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| A Portrait Picture of Kankyi Gangba |
After the release of his debut Album Sanu Ba Anu in 2020, Kankyi Gangba has since redefined and reawakened people's expectations of his music and rhythm lyrics. As an award-winning songwriter and lyricist, he is best known for his lyrics and rhythms especially the one on the featured song "Arm Strong" with Tee Ice, El Nelly, Yerimz, and Kobo released in 2018 and then Sanu Ba Anu Album. But the Journey didn't start in 2020 it started years ago.
It began in a hilled village known as Kona in Ardo Kola in Taraba State when the lyricist found his roots and got attached to its mysteries hidden in different things that formed the art of music he is into now when I asked him how he gets inspiration for his songs, especially those that have Kona language in them, he has this to say.
"Most of them come from being partly a human being who has the experience of his earliest memories coming back full cycles and meeting the present ordeals or happy times as the case may be, but then what people don’t realize is I get inspired from a whole range of things but those songs were sung during my childhood, some of them lullaby, very dark ones and also movie’s soundtracks with such themes could take me back to accessing those memories to try and record the time I find myself in"
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| Kankyi Gangba during a music performance |
Although his story is motivating and touching, Gangba came from the part of the world that doesn't see beauty in art and different genres of music which vary from the collection of things, memories, objects, and conversations, it is hard to make people believe in this type of genre of music, but whatsoever that made them see this art of music as strange it remained an unanswered question. While we were conversing I asked Kankyi Gangba if he has ever regretted doing music in Jalingo and he said;
"For just being a creative I can’t say I am any otherwise. For putting a product out, an idea, an opinion, and whatever pieces of myself, I am under the web of an industry locally and potentially internationally"
That is Gangba, a former Jalingo resident and also a citizen of Taraba State. Taraba a northern state in Nigeria known for its rich agricultural produce and natural resources is also home to the Mambilla Plateau and it also boasts of the Highland Tea which is regarded as the best in Nigeria, one can say Gangba got the inspiration from the diverse nature of the state when it comes to Natural resources, people and places. Apart from the aforementioned abundance of the state, It is home to thousands of artists, every year their numbers grow, and each year presents itself with a new set of newbies into the industry with the majority of them living in the rural areas of the state with only a few of them to live in the city and practice the music business. Although few individuals like MI Abaga, Jesse Jags, and DeeYasso have become integral parts of the Nigerian entertainment industry already and have made names for themselves. Amidst the journey, others are climbing the ladder of success, but no one knows what the future holds for them.
Birthed among seven others, Kankyi Gangba was raised by his silent mother who took care of him and raised him to who he is today. Although I had never heard of him until late 2017 when a friend praised him and talked a lot about his lyrical proficiency, I never knew he was someone who lived in Jalingo when I asked him about doing music in Jalingo and what it feels like being an artiste in the state he said;
"That’s causing me ripples right now but if I have to be vocal about it, I will say it is a blessed ground because everything has its place. When we were growing up it was much easier because of the radio stations playing songs of indigenous artists like Charlie Nathan whom I could remember very well as a known name then goes the period before social media came to play as a tool and the absence of radio facilities during the then Danbaba administration, it was tough and the people went on and made other things their priority. The social life went dull and it is difficult to unify real lovers of music to come out for shows. I am going over all the places, don’t mind me. Yes, like any other place and endeavor in life, it isn’t the most favorable place to build a career in music but who knows, there are always exceptions to rules, and who makes those rules anyway? Lol"
Did the name Taraba ever inspire you in your music Journey? I couldn't hold my breath but asked him.
"I can’t be anything worthy without my root and most definitely Taraba is a thing of pride for me, so intrinsically I am Taraba and it shall continue to inspire me because that’s where I started and the face awareness of my gifts made manifest"
I once told myself if I had the chance to do music I would never do it in Taraba, this led me to ask Kankyi Gangba a question if he thinks a Taraba artiste should only focus on doing music in Taraba or would suggest collaborations and networking outside the state?
"Network and collaborations definitely, those are bedrocks of growth I bet. So move, go bring us stories and ways to champion our dreams, better ways so the next generations could stand on the shoulders of giants and be to the skies, clouds, moon, sun, and stars that we rightly are. An example of networking and collaboration is Our very prolific Deeyaso joining forces with Chike. Look at the history around it now"
A video of the recently released song collaboration of Kankyi Gangba & Lagos Bishop Kyale.
Since the time he started recording, a lot of people have tagged him as the Talib Kweli of Nigeria, others saw him as the kankyi Gangba of Taraba, while others are still wondering whether the name will fit him, the other hand, the artiste has been working tirelessly to put some new and incredible style and touches that will fit the crown that is already on his head, with the recent collaboration with Lagos Bishop Khale, indeed the future holds something bigger for Kankyi Gangba.
Before you go, I am Jeremy, I write inspiring stories of people, places, and events here on Jeremy Spell Blog and I would love to write about yours too. Kindly send an email to jeremyspellblog@gmail.com and I will respond swiftly.
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