M'bolo plays mbalax, the high energy music of Senegal. "M'bolo" means "together" in Wolof, a language spoken in Senegal. Cheikh Ngom, lead singer and songwriter, was born and raised in Kaolack, a city on the coast of Senegal. He has been singing, dancing, and playing sabar drums all his life. He has performed throughout Africa, Europe and the United States.

Dillon Zahner, Galen Gregory Willett, and Beza "bayz" Gebre, M'bolo's guitarist, bass player, and drummer met at Boston's Berklee College of Music. They share a love of West African rhythms. When they heard Cheikh perform at a Cambridge Club, they joined him and formed M'bolo. M'bolo has been performing for about three years.