Introducing Gao producer Babsy Konaté to the VMP Rising family.

Following the release of Sahel Sounds’ Gao rap compilation, Baba “Babsy” Konaté’s production stood out as a familiar, overarching sound across many of the compilation’s songs.

Coming from a musical family and learning production from his brother, guitarist Oumar Konaté, Babsy has become a pioneer in the genre and has helped define Gao’s music scene. His creativity steeps through his debut album, Tounga, where he draws from the a rich tapestry of cultural influences – including takamba from the Songhai, Hausa film soundtracks from Northern Nigeria, hip-hop from Bamako and ragga from Niamey – while paying homage to the colorful, early 2000s DIY music era.