Goya Gumbani, Yaya Bey and lojii by Derek Balarezo
NEW ALBUM COMING IN 2025 VIA GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL
“Gumbani is helping to revive and reimagine the city’s boom-bap legacy” – Crack Magazine
“Spoken word reminiscent of ’90s hip-hop greats and South London’s vibrant music scene” – NME’s 100 List
Today, Brooklyn-born, South East London-based rapper Goya Gumbani shares new single “Chase the Sunrise” featuring Yaya Bey, lojii and Fatima. On a smooth beat woven from shimmering guitars and punctuated with vocals from Swedish soul singer Fatima, Goya, Yaya and lojii take turns in a weave of gratitude for family and the hip-hop legends that came before them. The new Dan Diggas-produced song marks the latest from Goya, following his previously shared standalone single “Himalayan Salt,” released in September and coinciding with the announcement of his signing to Ghostly International.
Accompanying the single, Brice Birdsall directed an understated, black-and-white music video that shows each artist at the kitchen table of a small apartment. Framed next to them are representations of important people in their lives, an ode to parents, ancestors and the musical figures that paved the way for them.
“Grief presents differently to each person that’s forced to face it,” says director Brice Birdsall. “In this video, we gave it a seat at the table while Goya, Yaya Bey, and lojii turned to face their experiences in their own individual ways. It’s something that will always be present and it’s something that will always need to be processed but in this video, it’s a companion, something to be spoken to and recognized, even if we don’t fully understand it.”
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Goya Gumbani’s relocation to South London in his teens opened a new world of possibilities. Operating within various musical collectives throughout the city, Goya quickly enmeshed himself in London’s buoyant jazz scene as a tastemaker with his NTS show Chicken Foot Soup and as a dynamic performer (this Fall he’ll return to Pitchfork Music Fest London with billy woods, following his 2022 set with Yaya Bey). Goya’s decade-long development as an artist and producer reached a breakthrough when he released his debut self-produced EP Morta & More Doves, dedicated to his sister who passed away in 2018.
The release began a prolific period of EPs and mixtapes, with Goya frequently partnering with a single producer for a project. Most recently, Goya dropped Face in the Storm in 2022 and When the Past Bloomed in 2023 featuring contributions from Pink Siifu, John Glacier, Lex Amor, Lord Apex and others. Following a much-loved COLORS session, Goya has gained further recognition from industry makers at the intersection of music and fashion, working with the likes of the late designer Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton, Nicholas Daley and Bianca Saunders. Despite his transatlantic upbringing, the flavor of Goya’s work is rooted in the decorated lineage of NYC Hip-Hop and he stands out as an evocative and boldly vulnerable lyricist.
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