Last weekend we got our visas stamped as we took a trip into the B’raka Land. After a Euro-tour through Denmark, Finland and others… All the way to a sold out show in London, the fastest rising star on the African continent came back home to Kampala to deliver an epic concert on 29^th November 2025, one day after dropping his debut album, JUVIE.

In one weekend, Joshua gave us so much to unpack. So, let’s start from the Music.
We have seen Joshua evolve from projects like Baby Steps, where songs like Tewekweka exposed some of us to his talent, all the way to Watershed, which let people know and confirm that he was for real. We journeyed with him through his Growing Pains, where the continental appeal was beginning to ring true, and then he gave us Recess. Through these many projects and countless features, Joshua has showed us his talent, consistency and heavy work ethic. It was constantly Moves on Moves until we finally got JUVIE.

Right from One of One, we knew we were in for some flames, and we did not have to wait to get them because the next song on the album, Morocco, delivered all the heat and then some. The song is a Banger, and from early reviews and reactions on the socials, it is clearly a crowd favorite. Joshua immediately follows this up with Dive In, which was released earlier as a single, so we already knew that JAE5 and Joshua Baraka had given us an anthem. The project does not slow down at all, as he continues into Still Young, another early crowd favorite, which confirmed that we were four for four with eight to go!

One of the things that made the listening process epic was the sequencing. After starting with all that heat, Joshua gives us a mini interlude, before slowing down the tempo with one of my favorite songs on the Album, This Time. It is a well written song with silky melodies and smooth vocals that will definitely appeal to the fans that are into his more afro RnB side.
Joshua kept the energy going with State of My Heart, which features Kenyan sensation, Bien, which he followed it up with Wrong Places, which spent most of 2025 as the number one song on Apple Music in Uganda and was by far the most streamed song on Spotify in Uganda this year.
Joshua Baraka’s Juvie makes for a nice, smooth and simple listening session, right from the start, all the way to the final song, So Low, featuring The Compozers, which was a perfect way to close the project and leave us on a high note.

By the time we got to Ndere Cultural Center for the concert, we were pumped and ready to get right to it. Those of us who knew all his projects and collaborations were eager to see what selection of songs he had picked to sing to us. Those of us who have watched him perform multiple times in the past were eager to witness his growth on stage and to be a part of yet another chapter of his story. Overall, there was a high dose of FOMO in the air. Before Joshua even sang, the show had already hit a number of positives in my books; great price structure from the early bird to the last day – This was perfect to allow the core fans to access and afford their night out with their superstar.

Another win for me was the strategic partnerships, from Talent Africa to Bell Citrus and Mirinda– this set up the perfect vibe and energy, making the drinks and food affordable, enabling every fan to have a total blast in this economy, especially with DecemBAR loading and Kampala about to throw event after event our way. By the time Joshua jumped on stage, the crowd was fully charged and ready to go! Shout out to Joshua and his team for ticking all the boxes.

The performance was great, overall. Joshua had great song selection, and did not leave us feeling as if we’d missed out on anything. He catered to the different fan groups that were present, from the day ones to the late comers. He even delivered some extra throwback fire for the older fans too. He picked the right collaborations in A Pass, IzabelUG, BigTril, Mun G and Maurice Kirya. We were not left wanting. And for any little thing that didn’t go according to plan, I just got more excited, because it just showed that there is still room to grow, and we can only trust that he will step right in and through that room.

Keep streaming JUVIE Here

If you’re a cultural or creative entrepreneur in Kampala looking to take your business to the next level, here’s a game-changing opportunity worth paying attention to. Africalia, in partnership with The Bold Woman Fund, has launched a new business incubation programme dubbed Koola Kampala, designed specifically to support and elevate Kampala’s creative and cultural sector.

Koola Kampala is a 12-month business support programme for legally registered creative businesses that are already generating revenue. It aims to build stronger, more sustainable enterprises by equipping entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship, and strategic guidance they need to thrive in Uganda’s rapidly growing creative economy. Whether you’re running a music label, fashion brand, media studio, design outfit, or cultural enterprise, this programme is tailored to strengthen the business side of your creativity.

This initiative is funded by Africalia and aligns with the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the Sustainable Development Goals, and national cultural development policies. It seeks to invest in the people driving Uganda’s creative heartbeat, young innovators building impactful businesses at the intersection of culture, identity, and entrepreneurship.

To be eligible, you must be over the age of 18, based in Kampala, and running a legally registered cultural or creative business that has been active for at least one year. Your business must already be generating revenue and able to provide samples of work when requested. More importantly, applicants should demonstrate a strong motivation to strengthen their business management and growth strategies.

Photo supplied by Skyline Media.

The programme is structured in four key phases. First is the selection phase, during which 15–20 promising businesses will be shortlisted based on eligibility, motivation, and programme fit. This is followed by a 3-month pre-incubation phase, where selected participants will undergo a diagnostic assessment of their businesses, receive both group and individual coaching, and be trained on key business fundamentals. At the end of this phase, 12 businesses will be selected to move forward into the main incubation phase, which spans 9 months of intensive training, weekly one-on-one coaching, strategic growth support, and specialised modules tailored to the needs of each participant.

Once the incubation phase concludes, the programme enters its final phase—post-incubation—where participants will walk away with a tailored action plan for their business, deeper entrepreneurial skills, refined business models, and access to both national and international expert support. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to apply for seed funding to support the implementation of their business plans.

