By Arret Jatta
After a successful debut album, winning the 2022 WahSaHalat Music Awards Album of the year with his critically acclaimed Yalong Ngalong, Kombonka has released another album to cement his name in Gambian music’s folklore. Featuring The Gambia’s King of Kora Jaliba Kuyateh, Kombonka released his new album titled Silakang on 24th February 2023.
Other artists featured on the album include Jizzle, Attack, Oboy, Musa Filly Jobarteh and Kaby.
Jaliba is a household name in The Gambia, pioneering Gambian music for over two decades now. The Kora Maestro was recently awarded an honorary fellowship by Goldsmiths, University of London earlier in January 2023. Known for his virtuoso Kora skills Jaliba is featured in the first track of the album Silakang which translates to “on the road” in English.
The track Silakang, featuring Jaliba also bears the same name as the 12-track album. In the intro of the song, Jaliba dedicates the song to the youth who are always “on the road” and shares some advice for them to remain steadfast when facing challenges as life is not an easy road.
Reacting to his collaboration with Jaliba, Kombonka took to social media to express his excitement calling it “a dream come true moment” for him. Posting a video with Jaliba recording in the studio Kombonka, real name, Ebrima Touray took the opportunity to thank the veteran “for the prayers and featuring on” his album.
The post has gathered numerous positive reactions from fans with encouraging comments edging him to keep it up. One commenter looking forward to the collaboration exclaimed “dats gonna be mad yow big move bro”, while another said that they “can’t wait to hear this wonderful and melodious song from two legendary stars”.
Listen to the album online at the link below:
The album release will be followed by the album launch scheduled for 11th March 2023 at QCity.
Speaking to Kombonka on the album he explained that as he embarks on the second chapter of his career, he plans to share his story as a Gambian. “My lyrics are delivered in Mandinka, one of the many beautiful languages of my country. My songs are a representation of our stories, our journey, our trials and tribulations as Gambians” said the artist.
On the inspiration for the album, Kombonka recalls his backway journey just “like many youths seeking a better life I also took the infamous backway journey in 2016 and I nearly lost my life. I decided to come back and give Gambia another try and I believe that was my destiny”.
Our previous publication details Kombonka’s backway experience and how he nearly lost his life.
He also gave a little advice to young people who are aspiring to be musicians “It’s not easy and I don’t think money should be your first motivation. You need to have other sources of income to keep you going while you tell the Gambian story. It’s not easy at all being a musician here”.
“My music whether through language or instrumentation, through story or vibes will always be that of The Gambia to the world. My story is the story of a young man that did not complete “the backway” as intended, but I know that my destiny is not meant to be travelled on any other path than ‘SILAKANG’. I hope that you will travel the road with me” said the award-winning rapper.
