Rouge, a skilled rapper, writer, and TV host, was born on September 13, 1992, under the name Deko Barbara-Jessica Wedi. She is better known as Rouge and comes from both Congo and South Africa.
Her debut album, titled ‘The New Era Sessions’, was not only accompanied by a captivating short film but also earned her the esteemed South African Film and Television Award for Best Micro Budget Film.
REAL FACTS ABOUT ROUGE
FULL NAME: Deko Barbara-Jessica Wedi
BETTER KNOWN AS:Rouge (rapper)
DATE OF BIRTH: September 13, 1992
PLACE OF BIRTH: Pretoria , Gauteng, South Africa
NATIONALITY: Congolese-South African
OCCUPATIONs: Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Author, TV Presenter
LABELs: Sony Music
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Deko Barbara-Jessica Wedi was born in Pretoria, Gauteng on September 13, 1992. With Congolese parents, she discovered her love for writing songs at the age of 12, which led her to explore acting, public speaking, and poetry.
However, it wasn’t until she turned 19 and received encouragement from a friend that she ventured into rapping her own R&B compositions.
While pursuing her academic aspirations, she successfully obtained a degree in Drama & Film from the University of Pretoria.
CAREER
Following her debut single “Party,” Rouge released her second single “Mi Corazon” featuring BigStar Johnson in December 2014.
One of the highlights of her career was collaborating with AKA in 2015 for the remix of “Baddest,” alongside other female rap artists.
Her breakthrough came in 2016 with the release of “Mbongo Zaka” featuring Moozlie, which topped charts on major South African radio stations.
Rouge’s talent as a female rapper has been widely recognized in Africa, earning her a spot on hip hop website Creative-hiphop’s list in 2017, alongside artists like Nadia Nakai and Eno Barony.
In addition, she appeared as a mentor on the reality show “The Coalition” in 2016 and participated in MTV Base Cyphers the following year.
In September 8, 2017, Rouge released her album “The New Era Sessions” which quickly gained popularity, reaching number 2 on the local iTunes charts.
The album was accompanied by a short film that featured renowned talents such as Atandwa Kani and Denise Zimba, receiving critical acclaim and earning Rouge prestigious awards like the South African Film and Television Award for Best Micro Budget Film.
The success of the album didn’t stop there, as it produced multiple hit singles and garnered further recognition, including a South African Music Award for Best Music Video.
Rouge also ventured into new ventures, hosting the music show Remix SA on SABC 1 and becoming a key decision-maker for Halls SA’s competition HallsOMFCC.
In a significant career move, she signed with Sony Music South Africa in March 2019.
PERSONAL LIFE
In 2023, Rouge, also known as Deko Barbara-Jessica Wedi, tied the knot with her partner and manager, MacMillian “Ginger Mac” Mabaleka.
After being in a relationship for nine years, the talented rapper and her beloved celebrated their love and commitment through marriage.
