Lamin Conta, aka LC the Illest, is unquestionably another sprouting hip-hop star trying to reach international stardom. The young star, was born on December 15, 1983, in Banjul.

From an early stage, his family saw his love for music. At the age of 8, LC climbed the podium at the Independent Stadium in Bakau when his uncle, the renowned Gambian reggae artist, Demba Conta was on stage."I am determined to make it worldwide and with love from my family in Sweden, England, France, USA and Gambia as well as the professional producers and artists that I work with," said the young Gambian upcoming hip-hop star.


Intrigued by artistes like the Senegalese world famous R&B celebrity Akon and Hakim, coming out to strongly represent their African roots, LC is once again ready to take his music to the next level.  His performance on stage was loved by the audience and ever since he has seen the stage as his home.

In 1989, his father Mamadi Conta, left The Gambia for Sweden with a promise to take his family there as soon as possible. Years of struggle and hardwork made it possible in 1996 for Mamadi to take his two sons Lamin and Demba Conta to Stockholm, Sweden . While in Sweden, LC´s love for music only grew with strength and within a few years he started writing and producing his own songs. But that was only the start. He sees himself as a true hip-hop artist and those were the right years to blow up as one.  

According onegambia.com, LC soon had a lot of friends and fans, and started several groups with friends, performing all over Stockholm,  winning contest after contest of hip-hip competition. The most recognized group, INT, formed by 8 guys took Stockholm by storm and it looked like they would be the next hit group to come up on the charts. Sadly, all members were not as dedicated so the group separated. With inspiration from artists like 2pac, Nas and Notorious BIG aka Biggi, he kept fighting for his music knowing fully well that he could make it as long as he believed in himself.  

Lamin Conta still worked a lot with one other member from INT and Madness, and together they came out with some real bangers for the audience. But mostly, LC thought of a solo career which he could mold and shape as he would want it.   

"I am already known in Stockholm for my hardcore rap, started spreading my music out of the country, travelling a lot to both Paris and London ," he said.   

In London , as always, people flocked around him, wanting to hear more of his beats and rhymes and with many struggling teens, he hanged in the hood where underground hip hop was a strong influence in many youths’ lives.  After several problems with the police, he fled the country as soon as he had the chance and went to Paris, France, where he met up with his friend and talented underground hip hop artist, Fainel.

Together they kept the struggle for money alive and at the same time tried to find time for the studio whenever they could. A few months later, he came back to Stockholm, Sweden , with recorded songs in his pocket, rhymes in his head and experience for life.  

Being young and careless, he kept the money struggle alive by being involved with drugs and criminals. His family opposed his way of living  which resulted into him frequently changing his home by going from one friend to the other to find a roof over his head.
 
In 2007, he found peace in his soul and made peace with his family by dropping criminal acts and drug abuse behind him and looking forward to all that life still had to bring for him, and geared up his attempts to spread his music.  
 
He knows fully well that it is only a matter of time before the world will know his story.

The natives of Koina based abroad have built a new health centre in the village in Upper River Region (URR), named after the first lady Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh. According to reports, those in Spain contributed €200,000 to the project, while other sons of the village based in France and the USA pitched in €15,000 and US$20,000 respectively.

Yankuba Touray, the secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, last week Friday visited the facility on behalf of President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, where he praised the sons of the village for their patriotism and efforts to improve the quality of life for their people. SoS Touray stressed the importance the president attaches to health, adding that such civil-led projects complement government’s efforts in providing quality and affordable health service delivery to the doorsteps of all Gambians.

Mr Touray then called on other communities to emulate the people of Koina for more rapid development.

Dr Malick Njie, the secretary of state for Health and Social Welfare, enjoined his Cabinet counterpart in commending Koinians for their magnanimous contribution to the health sector and urged the people to make best use of the facility, while assuring them of government’s support.

He said the construction of the facility is another response to the president’s call for every Gambian to contribute to national development. He also called on the people to forge partnership and support the health centre with the required materials in order for it to effectively function, noting that the government cannot do it all alone.