Goya Gumbani - Warlord of the Weejuns
Goya Gumbani loves getting dressed, guided not by stylists or trends but by his own research and self-expression, an excitement for fabrics, fits, and fundamentals. The Brooklyn-born, South East London-based artist approaches Warlord of the Weejuns, his first LP on Ghostly International, after years of acclaimed self-releases with the same mentality. Rather than simply recruit beats to rap over, he's now embodied both the narrator and the conductor, developing a shared musicality with various changes in scenery, players, producers, and guests — including Fatima, lojii, Seafood Sam, Yaya Bey, and many others — outfitting his flow between London's new jazz generation and New York City's hip-hop storytelling legacy.
Goya borrows the album title from a magazine headline once placed upon Miles Davis (given how well he wore the iconic Weejun loafers). Here, he channels not just that storied style from the king of cool but an artistic ingenuity and timeless sensibility, redefining his recording project with rich, full-band arrangements. Marked by unguarded ambition and introspection, Warlord of the Weejuns is a triumph of taste, heritage, and pride from one of rap music's most dexterous talents.
Out March 21st on cloudy cognac vinyl, CD, and cassette, the record is now up for pre-order bundled with a limited edition shoehorn.
Goya also shares the new single and video, "FireFly," featuring London-based Swedish soul singer Fatima. The album's second offering, "FireFly" is a cosmic R&B groove that confronts the raw emotions of a recent breakup, soundtracked by a combination of production contributions from Swarvy, Omari Jazz, Les Lockheart, Zalente, and his GI labelmate quickly, quickly.
