click around the articles there are more names and stuff that might give you a bigger understanding of how these bands worked. many of the bands that were and are successful have something to do with a band that either previously existed or still exists. certain bands who were considered the epitome of excellence in what they did were considered a 'school'. the first 'school' was grand kalle's african jazz and so on and so forth. the school's were the bands that represented a generation for most people. (not everyone who listens to congolese music follows it so religiously lol but these are the terms in which the music is discussed within the industry)
the generations we have to remark don't necessarily represent a set amount of years some generations held it down for years after their initial impact (ie franco, tabu ley, zaiko langa langa, etc). what makes the generation is the memebers who leave and form their own thing. of those members who leave and do their own thing who will stand out and shift the sound. those people become the leaders and torch holders and are crowned the following generation.
right now congolese rumba or modern congolese music is in its 5th generation. artists from the previous generation who still run the scene are koffi olomide, werrason, jp mpiana, tshala muana (female singer), awilo longomba, and a few others.
koffi olomide's band 'quatier latin' spawned two of the 5 generations biggest stars, fally ipupa and ferre gola.
both vocally strong and unique writing styles with sleak production that is 'world music' palatable but still keeps in tune with original congolese rumba stylings (ferre gola more so than fally) while still expanding upon it (more so fally than ferre lol)
just for today i'm going to go into their respective careers using youtube and links. give me a few. by the time you've done reading all this i will have put some kinda music up lol brb.
1. "another thing i should explain too is that the powerhouse dudes" In response to Reply # 0
like franco and koffi olomide pride themselves in introducing new talent by having several singers on their payroll and pushing new talent to the fore front through their band (hence becoming a 'school' for the upcoming generations) many times their 'students' or 'singers' would have their own solo songs and chances to write new songs and try new things. the maestro would be credited for finding such great talent and the student would learn from the maestro and hope to gain recognition to further expand their careers.
here is ferre gola in the koffi olomide song 'insecticide'
i'mma be posting more as the night goes. i'm doin mad shit at once right now though lol but i hope to fill this post up over the course of a few days rather than rush it anyway. enjoy!
4. "i should also add that i didn't know who ferre gola and fally ipupa" In response to Reply # 0
were until they were already established. around 2006/2007. fally ipupa went solo first. i'm not the biggest koffi olomide fan (i'm trying to change that but its so much music i haven't gotten deep into his stuff yet). i say that to say this. some of these videos i'm posting i'm seeing and hearing for the first time lol we're learning together!! (i will eventually get mp3s of these youtubes i'm putting up too 'cause i likey lol i will share)
8. "koffi has an amazing voice" In response to Reply # 4
the music isn't my cup of tea, too slick sounding. it also sounds 'inspirational' but that probably has more to d/ my western perception of how african music can sound.
i doubt this song is all that wholesome or inspirational based on the music video though... lol
9. "lolol true. the slickness is actually what turned me off to it at first" In response to Reply # 8
but the more i listen to it the more enjoy and appreciate what is being done.
the congolese are really just great at interpreting other folks sounds and incorporating their undeniable spin on it. these days the music is heavily influenced by r&b, hip hop and european urban music (which is also most times a slick version of american r&b and hip hop lol)
fally and ferre have managed to improve on the sound they came from. i will get to that soon.
29. "I've never really thought about his music, I just like it" In response to Reply # 27 Mon Mar-01-10 03:18 PM by Coco la chapelle
I don't know his early stuff but i grew up dancing on Quartier Latin. It's not something I could analyze, I've never really listened to it carefully, it was there and I liked it for what it was
13. "POST QUARTIER LATIN - fally ipupa - droit chemin (the album) " In response to Reply # 0
in 2006 fally ipupa left koffi olomide's band to record his debut album 'doit chemin'
here are all the videos from the album these days congolese artists release vhs/dvd of their videos either WITH their cds or in a separate release shortly after. or both (releasing more videos over time with the success of the album)
here are the videos from droit chemin
title track droit chemin this style is called a 'generique' which is a song in which the 'rumba' is removed and the whole song is the sebene. ndombolo.
fally's performances are more 'commercial' if you will. def not in a bad way but when i show you ferre's performances you'll see what i mean. ferre is more 'downhome' in style and carries the music in a more traditional fashion in my opinion.
