When George Vincent Mendy decided his future was in music, he claimed the stage name “Iconicc”. He and his 4 adoring sisters and niece were raised by a single mother, Shera Marie Mendy, who devoted her life to teaching him to be the best version of himself and, when in doubt, always trust God.

As a youngster at St Peter’s Technical Junior & Senior School, he found a kindred spirit while singing along privately to the music of his school choir, although he never brought himself to join. However, in 2017, Iconicc met the entrepreneur, studio owner, and music professional Stylzz, who immediately took him under his wing and treated him like a brother, introducing him to the genre of Afrobeat music.

Iconicc’s ear for catchy hooks and charming one-liners made him a welcome addition to recordings of trending West African music sensations such as Attack, Uchee, Asidik, and Hakil. He soon realised that this would be the asset that would save all the well-deserving women in his life. Soon after, Iconicc began recording and producing his own music and had slow-burning success with singles like “Satisfied” featuring Attack in 2020 and “Loyalty” featuring Uchee in 2021 until the explosion of the hit single “JUMAALANO?” with his award-winning friend and colleague, Asidik, in October 2022.

From the success of the now popular single “JUMAALANO?”, Iconicc came across American songwriter/publisher Robyn Charles, daughter of the late Ray Charles Robinson, who saw a similar spark in him as she knew her father to possess. Looking to learn the style, form, and artistry of Afrobeat/Afro-fusion music, Charles and Iconicc sparked an instant camaraderie of inspiration for songwriting that brought Charles all the way from New Orleans to The Gambia, where Iconicc was strategically developing his debut EP project.

While Charles was learning the sound of Africa, she wanted to teach Iconicc the benefits of music publishing and was able to encourage him to participate in a Web3 competition with multiplatinum, Grammy Award-winning producer Rodney Jerkins, sponsored by Fred Frenchy and Venus Music. Although Iconicc was challenged by his financial circumstances and navigating the woes of independent artistry, this challenge was met with raving success and reviews as he became one of the top 15 winners of The Culture Tape Volume 1: Mixtape.

Iconicc’s latest single Buga Tekki Bala Maget is out now on all streaming platforms.