Michaella Faith Wright
Rapper Hussain Dada has opened up about his rise in the music industry, the challenges he faced with family acceptance, and how music transformed his life during an exclusive interview on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez.
Dada, who hails originally from Basse Kunda but grew up in Sukuta, said his musical identity is deeply tied to the community. “If you are familiar with Sukuta, when it comes to music, the first name that will come to your mind is mine. I actually built that foundation, and the people have been very supportive from the very beginning to date,” he stated.
He recalled venturing into music in 2015 after graduating from SOS High School in 2014. At the time, he was working at a betting company before government restrictions under former president Yahya Jammeh shut down such businesses. “I used to do music in high school, but left due to family pressure. Music wasn’t considered a career then; it was just for fun,” he explained.
His return in 2016 marked a turning point when he released “Brother” with Marscell, a song that resonated with fans. “The song talked about how people want free things without working for them. It gave me attention, and after four months, I staged my first show in Sukuta with a D50 ticket, and it was successful,” he said.
However, his extended family posed a challenge. “The younger ones supported me, but the older ones didn’t. Money wasn’t coming in, so I had to choose whether to continue or stop. Just as I wanted to quit, I got signed by a label. That was a sign from God,” Hussain Dada revealed.
Although his mother remains reserved about his career, he respects her religious devotion. “She sometimes asks me when I will leave music, but I remind her that everything I have achieved apart from God is through music,” he said.
Reflecting on his growth, he emphasised music’s transformative power. “Before music, I used to be in a very rough spot, but it changed everything about me. I want to unite young people and show them there is no point sitting idle—get up and get yourself going,” he said.