Applications are now open and will close on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 6 PM (Kampala time). Interested entrepreneurs can apply through the online form available here. For further questions, Africalia and The Bold Woman Fund can be reached via africalia@africalia.be or contact@boldinafrica.com up until June 29.

For Kampala’s creatives, this isn’t just another programme—it’s a doorway to long-term growth, sustainability, and impact. If you’re ready to build a business that lasts and contributes meaningfully to Uganda’s creative ecosystem, Koola Kampala is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

Sometimes, you go out to eat, not because you’re hungry, but because you’re looking for a nice fine dining experience. You pick the ideal restaurant, and you hope they do not disappoint. You know the chef is top tier, and once you look at the menu, you’re spoilt for choice. The ambiance is right, the service is great, so you go ahead and place your order. As you wait, the anticipation eventually leads to hunger. You’re ready! It gets even worse as they bring out the cutlery, the salt, the pepper… And then you see the waiter bringing out your plate – bliss, relief, eagerness, FOMO! And finally, you dive in…

This is how I felt in the build-up to Kohen Jaycee’s “Rwebembera” album. The rollout was right, the push was visible, the dates were set, the tracklist was released and we were certain that we were in for a masterpiece. Chef Kohen Jaycee had cooked up a full-course meal and we were ready to be served.

At the end of September 2023, Kohen Jaycee dropped the first single off the album. “Ability” was the warning shot, and we should have taken it more seriously. We loved the song, as one would expect from a Kohen x Axon collaboration, but we might have underestimated the level of work being done in the background.
In May 2024, Kohen Jaycee released his second single off the album “After 10:30”, reminding us of his range and ability to go from love ballads to break-up songs, all the way to straight “Kidongo Business”. Finally, in August 2024, a couple of weeks before the album dropped, Kohen Jaycee dropped his third single off the album, “Dancé” featuring Cxnrvd, Nutty Neithan, and Denesi. Given the title, the vibe is self-explanatory, and boy, have we danced to it since then.

When I said Kohen Jaycee had been in the kitchen and that he was a top-tier chef, understand that these first three singles, however nice they were, could not have prepared us in any shape or form for what we were yet to listen to. They were simply tasteful and delightful appetizers that were meant to get us ready for the main course. Rwebembera was released on 30^th August 2024 and had several eye-catching legendary features such as Maurice Kirya, Azawi, Elijah Kitaka, Levixone, A Pass, Navio, and Keko. Kohen made sure to include some of our favorite rising stars like Akeine, Lagum The Rapper, and Kenya’s Maya Amolo to round off the collaborations on the project.

If you’ve been paying attention to Kohen Jaycee’s music, the first thing you will notice is that he started the Rwebembera album exactly how he ended his WENA II EP. Yes, the “Ninyowe Rwebembera (intro)” is an extract from the ending of “Look My Way” featuring Abaasa, which is the last song on WENA II. That alone shows us the amount of thought that goes into the work that Kohen puts into his projects. It’s all connected, and we are here for it!

He then proceeds to take us through the inspirational phase of the album, giving us Ability, which is followed by “The way” featuring Levixone. He goes ahead to remind us that he is on a journey that started a while back, letting us know that he (RWEBEMBERA) is here for us on “Nva Wala” featuring Maurice Kirya. This story continues with “Rulendere” which is a tribute to his grandmother, where Kohen refers to a folk song that she used to sing to him. A song that tells us that he has found something precious. It is only right that this phase is closed off with “Tell Me More(Theodore’s Interlude)” which is a song for his son, because there is nothing more precious than the love he has for him.

The album then shifts as Kohen takes us into a celebratory mood. If you aren’t dancing to the next few songs, then you have not passed the vibe test. Kohen turns up the heat, giving us “Gundeze”, “Dancé”, “Byoyagala” featuring A Pass, “Oboniire” featuring Lagum The Rapper, and “After 10:30”. Back to back fire, simply because he can. This phase is closed off with a super feature, as Kohen Jaycee gives us “Endagililo” featuring Azawi, further highlighting the fact that chef Kohen was serving a full-course meal cooked with the finest ingredients.

The third and final phase of the album is probably my favorite. Kohen Jaycee activated RnB beast mode giving us “Night like this” featuring Kenya’s Maya Amolo and UG Hip Hop great, Navio. The RnB was so contagious, that Navio started his verse singing too. He then gives us “Weekend” featuring the legendary Keko, which makes it back-to-back epic RnB- Hip Hop collaborations!

His RnB prowess is further shown on probably my two favorite songs on the album, “Wanting You” featuring Elijah Kitaka and “Bwoba Ompulira” featuring Akeine. Top-tier songwriting magic was shown in these songs. From melodies to structure, arrangement, style, vocals… ABILITY!

Kohen Jaycee finally sends us off with his outro “The Raising Echoes” where he sings along to a folk song with his Mother. The perfect farewell after this 18-track journey. The album as a whole is Kohen stepping into the Rwebembera shoes, a name that has been handed down for generations in his family. A name he has had to earn. He opened up, he shared, he was vulnerable, he had fun, he put himself in our shoes, and allowed us to take a walk in his too. This is why we can all “Sing” together, and say Ninyowe Rwebembera.

Stream RWEBEMBERA HERE