Toronto-based artist Rawmny Wildcat (pronounced Raw Money Wildcat) steps forward with an undeniable presence on “Manew,” the commanding lead single from his album Habeshinated—both out now. Born in Addis Ababa and now rooted in Toronto, the producer, songwriter, and vocalist shapes a sound that’s equal parts hip hop, soul, and East African rhythm, delivering a statement piece about origin, identity, and the power of naming yourself before anyone else tries to.
The title alone sets the tone. “Manew” translates to “who is it” in Amharic, and Rawmny turns that simple question into a full thesis—one that moves with pride, urgency, and purpose. “People askin manew, it’s Rawmny manew,” he raps at the opening, before widening the lens to something bigger than an introduction: legacy. He calls out the reluctance people have to honour what came before—“Actin like it cost you an arm and a leg to pay respect, where it’s due for the forefathers who be opening up the avenue”—and positions himself as part of a lineage, not a lone arrival. The track hits with momentum, driven by a hunger that feels earned, and a vivid self-description that lingers: bringing “that Addis fire to a frozen zone.”
That image—carrying warmth from Ethiopia into the Canadian cold—sits at the centre of Rawmny’s artistry. His earliest memories begin beside his father’s hi-fi speakers in Addis Ababa, where Motown, soul, and the records his father brought home from his travels became a kind of private universe. (His father worked as the head of aviation maintenance with Ethiopian Airlines, and music, it seems, travelled with him.) What began as fascination grew into a calling—one Rawmny chased through talent shows and late-night radio, especially after his family relocated to Montreal in the winter of 1997, arriving just ahead of the historic ice storm that would shut the region down.
He built his foundation the hard way: hands-on, in real rooms, around real people. He spent time around CKUT McGill Radio until DJs Mike Mission and Ken Dawg gave him space to freestyle on air—an early stamp of belief that opened doors. From there, he earned his way into a producer’s basement studio, where he completed his first independent project and began shaping the self-made path that still defines him. Today, he runs his own Toronto label and media company, Wildvision Media, overseeing production and marketing with the same independent spirit that powers “Manew”—and its message of hustle, authenticity, and respect for culture.
With Habeshinated, that spirit deepens into something more reflective: a personal homecoming turned into a full body of work. After eighteen years away, Rawmny returned to Addis Ababa and performed two sold-out shows, reconnecting not just with place, but with the living pulse of the city’s music scene. He jammed with the band of Ethiopian jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke at African Jazz Village, shared the stage with Ethiopian hip hop pioneer MC Siyamregn at Club Platinum, and linked with celebrated local producer Hunante Mulu, absorbing a city reshaped by new growth and new energy. That trip became the emotional engine of the album—music born from the feeling of belonging to two places at once, and refusing to shrink either side of yourself to make the world more comfortable.
The diaspora experience runs through every corner of the record. “In Canada, people see me as Ethiopian. In Ethiopia, many people saw me as Canadian,” Rawmny reflects—capturing a duality so many live with, but few translate this vividly into sound. Rather than letting it become tension, he turns it into fuel. Across the tracklist, Habeshinated celebrates doubled identity with intention: from the swaggering hometown pride of “Habesha in the 6ix” to the restless searching of “Traveller,” each song carries a piece of the journey from Addis to Montreal to Toronto—and back again.
Drawing comparisons to artists ranging from The Fugees and Wyclef Jean to Kendrick Lamar, Wizkid, and Ethiopian star Rophnan, Rawmny Wildcat has spent years building an independent catalogue defined by emotional honesty and an energetic stage presence. But with “Manew,” he sharpens that vision to a fine point—delivering not just a confident introduction, but a declaration. It’s the sound of an artist stepping into full alignment: with his roots, his work ethic, and the wonder he first felt as a boy beside those speakers in Addis Ababa—now amplified, and impossible to ignore.
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Photo by Biniyam Kiros, courtesy of Eric Harper
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