Fifteen years after Gambian music legend Mighty Joe posed his seminal question “Where Did the Music Go?” in his hit song, his declaration that Gambian “music is still in a labour” continues to resonate across the industry today.
The veteran artiste, though no longer active, remains one of The Gambia’s most respected musical voices. In his iconic track, he acknowledged potential for growth, stating there’s “a clear future if we create more structure and relate that to culture.” However, he cautioned against mistaking superficial progress for real development.
“Travel through planes isn’t the case here,” Mighty Joe asserted, cutting through perceptions of success.
He identified systemic issues, calling out “fake promoters [who] use [artistes because] they like to lie, love lie,” and warned against trusting them.
While Gambian music has since achieved greater visibility and progress – with increased airplay and larger concerts – Citizen Outlook notes Mighty Joe’s core concerns about structural deficiencies and artist exploitation remain largely unaddressed.
His prescient analysis continues to frame discussions about The Gambia’s music ecosystem, proving the legendary artiste’s critique as relevant today as when first delivered fifteen years ago.
Without a structure that relate to culture, tell us where do you think the music goes?
