Just as Africando was beginning to enjoy international success, tragedy struck. Pape Seck, the author and lead singer of the group's biggest hit, Yay Boy, died in 1995. Difficult as that was for everyone in the group, there was too much living talent to bring such a good thing down. Gnonnas Pedro, a star in his native Benin, and a Cuban-American singer, Ronnie Baro, joined original singers Medoune Diallo and Nicolas Menheim, and with producer Ibrahima Sylla and arranger Boncana Maiga, they regrouped with the top Latin musicians in New York. Gombo Salsa was originally released in 1996.