Rwandan rap star Ish Kevin is riding a wave of critical success, freshly off his nomination as Best East African Act at the Kenyan-based Unkut Hip Hop Awards. Capitalizing on this momentum, the artist has announced his next single, Chat Chat, set to drop this Friday, November 21st, 2025.
Chat Chat is an exciting cross-continental collaboration, tapping the talents of acclaimed Ghanaian beatsmith Kwame Agger. Agger, known for his standout Hip Hop production, including work for industry titans like Ghana’s BET-nominated Black Sherif.
The seamless chemistry between Ish Kevin and Agger results in a record that effortlessly blends East and Western African flair. For Ish Kevin, the track is a personal and powerful commentary on success and the inevitable accompanying criticism.
“‘Chat Chat’ came from real emotions and real pressure. I was in a space where a lot of people were talking, creating noise, but nobody was matching the work,” Ish Kevin explains. “The beat had that raw, street bounce, and as soon as I heard it, the hook came naturally. The lyrics come from reality; the grind, the hate, the things people say when you’re rising. I just turned that energy into music.”
The new single follows Ish Kevin’s recent collaboration with Kenyan star Njerae on the track Best Friend.
“‘Best Friend’ showed a different side of me. But the streets built my sound. ‘Chat Chat’ is a return to that raw energy: confidence, hunger, grit,” he affirms. “Switching back reminds people of my roots and my versatility—I can give you emotion, but I can also come back with that hard street pressure any time.”
Ish Kevin (born 1997, known also as Semana Kevin) is a Rwandan rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of Trappish Music, a movement that champions a new generation of Rwandan artists blending drill, trap, and traditional sounds with multilingual lyricism (Kinyarwanda, English, French, and Swahili). He is known for tracks like “Amakosi” and “No Cap”. His discography includes the album BST (Blood, Sweat & Tears) (2023) and the EP Semana (2024).
As of July 2025, Ish Kevin is officially signed with Universal Music Kenya (UMG Kenya), with his debut single on the label, “Gutsinda II,” released that month.