Magasco

Nicknamed Bamenda Boy, Cameroonian star Magasco makes upbeat, confident Afro-pop with hip-hop, calypso, and dancehall influences. Since his 2012 debut, "LineLoba," he's scored several hits throughout Central Africa and released full-lengths such as 2017's Golden Boy and 2020's Kings (with French-Cameroonian rapper Pit Baccardi). Tohnain Anthony Nguo was born in Bamenda, a city located in the Northwest Region of Cameroon, in 1988. A member of the Kom tribe, he frequently infuses his lyrics with his tribe's dialect. He began singing in his Catholic church as a child and began writing songs in secondary school. After making his first public performance in a local talent show called Positive Vibrations in 1999, Nguo formed a rap group called T-Drops with two of his childhood friends. The trio performed regularly throughout the 2000s, achieving local success. In 2009, Nguo competed in a Nescafé singing contest as part of a group called Triyo, then began working with producer DiJay Pazzo for his solo career. Signing with the MuMaK label, he made his debut as Magasco with 2012 single "LineLoba." Following the song's success, he released "Kumba Market" in 2013, then inked a deal with rapper Pit Baccardi's Empire Company in 2014, releasing the hits "Fine Boy" and "Marry Me." Magasco's EP Raw Gold appeared in 2015, and debut album Golden Boy followed in 2017. The self-released Underrated arrived in 2019, shortly before he issued the ambitious double album Heart. He returned to Empire with 2020's Kings, a collaboration with Baccardi. ~ Paul Simpson