15. "beer ads & congolese music" In response to Reply # 0
since congolese rumba existed singers and bands have advertised for companies. they were (and still are) even paid and sponsored by rich families to have their names mentioned in songs and/or have dedication songs made for them.
while i had fally ipupa's album almost immediately after it dropped i didn't really feel it too tough at first. i was still in the midst of discovering the beauty of congolese music of the past. and just naturally given the climate of music all over the world the music now just doesn't compare most of the time.
but then you have to look at the innovation with in those constraints and see how the artists really inject themselves into the music and also the culture. no matter how digitized the music its always unquestionably congolese.
when i heard this skol ad (skol is beer company. ferre does ads for primus another beer company you'll see later) by fally ipupa that's when i came to certain realizations that. one being that congolese music is still top notch on the production end and in being innovative and fresh even when you can tell their are outside influences. that seems to be congo's specialty. anyway i'm glad i'm doing this blazed 'cause its just flowing at this point lol i hope the words are appreciated as much as the music.
the thing that caught my ear on this song is the part where the women sing a chorus. and they get on dudes who wear tight pants. me hating to see dudes in tight pants i had to love it lolol but yall be the judge.
16. "POST QUARTIER LATIN - ferre gola" In response to Reply # 0 Wed Nov-25-09 11:54 AM by sha mecca
shortly after fally ipupa left quartier latin ferre gola did the same. he came out with the album 'sens interdit' in 2007. another album i didn't pay much attention to until recently. my favorite song on the album was
and i played that shit to death. didn't really pay attention to the rest of the album at all til i started up this post. a lot of these songs i'm hearing for the first time today even. i have so much congolese music that a lot of times i get caught up in a few songs and don't get into the rest. but that leaves me with mad shit to hear so i don't mind it. i'm falling in love with a few songs right now lol
the generique sens interdit (a generique is what was once known as the sebene. which was the height of the song after the rumba had completed and the dancing began. the generique is sebene alone, no rumba and an atakalu (caller, sometimes called a 'rapper' in modern day congo) shouting dance moves and other phrases over the track. there isn't much lyrical content on a generique. its main mission is to make you dance.)
i'm just posting videos for now 'cause i just dont have the energy to upload shit right now just for one or two people to download lol i'm doing mad shit at once. but if you want either fally or ferre's first album, inbox me.
he performs kilos while still with quartier latin but both him and fally (who is in the footage as well as koffi olomide) leave the band not too long after this song is a hit. (other singer from quartier latin sings too but they're all performing 100 kilos; notice t he pictures of beer behind them. a lot of these shows are sponsored by beer companies)
clips from a live show in fikin last year (look out for the lil kid in the red shorts name chikito. lil dude is nice. at one point he 'battles' one of the singers in ferre's band and basically sons him (its staged lol) notice the 'primus' signs behind them. a beer company lol in a lot of ways beer companies out there are almost one with the music industry) ferre's shows are more lively in comparison to fally and it follows the 'traditional' format closer. ferre is more of a band leader than fally is imo. fally is more a solo artist.
ferre gola is cosigned by simarro litumba, one of franco & tp ok jazz's greatest writers and composers. the song in this clip is written by him for madilu system. madilu was another alum from the ok jazz school of rumba. a great vocalist he passed away in 2007. this concert ferre had was in tribute to him. ferre gola is vocally compared to madilu often so it was only right.
michou (a song by another fallen great vocalist by the name of pepe kalle. this is at the same tribute concert for madilu system) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1HyJjWe0dk
21. "FALLY & FERRE THE SOPHOMORE ALBUMS" In response to Reply # 0
so since they released their first solos a couple of years ago both fally and ferre have won critical acclaim fally ipupa has more of a mass appeal in europe due to his sound being more of a mix of r&b but ferre is definitely right up there with him. you can't have a conversation about one without someone bringing up the other. they have solidified their place as 'leaders of the new school' with the release of their sophomore albums this year.
fally ipupa released Arsenal De Belle Melodies (which is also known as A2BM; and i'mma be calling that for the duration of this post) earlier this year. ferre gola released Qui Est Derriere Toi? (which i will abbreviate as QDT) just little over a month ago.
I haven't heard ALL of the songs from QDT so i will begin with talking about my love for A2BM. stay tuned.
28. "after having listened to both albums extensively since i last posted" In response to Reply # 0
this i'm gonna have to go ahead and give my personal nod to ferre just for the simple fact that he has managed to build upon the greatness of the 80s and 90s generation and make it fresh. his influences are obvious (madilu, franco, etc)
now i prefer QDT but it's not a long shot decision. fally has more dudes on his album but that's because ferre takes a safer route and it sounds better. fally takes risks and it sometimes sucks. that chaise electrique shit isn't the worst shit in the world but i dn't like it lol and his singers just aren't as interesting as ferre's to me. fally can easily carry an album himself but when he gets singers none of them come even close to his singing you wonder why he even got them ont he record. ferre on the other hand has some superb vocals on his own (sometimes switching his singing style within a song as evidenced on karmasutra) his singers all sound like they should have they own shit popping. they're intresting and polished.
my favorite song from either album have no video for them so i will share them here. these are the songs that really made me go 'wow ok i see what you're doing there' lol
in the end i applaud what they're both doing but the next artists i'm about to start talking about REALLY excite me in a whole other way. i'll get into that in af ew.
