Real name Momodou Sohna, stage name Mo Blacka. He was born and raised at Banjul James Senegal Street. He attended Wesley Primary School and St Augustine’s High School.
His Family compound is in Bakau New Town Sohna Kunda but he was raised by his aunty and Grandmother at Banjul. When his grandmother died and his aunty moved to the States, he moved back to Bakau New Town to live with his Mother.
Moving to Bakau was a blessing as he was living in a street where the neighbourhood was full of musical talents, right opposite his compound was where the Holy Family Band lives at Leigh Kunda so he just had to cross the street and get in to Leigh Kunda.
That was about the same time the Born Africans group were coming and they were his friends as well so they all hung out all day and night.
This inspired him to get into Music, by then he could not play any instruments but was aware of all the different instruments and he was very good in Writing songs and poems.
One day he was writing a story called “Blacka than the night never seen the day Before” so a friend of his was there and read the first Word “Blacka” and simultaneously start Calling him Blacka so that’s where his name BLACKA derived from.
Time went by and he was more involved in Music and was everywhere musicians gather to play instruments.
His younger brother was playing the keyboard just for fun and he gave him the keyboard. That prompted him playing the keyboard and he would practice all day and night. He would carry that keyboard under the hot sun searching for any instrumentalist where he can gain knowledge.
One day, he went to a very popular Place called Blacka Forest where all bands were performing at night, he met a guy called Ebou Kuts who was just sitting there seeing his struggle just to know a single chord and later on he told him that he can see the interest he has in Music and since he has a nice voice, he would help him.
He asked him how, he told him, he will teach him how to play the keyboard and employ him in his band because he plays at Hotels mostly Kairaba Hotel. So Mo Blacka started going to his home cooking “Ataya” for him and he would give him the chords and show him all kinds of technics. It was like a Miracle because after six months he could play the keyboard and became the bands keyboard player and singer at the same time, he taught him lots of things.
At the end he even gave him the band to play alone and he would go with Another band to play with at other Hotels because sometimes they do have double bookings at the same time. After a while, he had the chance to come to Europe for musical trips and back to Gambia, so he did travel to Europe a lot that time until he decided to stay in Europe and that was how he settled in Sweden for the past thirteen years.
His Music career in Europe was great, he had the chance to meet the musicians and has performed in all kinds of places and travelled round the World. That has given him the chance to learn other kinds of Music like Jazz, Blues, funk, and pop, just to widen his repertoire by influencing his Music with different flavors.
By playing the keyboard it gave him more independent without boundaries when it comes to creating songs and synchronising. In Sweden he performed at Pubs, Restaurants, Weddings, Communal Halls, Teen Festivals and anywhere he performs at, he would have a repertoire that suits that specific public.
He is still learning and he believes that with Music every day is a new day to learn something new.
Author: Bakary Ceesay
