15 years on: Magasco continues to entertain fans with hit after hit.

Born Anthony Tohnain Nguo, Magasco's journey into music began long before record deals and chart-topping songs. Growing up in Bamenda, he developed an early fascination with music and performance. 

His first public appearance came in 1999 during a talent competition known as Positive Vibrations. The experience strengthened his passion for music and encouraged him to pursue the craft more seriously.

A year later, he joined friends DaBlu and Klone to form a music group called T-Drops. What started as youthful ambition gradually evolved into a professional pursuit. 

The turning point came in 2012 with the release of Line Loba (Land Rover). The song introduced a wider audience to Magasco's sound and helped establish him as one of the emerging voices in Cameroon's urban music scene.

As his popularity grew, the Wule Bang Bang crooner developed a musical identity that blended Afropop, Dancehall, Afrobeat and local Cameroonian influences. The combination helped him reach audiences across different regions and generations while maintaining a distinctive sound.

A growing discography

Magasco’s career can be traced through a discography that portrays steady artistic growth. His first album, Bamenda Boy, marked the beginning of a recording career that would continue to gather momentum. It was followed by Golden Boy in 2017, a project that significantly raised his profile and produced some of his most recognised songs.

The years that followed revealed an artist determined to keep creating. Heart arrived in 2019, while Affection followed in 2022. In 2023, Magasco released two albums, Kings and Infinity, showcasing a level of productivity rarely seen in the local music industry. The momentum continued with Vida in 2024 before culminating in Red Carpet in 2025.

Alongside the albums came a long list of singles and collaborations that helped keep his music visible. Tracks such as Fine Boy, Marry Me, Belinda, Love It, Sokoto, and Wule Bang Bang helped build his national and international profile.

Throughout his career, Magasco has collaborated with artists from different musical traditions and generations. His work alongside Bikutsi legends such as K-Tino and Lady Ponce cemented the artiste’s ability to bridge regional and cultural divides.

The birth of BBOY Records

Beyond performing and recording music, Magasco has also taken steps to shape the business side of his career. Driven by a desire to maintain creative freedom and ownership of his work, he established BBOY Records, a platform that allows him to manage and develop his music on his own terms. Through the label, Magasco has continued to explore new sounds, release original content and steer his career according to his own creative vision.

A unique dancehall sound 

Dancehall has long been at the heart of Magasco's musical identity. Drawing inspiration from Caribbean rhythms, he blended local languages, African melodies and everyday storytelling to create a style that audiences across different regions can relate with. 

Over the years, that approach helped set Magasco apart in a competitive industry. The distinctive sound he crafted became one of the defining features of his career.

Awards, recognitions galore

Over the years, Bamenda Boy has earned several nominations and awards. He won the Red Feather Award for Best North West Urban Artist and later secured recognition at the Bafani Awards. 

His work also attracted continental attention with a nomination in the Best Male Artist in Central Africa category at the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA. 

In 2020, he added another distinction to his career by winning the Best Urban Artist category at the Muzikol Music Awards. He is also among a small number of Cameroonian artists to have received an MTV nomination.

Using fame for a good cause beyond music  

Away from the recording studio, Magasco has also used his platform to support humanitarian and social causes. In partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, he recorded Siriri (Peace) after visiting refugee communities in Gado, in Cameroon's East Region. 

Inspired by conversations with refugee children, the song was a call for peace and drew attention to the challenges faced by displaced populations. He has also worked on initiatives supported by UNICEF.

The legacy still taking shape

Today, Magasco's music reaches audiences far beyond Cameroon's borders. His career now spans talent competitions, hit singles, international recognition, humanitarian engagement and eight studio albums. Yet the story continues to evolve. 

The journey that began in Bamenda as a young boy’s passion for music has evolved into one of the country's most enduring careers in contemporary Afropop and Dancehall.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3867 of Monday August 03, 2026