John Legend has defended his decision to play a gig in Rwanda despite the country’s involvement in the war with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The singer performed at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda last week (February 21) as part of the 2025 edition of Move Afrika. As reported by BBC, recently M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda have gone on to seize the two largest cities in the mineral-rich east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Evidence shows that Rwanda sent roughly 4,000 troops across the border to support the rebels.
According to the United Nations Population Fund, hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled their homes. There has also been a rise in violence, including the rape of children.
Speaking to the BBC about his decision to perform in Rwanda, Legend said: “I don’t believe that we should punish the people of Rwanda and punish the people of other countries when we disagree with their leaders.”
He revealed that he was not paid for the performance, explaining that he felt a duty to help “grow touring capabilities” on the African continent which tends to be overlooked by musicians during world tours.
“I’m aware of what’s happening [in DR Congo] and I’m aware of the calls there have been for me to not do this show, but I really believe that the mission of Move Afrika is still important,” he told the outlet.
Many have claimed that the musician – who holds an impressive and highly respected “EGOT” status (winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award) – had the opportunity to make a powerful statement by choosing to opt out of the show.
Belgium-based activist Denise Zanesa urged Legend to not perform in the country, writing in a tweet: “Performing under the banner of a government complicit in war crimes, genocide, and mass atrocities in Eastern DRC would be akin to collaborating with oppression itself.”
Dear @JohnLegend,
I am neither a fan nor do I listen to your music, but like many before me, I am reaching out to draw your attention to the ongoing human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo #DRC; atrocities fueled by the @RwandaGov, under the leadership of… pic.twitter.com/6sNNi1OPGT
— Denise Zaneza (@dzaneza) February 7, 2025
So I recently promoted my show in Rwanda without realising that there is ongoing conflict between Rwanda and Congo. I never ever intend to be insensitive to real-world issues, and I sincerely apologize if this came across that way. I simply had no idea this was going on. My heart…
— TEMS (@temsbaby) January 30, 2025
Elsewhere, Grammy-Award-winning artist Tems had opted out of performing in Rwanda and shared a tweet that read: “So I recently promoted my show in Rwanda without realising that there is ongoing conflict between Rwanda and Congo. I never ever intend to be insensitive to real-world issues, and I sincerely apologize if this came across that way. I simply had no idea this was going on. My heart goes out to those affected. Conflict is no joke and I truly hope and pray for peace in this time”
Legend is no stranger to vocalising his political views. He previously shared his criticism of Donald Trump and unfriended Kanye West – who he’s collaborated with multiple times with in the past.
Previously speaking about how Trump played a role in severing his friendship with West – who now goes by Ye – Legend told The Axe Files podcast: “[Kanye and I] aren’t friends as much as we used to be. I honestly think because we publicly disagreed on his running for office, his supporting Trump, I think it became too much for us to sustain our friendship, honestly.”
