| Background: | person |
| Masego | |
| Birth Name: | Micah Davis |
| Birth Date: | 8 June 1993 |
| Birth Place: | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Years Active: | 2013–present |
| Label: | EQT Recordings, LLC. |
Micah Davis (born June 8, 1993), known professionally as Masego, is a Jamaican-born musician and singer known for incorporating the saxophone into his music. Masego released two EPs in 2016, The Pink Polo EP with Medasin, and Loose Thoughts. He gained widespread attention with his collaborative record with FKJ called "Tadow" in 2017. In 2018, he released his debut album Lady Lady.[1] His album "Studying Abroad: Extended Stay" got nominated for the 2022 Grammy Awards in the "Best Progressive R&B Album" category.
Micah Davis was born to a Jamaican father and an African-American mother. His father was in the U.S. Air Force and his mother was an entrepreneur. He also has two sisters and a brother-in-law. One of his sisters is a musical artist as well, while the other is involved in voice acting and media outlets. Both his mother and father were pastors although he was raised in a non-denominational Christian home. Military travels eventually led his family to Virginia, but he also lived in Sumter, South Carolina for a couple of years while his family was moving around from state to state. He first learned how to play the drums without formal lessons in his youth. Davis has spoken about learning the piano, sax, and various drum machines. In high school, Davis adopted the name Masego, a Tswana translation of his church name "blessing." Davis attended Woodside High School (Virginia) in Newport News, and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia before leaving to focus solely on his musical career.[2] [3]
In 2015, Masego released the collaborative extended play, The Pink Polo EP with Medasin, spawning the single "Girls That Dance".[4] The next year, he released his EP Loose Thoughts.[5]
In 2017, he met French artist FKJ, and the two released the track "Tadow." According to FKJ, the song was fully improvised not long after meeting.[6]
On September 7, 2018, he released his debut album Lady Lady, including guest features from FKJ, SiR, Tiffany Gouché, and De' Wayne Jackson.[7] The album featured the previously released "Tadow" as its lead single.
His EP, Studying Abroad was released on November 13, 2020.[8] Masego released his self-titled album on March 3, 2023.[9]
Drawing from his upbringing of both his parents being pastors, Davis stated that church allowed him a place to learn music from talented musicians. Davis also cited Lukky (DJ PLM), John P. Kee, Andre 3000 and Cab Calloway as influences.[10] Davis grew up in a room with over 200 vinyl records on the walls while simultaneously having friends giving him hard hitting drums and trap music influences.[11]
He refers to his own musical style as "TrapHouseJazz".[12]
| Album details | ||
| Lady Lady |
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|---|---|---|
| Masego |
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| Album details | ||
| The Pink Polo EP (with Medasin) |
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|---|---|---|
| Loose Thoughts |
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| Studying Abroad |
| Year | Peak chart positions | Certification | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B [19] | US Adult R&B [20] | |||||||||||||
| "Tadow"[21] | 2017 | — | 19 | Lady Lady | ||||||||||
| "Mystery Lady"[23] | 2020 | 24 | 24 |
| Studying Abroad | |||||||||
| "My City"[24] | 2021 | — | — | Aura III | ||||||||||
| "Yamz"[25] | — | 14 | ||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released. | ||||||||||||||
| Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B | US Adult R&B | |||||||||||||
| "Hate The Club" | 2020 | 18 | — | It Was Good Until It Wasn't | ||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released. | ||||||||||||||
| Year | Other artist(s) | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Late Night" | 2015 | GoldLink | And After That, We Didn't Talk | |
| "Ooh Nah Nah" | 2017 | SiR | HER TOO | |
| "Touch the Floor"[26] | 2018 | VanJess | Silk Canvas | |
| "Good Girl" | Tiffany Gouché | |||
| "One Life"[27] | 2019 | The Game, J. Stone | Born 2 Rap | |
| "Need It"[28] | Kaytranada | Bubba | ||
| "Sleigh"[29] | Smino, Monte Booker | High 4 Da Highladays | ||
| "Amy" | Yuna | Rouge | ||
| "Slow Down"[30] | 2020 | Ro James | Mantic | |
| "Stickin'"[31] | Sinéad Harnett, VanJess | Ready Is Always Too Late | ||
| "Above" | USERx | USERx - EP | ||
| "Silk" | 2022 | Kojey Radical | Reason to Smile | |
| "Marching Band" | 2023 | Yussef Dayes | Black Classical Music | |
| "A Song for Mom" | 2024 | Mustard, Ty Dolla Sign, Charlie Wilson | Faith of a Mustard Seed |
Masego & Medasin – The Pink Polo EP
Masego – Loose Thoughts
Masego – Lady Lady
Ari Lennox – Shea Butter Baby[32]
Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album