Born in Brooklyn and based in South London, Goya Gumbani is forging a sound that is truly transatlantic. With his laid-back and captivating flows, he brings a heavy dose of east coast hip-hop to the vibrant London scene – cross-pollinating his stateside influences with neo-soul, RnB and contemporary UK jazz.
The UK jazz scene reverberates to the sound of artists who draw heavily on hip-hop influences. Gumbani is the opposite proposition – a hip-hop artist in the midst of a jazz scene – leaning into it, collaborating with artists and drawing that influence into his work.
Kollaborativ und rastlos
His latest album »Warlord of the Weejuns« is his most ambitious project to date, expanding his sound with full band arrangements and bringing in a stellar cast of featured artists including Yaya Bey, lojii and Seafood Sam. At a time when combinations of hip-hop, jazz and soul are released all the time, Gumbani brings a fresh approach to this increasingly boundaryless sonic space. His easy approach to vocal delivery belies the heady content of his bars and contributes to a distinctive and ever memorable listen.
Ever the collaborator, Gumbani has recently lent a feature to the track »Eye Swear« from fellow London cultural instigator and Ezra Collective member Joe-Armon-Jones on his stellar album »All The Quiet (Part I)«. This particular partnership is a marriage made in heaven as Gumbani’s flows marry perfectly with the sonic approach of Armon-Jones.
Gumbani is truly forging his own approach, creating a distinctive sonic fingerprint by merging the musical DNA of his birthplace with the sounds of his current home. Already turning heads and amassing an ever-growing legion of fans, Goya Gumbani’s star is only likely to rise further on the back of »Warlord of the Weejuns«. Being the restless innovator and natural born collaborator that he is, Gumbani will continue to evolve his distinctive approach. The only question it leaves for fans old and new is where his imagination and creativity will take him next.
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