Souferior dreams
He dreams to create his own style, walk his own path and become one of the greatest Sierra Leonean artists ever.
Inspired by a determination to succeed, Soufian Kamara aka Souferior is working hard to release his debut album in December 2010.
“My expectation of this album is nothing less than a classic. Expect hard lyrics and vocabulary content,” Souferior tells SaloneJamboree in an exclusive interview.
In the meantime, the young artist says he has recorded more than 100 songs including mix-tapes such as ‘Through tha Streets’ in the Sacramento and Bay area, earning him lyrical respect and recognition. With his upcoming street album titled ‘Tha Lion’s Den’ and more projects on the way Souferior vows to represent Africa and his motherland through his music.
“My inspiration comes from within, my roots and where I come from. The fact that I can represent my country through my music, and gain international recognition as a Sierra Leonean artist is my inspiration. I want to make my people proud of me,” he says.
Furthermore, Souferior is inspired by the likes of Nas, Tupac Shakur, Jay Z, Big L, Big Pun, Akon, Dr Dre, Busta Rhymes, Bob Marley, Lucky Dube, The Roots, Biggie, Rakim, Ludacris, Cassidy, Method Man, Mary J Blige, Common Sense.
Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, December 1st, 1983, Souferior is the second to last of seven children. He grew up in different parts of Freetown, from Aberdeen Road and Regent Road- Lumley in the west to Dundas Street and Berwick Street in central Freetown.
He attended the Ronsab Preparatory School at Spur Road and later the Sierra Leone Grammar School.
At age 13 Souferior realized he has a talent for music, but it was not until he arrived in Guinea in 1998, during the war years, that he decided to take music as a career.
Growing up in Freetown, Souferior witnessed and experienced the Rebel War that affected so many Sierra Leoneans. The war, which lasts for a decade and classified as Genocide, affected Souferior’s role in the music world, but his ability to share his horrific experience through his music has captured millions of people across the world.
Due to the war Souferior was separated from most of his family members, including his mother and younger brother. With such experience in life, where courage and hope is needed, Souferior’s perseverance has showed his ability to cope with high degrees of poverty and hardships in life. Souferior was forced to leave Freetown with other family members and relatives. He lived in Guinea for a few years prior to coming to the United States in 1999.
Living as a refugee in Guinea Souferior learned that war will never be a solution. He says war, no matter how small, always leads to loss of innocent lives, especially women and children, and destruction of development structures.
“War is never the answer, never the solution to a country’s problems,” he says.
In America, he lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, and attended the Snyder High School and later moved to Woodbridge, Virginia, and graduated from Garfield High School. In 2002, Souferior began a Business degree at Consumnes River College in Sacramento and, in 2003, he deferred his studies to concentrate on a career in music. He studied the basics in music- recording and performing.
Also a talented sportsman, Souferior displays extraordinary and sometimes mysterious skills in most sports he picks up. His zeal for sport comes not from an over competitive nature but from excellent co-ordination, speed and passion for being exceptional at anything he does.
Rhyming and making music is just a talent Souferior is polishing as a tool to express himself and create awareness for all African people and Hip Hop listeners across the world.
As he strives for excellence, Souferior keeps track of developments back home in terms of his country’s music industry. He says he likes a lot of the music coming from Sierra Leoneans and is impressed by the works of Steady Bongo, Kao Denero, Tiger Man, Blakka P, Alonzo and more.
Above all, Souferior gets more encouragement from his first cousin- Super Bowl player Gibril Wilson. He says Wilson has been mentoring him on how to become successful.
“With his accomplishment of winning a Super Bowl and so much more, Wilson has inspired me to be hard working. To see my own close family accomplish their dreams in life makes me proud and motivated,” says Souferior.
PROFILE
Name: SOUFIAN KONTEH (SOUFERIOR)
Date Of Birth; December 1st 1983
Place of Birth; FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
Tribe:CREOLE/TEMNE
Relationship status:SINGLE
Music Genre:HIP-HOP/POP/DANCHALL/RAGAE
By SaloneJamboree www.salonejamboree.com
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