MASEGO/ FKJ

Biography

Micah Davis, known professionally as Masego, was born on June 8, 1993, in Jamaica to pastor parents and raised in Newport News, Virginia, after his family settled there from military moves. He began playing piano young, learned saxophone in middle school to impress a teacher—practicing religiously and joining the swim team for lung strength—and became largely self-taught via YouTube tutorials, blending R&B, hip-hop, and jazz into his signature 'TrapHouseJazz' style. Denied a music scholarship at Old Dominion University for lacking classical training, he started producing in college, inspired by Pharrell and Ryan Leslie, and posted spontaneous tracks like '73 degrees' on SoundCloud.[1][2][3][4]

Masego's career surged in 2015 with the collaborative EP The Pink Polo EP alongside producer Medasin, featuring 'Girls That Dance,' followed by his 2016 EP Loose Thoughts. His 2017 one-take YouTube collaboration with French producer FKJ on 'Tadow'—improvised on the spot—exploded with over 70 million views (hundreds of millions later), leading to his 2018 debut album Lady Lady with features from FKJ, SiR, Tiffany Gouché, and De' Wayne Jackson. He participated in DJ Jazzy Jeff's mentorship program that year, then moved to Los Angeles, connecting with producer Kojoa Asamoah to craft soulful tracks exploring love and relationships. Later releases include the 2020 EP Studying Abroad (extended version Grammy-nominated in 2022 for Best Progressive R&B Album) and his 2023 self-titled album.[1][2][3][4][5]

Masego's legacy lies in his multi-instrumental innovation—saxophone, drums, keys—and energetic live shows, earning global acclaim and a Kennedy Center debut in 2024. His genre-bending sound continues to evolve, with recent setbacks like losing his LA home in early 2025 California fires underscoring his resilience.[3][4][5]

Fun Facts

• Masego improvised the viral 'Tadow' with FKJ in one take during their first studio meeting, telling FKJ to 'press record' mid-warmup, now with over 500 million YouTube views.
• He started saxophone in middle school to impress a substitute teacher who liked Najee, renting the instrument and swimming for better breath control—by the time he excelled, she was gone.
• Self-taught via YouTube after scholarship denial, he credits a woman introducing him to Pharrell and Ryan Leslie for sparking his production style.
• Lost his Los Angeles home in the early 2025 California fires.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• DJ Jazzy Jeff - Mentorship program for rising artists, teaching community-building and creation spaces (Participation in Jazzy Jeff's program) [2016]

Key Collaborators

• FKJ - Key collaborator on breakout viral hit and album features ("Tadow" (2017), Lady Lady (2018)) [2017-2018]
• Medasin - Co-producer on debut EP blending jazz and electronic (The Pink Polo EP (2015)) [2015]
• SiR - Guest feature on debut album (Lady Lady (2018)) [2018]
• Tiffany Gouché - Guest feature on debut album (Lady Lady (2018)) [2018]
• Kojoa Asamoah - Producer who introduced him to LA musician circle for rapid song creation (Early LA sessions leading to Lady Lady) [2017-2018]

External Links

• Spotify