YounkonDe

Jerome Suah aka Younkonde was born in West Africa, Liberia. As a kid, Jerome Suah was separated from his parents during the fourteen years of civil war that took place in Liberia at a very tender age. Because of this, he had to experience life in the streets of Monrovia, from one orphanage home to another.

He said: “While I was at the St. John Don Bosco orphanage home, I was given the opportunity to attend Feama Community Elementary School and there I began my education sojourn. But not too long when another war broke out, I had to flee from Monrovia to go to my hometown in Grand Gedeh County, my parents’ birthplace.”

Years later he was given the opportunity to migrate to New York; Jerome Suah’s passion for music began in 1998 when he bought his first Reggae Album called “Reggae Power”.

The Album featured songs like “Jah Jah, See & Know and Government Guns”. This album had a big influence on Jerome, since then Jerome began to love music in general but mostly reggae music, the reason being is because of the messages they deliver.

In 2007 Jerome Suah recorded his first professional song called “Left Alone” it was distributed amongst his friends and family and it was well received with great feedback. It was then when he decided to follow a path of a musical career and chose the name “Younkonde” as his stage name.

Since then Jerome knew he had work to do and with lots of sleepless night plus hard work he continues to perfect his musical talent. One of his biggest breakthroughs came when he started performing for Universities and other community events across America, including performances at UB University and the Chadron States College. Finally the biggest moment came when Younkonde was given the opportunity to do a freestyle with Alicia Keys after getting her consensus to do so on the song “We Are Here.”

Not just stopping at this point, the artist has started the year with a new single called “Struggle,” a song that speaks about the social issues in Africa and around the world. The song is making a wave on YouTube.

In 2014 he was nominated best Reggae artist at the Liberian Music Awards (LMA). Within the same year Younkonde also signed to Code Red Globe, it is a record label based in Buffalo, NY. As a reggae dancehall artist, he’s now known as one of the best and stands out as a Liberian artist. His style of reggae is very powerful and the energy he brings to the stage sets him apart from other dancehall artists, making him one of the best right now who’s known for his talent.

Liberia Music Award Foundation Country Representative, Joseph Junior Teah, spoke about him as the LMA 2015 nominee who rocked the stage at that event, and described him as one of the best raw and structured Liberian talents based in the United States, “and the energy he brings to the stage make him unique.”

Teah added that the “artist represents change; from the Don Bosco life to being a well-defined artist.”

Today, the world is presented a gift that presents itself with sound, delivery and love, please welcome to the world of 2017, never seen or heard of “Younkonde”.