Stop Blaming DJs and Promoters -DJ Country Tells Upcoming Gambian Artists

By Sainabou Sambou

Abdurahmandigo, who goes by his artist name DJ Country, tells upcoming artists to stop blaming DJs and music promoters for not supporting them or playing their music. He stressed that the young artists have to sing good and quality songs. He said he does support young artists in their events and does play their music on radio programmes, and that he used play for free just to support the artists.. “If the young musicians say that DJs and promoters do not support them, let them ask themselves the types of music they sing because as a DJ I cannot play a song on a show or a radio programme which is of low quality and full of insults,” he stressed.
DJ Country further observed that many young artists believe that if they do not sing negative songs people will not listen to their music which is wrong. He said music is universal language and if they sing good and quality music people will listen to them and also support them. 
 “Music is business so let the young artists work hard and stop the complaint. All big artists started it from scratch. In those days artists used to go with their CDs to radio stations or to places so that their music can be played on the radio and TV but now that the internet is here artists can drop their songs on the internet. “I think the female artists are the ones who need to complain because they lack the support and sometimes if you go to shows you will find maybe 2 or 3 female artists playing in that show, when we have more than 50 female artists in the industry,” he stated. 
On his career as DJ, Country said he used to listen to reggae music and got inspired by DJ Fireman when he was young. The young DJ revealed that he started playing as a DJ in shows in 2008 and also played on radio in 2013. “Being a DJ is not an easy journey for me but the passion keeps me going,” he said. He further stated that the first time he faced difficulties in his career was when he lost one of his sound engineers, which made him give up of being a DJ. 
He said organizes shows every year and that he has a foundation which he established 3 years ago where he sponsors school going children on their education.