Kendrick Lamar is slated to headline the premiere of Move Afrika: Rwanda in Kigali’s BK Arena on Dec. 6. Announced today (Nov. 3), it serves as a collaborative effort between the rapper’s pgLang and international organization Global Citizen.
“Our goal with Move Afrika is to inspire local youth and artists to unlock their creativity. We hope to curate an immersive experience that empowers various communities and cultures across Africa and around the world for a lifetime,” a representative for pgLang stated.
The initiative also aims to provide job opportunities and support entrepreneurship for local residents by involving artists, vendors, and crews from the regions hosting the concerts.
Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans highlighted the potential of the project by noting the continent’s often-overlooked contributions across the world. “Africa is driving culture and creativity globally, but the continent has been left out of the global music touring circuit for too long,” he explained in the press release. “We are incredibly excited to bring this vision to life with pgLang and Kendrick Lamar, and are grateful for our partnership with the Rwanda Development Board, who shares our belief in this vision.”
Move Afrika’s five-year initiative promises to not only highlight artistic talent but also address pressing social issues, ranging from health care to the impacts of climate change. More details can be found on Global Citizen’s website.
Currently, Lamar has one other concert on his schedule for the rest of this year. He’s set to headline day two of the Hey Neighbour Festival in Pretoria, South Africa on Dec. 9. Other acts on the lineup include Tyla, Rema, H.E.R., and Khalid.
On the music side, Lamar recently re-recorded his verse on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood (Remix),” as revealed last Friday (Oct. 27). The Compton native’s last album was Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers in 2022. It contained features from Kodak Black, Baby Keem, Sampha, Blxst, Summer Walker, and more.