kassell YB

Kassell Youssouph Bodiang, was born and raised in Senegal, West Africa where is passion and appreciation for music began to emerge. Kassell YB used his interest is music to focus his energy in an environment that presented many obstacles and challenges.

Growing up in a large family and community, Kassell YB realised it would become important for him exercise individuality through his compositions, often seeking out a quite place to express his creativity.

During his earlier years Kassell YB always believed that there was more to life than what was around him. At the young age of 15 he embarked on a journey to find out for himself. Over the years he scaled West Africa in search of a greater life experience and to gain a deeper explanation for existence.

From a young age drums provided a solid foundation for his musical career. While in Africa he used this gift to start his own drumming business and people came from around the world to learn to drum under his instruction. Drums informed the beginning of his music career as he made a living teaching Djembe while he was travelling though Europe.

“I have travelled many miles, place to place, just me and my drum”.

-Kassell YB

Kassell YB’s musical influences came from a variety of genres with artists such as Sting and The Police, Tracy Chapman, 2 Pac, Phil Collins, Bob Marley, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and his all time favourite Michael Jackson. As a result, Kassell YB’s own sound developed as a fusion of these influences and a brand new sound.

Kassell YB has begun to incorporate his own voice into his compositions; singing in English, French in his native language, Wolof.