What surprises me even more is how many people stayed alive. Hearing about HIV infection rates in Congo and Africa, it is kind of unbelieveable that so many musicians did not die.
I can tell you what you need to do to make Congolese Music famous. You need to do exactly what Nyoka Longo is doing: remain loyal to the style, go to do concerts in abroad as well, be proud of the history of the band. And do good albums. The problem in Europe is that when Congolese musicians emigrate there, they see how things go there, the freedom and democracy, they get mezmerized and think they can become famous and rich alone, everybody wants to be their own boss, but finally, they get to nowhere.
Unfortunately, I feel like most music coming out of Kin that is considered ''popular'' resembles more of modern African music (Afro-house, Afro Beat etc.) It seems as though the newer artists are trying to branch out. But sometimes feeding the soul with good rhumba & sebene is missing.
30 years ago Africa was listening to Congo. Today, Congo is listening to Africa.
Try Guy Guy Fall: Cote Quest. It is an older album from him from the end of the 90's, not very often mentioned, but a very good one. You can find various songs of it uploaded to Youtube and other places.
The idea is good but please don't call the channel Congovibes. It would be better if you would run it on your own channel name or title. Moreover I have already reserved the channel name: Congovibes for the forum. But if you create your own channel for it, I can place it's link and video preview in a block permanently on the frontpage, so people who visit the forum would see it, and could follow it.
To call it Congovibes, the forum staff should be included in the project or make the initiative to launch it, but we (the staff) has no time to participate in it at the moment. It would be nince to turn Congovibes into something more than a forum, that would include projects outside of the spectrum of the forum, but that would take time to coordinate anything like it, and we should adhere to more laws, that means any mistake would risk the forum.
But your idea is good and I am looking forward to the videos!
Those songs that got him recognition are no longer what's popular anymore, so he has to go with what's popular now. Hopefully he's still got skills as a songwriter, because he wrote some great stuff for Extra Musica:
I think it is not a matter of what the recent style is that they are doing. With Trop C'est Trop the band reached a level that was even more superior that their masters: the Wenge Clan ever did. It has exciting sebens all along, except for a few moments you cannot really get bored, and the engineering is also great. It is a high level, carefully constructed, well engineered album with professional guitar effects and vocals. With a few close exceptions, the only one like that from the two Congos. The said thing is, ever since, neither Roga Roga nor other members of the band could jump this level again. No matter if it's electronic or live played what they are doing. And I really regret that, because they clearly had the talent. Actually, now when I listen to any CD of the Extra Clan, I hardly believe they cound once create Trop C'est Trop. So much boring stuff, and so few good ideas.
Maybe his new stuff is enough for Papy Bastin to stay known, but not enough for me to keep on listening to him. I could tell the same about the new albums of Roga. This is my personal opinion.
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