Hiro

Available for over a year

Imagine having to pretend that you’re playing football – which you’re not even very good at - while all the time you’re in the studio making music? That’s what Hiro, a singer-songwriter born in France to Congolese parents, did as a teenager because, at first, his parents didn’t support his dream of becoming a musician. In this edition of This is Africa, Hiro tells DJ Edu the Afroboss how the racism he encountered growing up made him stronger and more determined to keep rooted in his Congolese identity. He talks about how his sound reflects his passion for both French hip-hop and the Congelese rhythms that he grew up listening to, including the giants Papa Wemba and Koffi Olomide - one of his many collaborators. Others include Davido and Mr Eazi, superstars of the afrobeats movement that Hiro describes as revolutionary. Plus DJ Edu plays his pick of the latest tracks coming out of Africa.