Probably one of the smallest countries in Africa both in size and population, The Gambia can boast of a rich and diverse music culture owing to a multi ethnic and cultural society... More…
Jungle
P the Gambia
Jungle P is West Africa's most authentic Ragamuffin/SingJay
international act.
In parallel with
the most recent
trend of reggae's
hottest offspring,
raga/bashment,
Jungle P has often
been mistaken for
a rooted Jamaican.
His conscious lyrical
strength is unshakable,
his patois is the
proper dose achieved
in Kingston, Montego
Bay, Mandeville,
up and down town
Jamaica. Born Baboucarr
Sallah on the 21st
of July 1973, in
The Gambia (West
Africa's most peaceful
tourist nation),
Jungle P began
toasting and deejaying
at the age of 15.
Alongside the likes
of DeeJay John
Jakali, Field Marshall
and Daddy Lion
of GRMP, Banjul's
biggest sounds
system, Jungle
was the singing
attraction as he
would often perform
his brilliant songs
on stage. He came
on with a distinctive
reggae style that
had this inviting
flavour. With other
crafts such as
drawing and painting,
which stood him
out at school,
Jungle P became
unimaginably broad
in his own creative
sphere. His musical
talent enlarged
through the time
and when he met
producer/promoter
Focks in 1990 a
strong meaning
to the flair evolved.
With Focks as his
first ever producer,
Jungle P recorded
a debut project
in 1991. The album
was titled ‘Gambian
Girls'. The album
featured songs
such as ‘No Place
Like Home', L.O.V.E,
‘Gambian Girls'
and more. The debut
enjoyed excellent
airplay. Jungle
was often on the
top of the list
of performers in
big concerts in
Gambia. He brought
another phase into
Gambia's love for
reggae music. Jungle
flew to the United
Kingdom in the
mid ‘90s for further
studies. Jungle
would attract the
attention of reggae/raga
producers in a
jiffy. Just about
one year in the
United Kingdom,
Jungle P worked
with producer Joe Grine in London
to release a sophomore
effort. The album
entitled ‘Gun-Talks/Slackness' featured Swiss
rapper SPK and
Jamaican dancehall >singer,
Gospel Fish. That
album glued Jungle
firmly in the raga/SingJay
Europe scene. From
1996 to 1997 Jungle
toured different
countries in Europe
successively. In
1998 Jungle-P featured
UK singer Jimi
Thunder on a single
he captioned ‘Jah
Jah Love'. Jungle-P
moved to Geneva
, Switzerland ,
in 2000. There
he opened a dancehall
nightclub (Oxygen
Nightclub). Under
his Reggae Rep
Production, Jungle
then ventured into
organising concerts
and talent hunt
shows, whilst still
consistent in the
ragamuffin game.
In 2002 he collaborated
with SPK and Echo
to form a record
label in Geneva
. They called it
‘Expansive Records'.
The label produced
a couple of upcoming
reggae, raga, hiphop
and R&B
artists. Towards
the end of 2002,
under Expansive
Records, the full-length
third album titled
‘Jah Jah Love'
was released. Swiss
leading producer
Naiche of California
studio produced
Jungle's 2003 single
‘Things & Time'.
“Soon as I finished
this single I lost
my mum. I went
home and it was
my most emotional
period in life.
‘Things and Time'
was more like saying
how things happen
at their own chosen
time. That song
turned around to
be a straight dedication
to my mum,” Jungle
explained. “I hold
the single so strong
in my heart.” Other
singles released
in the same year
included ‘Boom
Weed' and ‘Expansive
Click'. Through
2004 and 2005 Jungle-P was collaborating with
various artists
on several singles.
Further nicknamed
‘THE GAMBIAN',
Jungle–P is working
restlessly on a
new album, which
will be coming
with the self-title
‘The Gambian '.
“I chose this new
name to trace my
roots; my background,”
he said. “I want
the entire global
music followers
to know that am a Gambian; born and nurtured in
that land.” Jungle's
savvy in the music
biz is expanded
in the forthcoming album. The
versatile singer
whose acrobatic
voicing attitude
has earned him
the credit
of varying voice
sections is investing
his skills to the
max in the new
project. Jungle
does most of the
backup voices in
his songs. His
lyrical subjects
are in the most
intelligent balance.
He picks on any
subject that's
on the frontline
and treats it with
no bias sentiment.
Jungle's got this
hardcore and cultured
style but his sentimental
lines crack spines.
‘The Gambian' is
anticipated for
release in the
first quarter of
2007. .