Musa Ngum

Early life Ngum was born in the village of Fatoto, Gambia, in 1953 to Pa Antouman Ngum and Ya Ramou Nyang (full name Ramatoulaye Nyang) of Banjul. Through his mother Ramatoulaye Nyang, Musa Ngum is cousin to the Gambian statesman and historian Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof. His surname Ngum also spelled as Ngom is a typical Serer surname within the Senegambia region. In a special interview with Raaki TV, Ngum stated that he is of Serer origin, and went on to state that "Wolof is not a tribe, but a language".

Career

As a youth, Ngum started his music training in ndut classical teachings, singing ultra-traditional njuup songs also known as kassack songs. He mastered many of the njuup classics and built a name for himself while at the same time developing his vocal range. as well as one of the lead singers of Super Diamono during the 1980s. He was also a solo artist, sometimes under his own name, and sometimes under the name "Moussa Ngom et l'Ensemble Lyrique Traditionnel du Senegal".

As a Pan-Africanist, Musa Ngum also actively worked to strengthen relations between Senegal and Gambia. His older cousin is the veteran musician and "legend" —Lie Ngum (commonly known by his artistic name Abdel Kabirr), who was one of the original members of the Gelewar Band, and owner of the Taranga Beach Resort in the Gambia.

Death On October 10, 2015, Ngum played a live concert in Dakar at club Just For You. The show was organized to mark his 40th anniversary in the entertainment industry. He performed alongside his son Yusupha Ngum and old friend and colleague Omar Pene. Few hours after the show, he fell sick and was rushed to the Dantec Hospital in Dakar. In the early hours of Sunday, October 11, 2015, Ngum was reported dead. Ngum was buried in Touba on "Monday, October 12, 2015, the presence of thousands of mourners from both The Gambia and Senegal including his family, friends, fans, musicians and religious personalities and government officials."

In the Senegambia region, Ngum is regarded as a musical hero.