Massuma’s story isn’t about reinvention so much as steady expansion. From bootleg grime beats on cracked software to charting Afro house releases on VOD and MoBlack, his path reflects a quiet confidence in evolution rather than a need to chase trends. What makes his current moment compelling isn’t just the viral success of Contesto, but how naturally it fits into a broader creative arc – one shaped as much by pirate radio and hip hop clubs as by diasporic rhythms and emotional memory.
With new music landing and a shift toward deeper, more considered work, we caught up with Massuma to talk growth, transition, and the power of not rushing the process.
You were producing grime beats on Fruity Loops at 12 and now you’re charting on Beatport with Afro house. Do you ever think about how far that arc has travelled?
All the time. I started with nothing but a laptop and a cracked copy of FL, just trying to make beats that sounded like what I heard in London pirate radio. I never imagined it would turn into something that connects with people around the world. It’s been a long journey, but every step taught me something that feeds into what I’m doing now.
When Contesto first started showing up in people’s reels and stories, did you lean into that momentum, or were you already deep into the next track?
I was already deep into the next one. I don’t like to overthink momentum, once a track is out, it’s out of my hands. I focus on creating the next thing, because that’s where my energy feels most honest. A lot of DJs talk about that one set or room where a track just lands.
Where was the first time you played Contesto and knew it was going to be big?
It was in Lisbon. The crowd reaction was instant, you could feel it in the room before the drop even hit. That was the first moment I realized it had something special.
Do you feel like Afro house is finally getting the recognition it deserves in the States, or is it still flying under the radar?
It’s definitely starting to get its moment. People are more open now, they want rhythm and emotion in dance music again. But there’s still a long way to go. It’s growing fast, though, and that’s exciting to see. You’ve built your name across different identities, scenes, and genres.
What have you learned from that process that you wouldn’t have learned by staying in one lane?
That it’s okay to evolve. Each scene taught me something different – grime gave me grit, hip hop gave me rhythm, and house gave me patience. I think moving through all those spaces made me more adaptable and helped me understand how to connect with people in different ways. The reaction to Contesto was huge, but the follow-up matters just as much.
How does Sikasso with Nahawa Doumbia shift the story for you?
Sikasso feels like the next chapter. It’s still rooted in rhythm and emotion, but it’s more refined. It shows where I’m heading sonically, deeper, more melodic, but still connected to that Afro energy. We also really wanted to pay homage to Mali where Nahawa is from, hence the name Sikasso.
You’ve been part of hip hop’s nightlife world and now you’re stepping into global house culture. What’s been the biggest surprise in making that transition?
The energy is different. In hip hop, it’s more about performance and persona. In house, it’s about flow and connection. It’s less about you and more about what you create together with the crowd. That shift has been refreshing.
Looking ahead, collabs, live sets, label plans, what part of the Massuma vision are you most excited to build out next?
I’m focused on building a real body of work, not just singles, but something that tells a story. This is all I can say for now, but there are some creative things in the works.
