Gambian trouble: Vypa and Abou & Fafa cancel launch of albums

The Gambian hip-hop artist announced “that our highly anticipated GOMGOM (Believe) album will be put on hold until 18 of January. We will announce our new release date depending on the political situation and we are apologising for any inconvenience.”

This decision, he said, took time and thought. His management has decided to wait until after results of the controversial Gambian presidential elections are known.

“On 9 December, when outgoing president Yaya Jammeh rejected the results everything became shaky,” he said. “And we decided that it’s not fair to the Gambian people to go ahead promoting an album launch no matter how important it is to our lives when there is political instability…affecting all of lives. So, we are putting the album release on hold until Allah guides us safely through this phase of our beloved Gambia's history, then we will release a new date.”

He stressed that national safety, security and stability comes first. Although there is no gun fight but the nation is not at peace, adding, "I am part of the schools of thoughts of Gandhi and Martin Luther King. All can be accomplished through peaceful means.

“Let individual gains and needs not be held before an entire nation, that's our point of view. We are not denouncing any event that is being held within this period. They have the right to go on just like we have the right to uphold the GOMGOM album release."

In a similar development, Abou & Fafa cancelled its album launch. A press release for the duo released by Joluv Arts Entertainment said after consultation with relevant stakeholders, the record label decided to postpone the launching of the Sargal album which was to take place on 17 December.

“Joluv Arts, Abou & Fafa, and their fan club and sponsors sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, and we will hopefully confirm a new date soon. Joluv Arts Entertainment is looking forward to ‘A New Gambia’ under President-Elect Adama Barrow and the Coalition,” label head Saul Sowe said.

Gambia has been politically unstable since President Jammeh reversed his earlier pronouncement accepting results which saw the opposition candidate Barrow emerge as the people’s choice.