34. "that should say fally has more 'duds' not 'dudes' lol" In response to Reply # 28
>this i'm gonna have to go ahead and give my personal nod to >ferre >just for the simple fact that he has managed to build upon the >greatness >of the 80s and 90s generation and make it fresh. >his influences are obvious (madilu, franco, etc) > >now i prefer QDT but it's not a long shot decision. fally has >more dudes on his album but that's because ferre takes a safer >route and >it sounds better. fally takes risks and it sometimes sucks. >that >chaise electrique shit isn't the worst shit in the world but i >dn't >like it lol and his singers just aren't as interesting as >ferre's >to me. fally can easily carry an album himself but when he >gets >singers none of them come even close to his singing you wonder >why he >even got them ont he record. ferre on the other hand has some >superb >vocals on his own (sometimes switching his singing style >within a >song as evidenced on karmasutra) his singers all sound like >they should have they own shit popping. they're intresting and >polished. > >my favorite song from either album have no video for them so i >will share them here. these are the songs that really made me >go 'wow ok >i see what you're doing there' lol > >FALLY IPUPA - 5eme RACE >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUAXHWAYq34 > >FERRE GOLA - JE T'ATTEND >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NfSAzYZwkI > >in the end i applaud what they're both doing but the next >artists i'm about to start talking about REALLY excite me in a >whole other way. >i'll get into that in af ew.
37. "Werrason's new young bloods - MAYI YA SIKA" In response to Reply # 0 Fri Mar-05-10 12:20 PM by sha mecca
Werrason has been around since the 80s so he's of the 4th generation. Any singers stemming from his group Wenga Musica Maison Mere (which was once Wenga Musica and the different artists branched off; long story for another day lol) are of the 5th generation.
Werrason is known much like Koffi Olomide for having great singers in his group. Ferre who once sang for koffi also sang for Maison Mere at one point in his career.
But it wasn't until a couple of years ago when i saw these youtube clips that I really started paying attention to Werrason.
Introducing Mayi Ya Sika aka Temps Present aka NOW the most current new generation
The members are Deplik, Cafe Rhum & Fabregas aka Fabrice i saw this clip and was in complete awe. at that moment i knew the music was safe lol
Here they are singing Diego Music (A libanga to their production company. A libanga is a paid shout out in simple terms lol)
(in all of these clips they're singing songs that are recorded. you'll recognize them when i post them. they mixed songs together too as they're just 'freestyling')
deplik is definitely known as a fally ipupa jr of sorts. the more i listen to him i hear his uniqueness. he's a great vocalist and the clear heart throb of the 3 lol. fabrice i love for his very street interpretation of his singing. reminds me of rapping/deejaying in the way he places anemonapeas( lol sp) and what have you. he's a favorite but i must say love them all. cafe rhum just sings like a fucking angel. period. lol he's ill
mwasi kitoko Member since Jul 15th 2007 60768 posts
Wed Jun-09-10 08:52 AM
43. "they have been featured on 2 albums so far" In response to Reply # 37
mayi ya sika & more recently techno malewa sans cesse vol 1. they sing a lot more on the more recent release and each have a solo song and video.
aside from the singers i named, in werrason there is also a popular singer by the name of heritier i will also post his video from the album 'techno malewa sans cesse vol 1' Werrason makes an appearance on almost every song. He's dude with the braids and sunglasses with the basic voice that still hits lol
DIEGO MUSIC (Lead: Fabregas) (at the beginning of the video the woman is saying its great that you work but i never see you. and basically that's what the song is about and its also about the woes of fame and how friends treat you different after you get money etc. they're also singing the praises of diego music, their production company.)
(This song is a Libanga and a love song at the same time. In congolese singing tradition the singer is a story teller also and often sings from the point of a woman despite being a male singer. This is the case from this song. The video depicts dude in a love triangle but the lyrics to the song he's singing for a Mitterand Champagne. Some one big in the Congolese community that paid to have this song sung basically. I'm not sure who dude is but i've seen his name mentioned elsewhere)
in the last two years they were both snatched up by congolese music legends to solidify their spot in the current generation as the new 'divas' of congolese rumba.
Cindy Le Coeur joined Koffi Olomide and his Quartier Latin in 2008 recording several songs and videos for the album Bord Ezanga Kombo.
Meje 30 was picked up by legendary congolese singer/entertainer/pan-africanist Tshala Muana around the same time and was recently featured on the 2009 album Sikila.
