Rwandan rapper Zeo Trap has announced a new approach to distributing his music, revealing that his songs will now be released through a paid website before being made available on platforms such as YouTube.

The artist made the announcement following the release of his latest track, “Kristu Yezu”, explaining that the decision is aimed at strengthening his independence as a musician while giving fans an opportunity to directly support his work.

Under the new release model, listeners who want early access to Zeo Trap’s music will be required to pay a fee before the songs are made public. The rapper said the current price for early access is set at 300 Rwandan francs, describing it as affordable for fans who value local music.

Zeo Trap confirmed that his songs are being distributed through a digital music platform designed for direct sales and controlled releases. He added that all future music will follow the same pattern, debuting on the website before appearing on YouTube and other mainstream streaming services.

While acknowledging that many listeners are accustomed to free and immediate releases, Zeo Trap said some fans have already embraced the idea of paying for early access as a way of supporting artists directly. Similar strategies are increasingly being adopted by musicians internationally to maintain control over their work and improve revenue returns.

Industry observers note that direct-to-consumer music distribution allows artists to better manage their content, build closer relationships with their audiences, and earn higher returns compared to traditional streaming platforms, where revenues are often shared with intermediaries.

Source: Inyarwanda.com