For Ntwali Kayijaho, making music has always been more than just writing lyrics and creating beats — it’s a way to honour his Rwandan ancestry, speak up for the BIPOC community and fuel self-growth.
Kayijaho was born in 1996, two years after the Rwandan genocide ended, and lived there until he and his family came to Canada as refugees in 2000. He draws inspiration from his parents, who worked unrelentingly for a better life for Kayijaho and his four brothers. When he was 17-years old, his parents told him that Ntwali means “warrior” in Rwandan.
“Ntwali being my artist name is bigger than rap. It’s like I’m embracing my culture,” says Kayijaho.
His activism and inspiration extends into the Edmonton community as well. “The Other Side,” a recently released song from Kayijaho’s upcoming album New Beginnings, opens with an audio news segment about Mathios Arkangelo, a young Black man shot and killed by Edmonton police in 2024. His family, who have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, allege the officers used unjustified and excessive force.
“I had to speak on that. One of my best friends told me ‘don’t just protest, but protest through your music.’ So I dedicated the song to his memory,” says Kayijaho.
“My goal isn’t to go viral. My goal is to simply raise awareness of an injustice (felt by) my community.”
For Kayijaho, self-improvement is part of his art; he strives to better himself and his message through every song he writes. “When I came across rap it really showed me self-expression, and I fell in love with that. That’s what pushes me more than anything, is the ability to improve with every song.”
Currently in Montreal pursuing a master’s in psychology, Kayijaho continues to work towards self-improvement and activism through his music. He’s also using his time away from Edmonton to expand his creative circle, meeting other artists and musicians to collaborate with.
With New Beginnings, his sixth project, Kayijaho says that this is his best work to date. “I found my sound and I’ve grown a lot as an artist. So I’m very excited for people to experience that, and hear the stories and the new wisdom.”
Ntwali Kayijaho will be performing at 9910 for his album release party, alongside producer Saint Kay on September 6. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
