Tribute To Barack Obama — By The North America Congolese Community
Who is Koffi Olomide?
Congolese singer Koffi Olomide, is one of Africa’s best-selling artists. After completing a maths degree in Paris, he moved back home to become one of the continent’s most controversial musical figures, clashing with the ruling regime in Zaire (DRC - Democratic Republic of Congo) and finding his music banned for obscenity in Mali.
Antoine Koffi Olomidé (born August 13, 1956), is a soukous singer, producer, and composer. Born in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo to a Congolese mother and a Sierra Leonean father, Koffi grew up in Kinshasa.
While studying in Paris, he began playing the guitar and writing songs. On his return to Congo he was a member of Viva la Musica, Papa Wemba’s band. Koffi re-popularized the slower style of soukous, which had fallen out of fashion.
He dubbed this style Tcha Tcho, and it gained popularity outside Congo. Koffi’s music can be quite controversial, taking on current events and topics considered taboo in some conservative societies. He has also participated in the salsa music project Africando. Koffi has won four Kora Awards in South Africa and also won the best artist in central Africa. He is married and the father of four children.
[Map of DRC-Congo][Enlarge] Koffi Olomide, also known by a plethora of other names such as Large Degaire, Akram Bourge, Gralibane Maji, Le Grande Mopao, Le Shakespeare Du Zaire, Nkolo Lupemba, Mokonzi etc., is arguably the most talented African singer, producer and composer of the 1990s..
He has dominated music charts across the continent and abroad with a combination of his deep baritone voice, sophisticated arrangements, blending old school rumba and smooth keyboard melodies as well as a searing guitar climax.
His compositions are classy and appeal to a wide spectrum of fans worldwide.
His songs delve deep into a wide variety of topics including love, politics, technology and even religion. In each song he discusses his feelings about such diverse topics while expressing confused feelings about mythical beasts and dream like fantasies.
Names of famous people like Bill Gates, Silvio Berlusconi, Saddam Hussein and even George Weah are mentioned.
Indeed He himself said you have to understand the words to fully appreciate his songs. More so, he has a keen sense of fashion and extensive sapeur wardrobe as well as a personality to match….[ read more here ]
Meiway (Frederic Desire Ehui) a.k.a “Monsieur Zoblazo” or the “Genius of Bassam”; was born on March 17th, 1962 in Grand-Bassam, a coastal town west of Abidjan, in the Ivory Coast. His signature music style is “Zoblazo,” a catchy rhythm from southern Ivory Coast. Read the full story
One of my favorite African Musicians - Awilo Longomba is a Congolese musician who was a drummer in Viva la Musica, Stukas, Nouvelle Generation and Loketo. In 1995, he finally quit drumming for singing and released his first album Moto Pamba with help from Shimita, Ballou Canta, Dindo Yogo, Dally Kimoko, Sam Mangwana, Syran Mbenza and Rigo Star.
Awilo Longomba was born in Kinshasa (formally, Léopoldville). His father was from the Mongo region of the Ecuador and his mother was also from the Ecuador region of Ngombe and Congo Brazzaville. His father,Vicky Longomba, was the famous lead singer and founder of “Tout puissant OK Jazz” during the golden age of Congolese rumba, had a big influence on Awilo.
His second CD, Coupe Bibamba (1998) made him known throughout Africa, Europe and America. This was followed by Kafou Kafou (2001) and his most recent album, Mondongo (2004), which features Japponais, Dally Kimoko, Caen Madoka, Djudjuchet, Josky and Simaro Lutumba. He is also credited as an atalaku (animateur) on some soukous records.
Performing in French, Lingala, Kiswahili and other native Congolese languages, Franco was a master of Rumba [African Rumba], a style of music that originated in Congo, and evolved into Soukous music
Franco accentuated the “Afro-Latin” beat — a complex mixture of Cuban sons, boleros and Congolese folk music.
Sadly, Congolese maestro, the “sorcerer of the Guitar,” the “Grand Maître of Zairean Music,” Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, died in a hospital in Brussels, Belgium, in 1989 at the age of 51. Just before his death, he recorded his AIDS-consciousness anthem “Attention Na SIDA” [Beware of AIDS]. Although never officially mentioned [taboo], Franco’s death was HIV related.
Africa lost a “Music Goliath.”
Many, if not ALL modern Congolese musicians from Music rich Zaire [Now DRC -- Democratic Republic of Congo] owe their success to L’Okanga La Ndju Pene Luambo Luanzo Makiadi.
Among Franco’s proteges were Lutumba Simaro Massiya [a.k.a. Le Poet], for many years, his deputy band leader. Lutumba succeeded Franco after his death, but after quarrels with Franco’s family, quit to form Bana OK — together with fabulous Franco proteges like — Josky Kiambukuta, Ndombe Opetum, Malage de Lugendo and Ntessa Dalienst.
Below is Malage de Lugendo performing one of Franco’s classics - “Infidelite Mado,” With Shiko Mawatu doing a very “credible imitation” of Franco’s guitar work - at a recent performance by the band “Soukous Stars,” in New Jersey [USA].
Many have tried to emulate Franco’s style, but none will ever do it quite like him, instead African Rumba has evolved into “Soukous” and “Techno-Soukous,” which are more up-tempo. Here is Techo-Soukous star, Awilo Longomba performing his hit — Karolina.
Congolese singer Koffi Olomide, is one of Africa’s best-selling artists. After completing a maths degree in Paris, he moved back home to become one of the continent’s most controversial musical figures, clashing with the ruling regime in Zaire (DRC - Democratic Republic of Congo) and finding his music banned for obscenity in Mali.