They both have pretty voices to me. Cindy Le Coeur's voice is better imo but I feel Meje30 was given better songs as she has more of a lead vocal role in Tshala Muana's band Mamu International. Mama Tshala has stated in interviews that this is intentional as she's had her 30 years in the business and it is Meje's turn to begin her 30 years (hence the name Meje 30). Meje 30 is Tshala Muana's way of giving back, giving a young woman a chance the way she was given a chance. in comparison at this point i prefer Meje but like with Fally & Ferre there is definitely room for the two of them. Particularly when congolese music barely has women representatives to begin with (although they pretty much rule the Christian music genre which is huge out there but i digress).
Anyway i'm going to post some videos when i get home. this is hard to do at work lol
she only has one formal video with koffi olomide that i've seen but she has several live performances and most recently she performed koffi olomide's hits in paris at the zenith. i will be posting vids from that as well as her one video. although s he is featured all over the last koffi album she's only in one vid (that i've caught on youtube so far)
when i post the videos for meje 30 you will see what i mean about her taking a lead vocal role in mamu international as opposed to cindy's secondary role in quartier latin. koffi is still very much the lead vocalist of his operation. most songs featuring cindy le coeur are duets. i would love to hear more from her as a solo artist. her voice is great.
mwasi kitoko Member since Jul 15th 2007 60768 posts
Sun Jan-16-11 12:54 PM
53. "as was said in the original post :P" In response to Reply # 52
lol the artists introduced by the leaders of the previous generation make up generation 5 (that's on an official level) other artists like mimitah and laurette la perle (who i will eventually post about) who don't have big recognized backing but still have a buzz would be considered part of the wave of the 5th generation as well but congolese music buffs wouldn't really call them that i don't think. they're not really on the radar of the type of people who know all the musicians of every band, every singer and the whys and whatfors behind bands breaking up etc. it is technical terminology with a loose interpretation from what i understand. the people kinda crown folx as it goes along.
like with wenge musica for example. that one band was short lived but their success was so great they solidified a 3rd gen spot. then the stars that splintered off from there (werrason, jb mpiana, etc) had huge bands with great success that began the 4th gen. those bands splintered off into other bands too. similar to zaiko (langa langa stars, choc stars, etc) but with those splintered off groups so many of the original members worked with one another so often that the offshoots are just considered part of the era where zaiko langa langa reigned in general (from the mid70s through the mid80s).
there are a bunch of artists i haven't even touched upon yet 'cause i just didn't have their music back when i made this post but i will definitely be adding on as long as this post is alive! lol i was gonna ask to have this archived but i'm not done yet!
mwasi kitoko Member since Jul 15th 2007 60768 posts
Wed Jan-19-11 08:47 AM
56. "new Meje 30 ft. Fally Ipupa - Tshobo (Vid directed by Tshala Muana)" In response to Reply # 0
i still got more artists to intro but until i get a chance to do that i'll be posting a few newer videos. This is a match up i been waiting for since i saw them perform live together (on youtube lol)
mwasi kitoko Member since Jul 15th 2007 60768 posts
Fri Jan-28-11 12:28 PM
59. "congolese music is the most pan-african music among black" In response to Reply # 0
people globally....true or false?? and i don't mean to say congolese people are the most pan-african, i mean the music and the musical fraternity there-in.
i'll return with my argument. just had a random ass thought as i'm getting ready for work listening to bozi boziana's 'bana rdc' (children of rdc)
mwasi kitoko Member since Jul 15th 2007 60768 posts
Mon Nov-07-11 07:03 PM
60. "ferre gola's new album boit noire" In response to Reply # 0
new album due out sometime early next year here is some practice footage of one of the songs off his album ferre unlike fally is following in the tradition of great band leaders before him and has gathered up some of the best singers i've heard in a while.
a few years ago (i'm too lazy to check if i already posted this but lol) ferre introduced a really young singer by the name of chikito. the boy who is from the congolese city of matadi by way of bandal was 15 years old looks clearly malnourished in this clip(i don't know his back story but he could very likely have been a street kid he looks 10 instead of 15) but you can see why he chose him to be in his band:
here is chikito (19 now) leading off the lead single of ferre's new album. not sure of the name of the song. they probably won't put up the song's name until either the album is released or an official video comes out but anyway. the people singing may not even wind up singing it on the album. but anyway this shit is dope, ferre's singers are pretty great the guy with the lil braids name is r.kelly (lol) the guy at the end 'petit lacoste' is another kid ferre has picked up. (he's not in the band though). at the end of the video he makes fun saying go to back to school ('cause once he hits puberty he won't be hitting those notes again) lol
but really shit like this makes me proud to be where i'm from:
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
The Lesson
