and outside Nigeria.Hip-hopMusic genreHip-hop (also known as rap music or simply rap) is a genre of popular music that emerged in the early 1970s alongside an associated subculture in New York City. The musical style is a synthesis of a wide range of techniques, but rapping is frequent enough that it has become a defining characteristic. Other key markers of the genre are the disc jockey (DJ), turntablism, scratching, beatboxing, and instrumental tracks.Rhythm and bluesMusic genre originating in the 1940s in the United StatesRhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to African Americans, at a time when "rocking, jazz based music ... [with a] heavy, insistent beat" was starting to become more popular.East AfricaRegions of the African Union: Northern Western Southern Eastern CentralEast Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the region is recognized in the United Nations Statistics Divisionscheme as encompassing 18 sovereign states and 4 territories.National Ballet of RwandaThe National Ballet of Rwanda (French: Ballet national du Rwanda), also known as the Urukerereza National Ballet (Ballet national Urukerereza), is a Rwandan dance company. It was created in 1974 at the behest of President Juvenal Habyarimana. Their long-running show features traditional Rwandan songs, drums and dances (not European ballet). Its name Urukerereza literally means "the one that causes you to delay", referring to how it holds the attention of the audience.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.