What do you guys think of Fally as the number guy in our music. Do you guys think he’s pushing the culture forward or do you guys think the european/american lifestyle takes away from his work. In short what do you guys think of this new lane he is “creating” for himself. I for one think when you try to include and appeal to too many people at the same time it could take away from the quality. I think if he would have stayed in the congo music lane that he would be a lot bigger in the world than he is right now, but curious to see what you guys that go to kin often think.

I think he's pushing boundaries by networking with celebs from different countries, being a judge on TV show, getting a lot of international fame and success and that would help his career a lot and hopefully other DRC artists but musically he's not number one it's Ferre and Fabregas is even gaining steam (listen to Je Pesnse that's quality music). I'm happy for Fally that Tokoos was a hit because of the doors it could open for him (and actual Congolese music hopefully) but artistically it was bad. Let's wait for his next rhumba and sebene album to see whether he's finished or not.

I agree. Im in the states so I get to see the point of view from people that never even heard of our music. The one thing I tend to notice is that other cultures tend to be more accepting when you’re unapolegitically yourself rather than a “blend”. He already had fame and came from a big musical family and was a household name in europe for years.I dont think he needed to chase the european market. Life is funny sometimes but I believe if he woulda stayed himself he’d be a lot more famous worldwide. You cant just crossover like that. Anybody that ever did anything with the intention of crossing over in music has always failed. Crossing over is natural, the people make something cross over not the artist. I think he still has a chance to make this right though.

At this point, he's more a nuisance to our music than anything.

Musically, he's getting lazy and he's not bringing something new.

And when it comes to that connections stuff. I never understood why congolese think that taking pictures with american stars or hanging around with them will help our music. Americans will never accept our music, unless we start singing in english doing a diluted version of our music. And even if we do that, it will only last for a few years. How many non american musics became established in the US ? None. Raggae and Raggaton tried, it failed.

We should perfectionate our music instead of trying to make it american friendly. It will be an artistic blasphemy and a commercial failure.

If people want to expand our music scene outside of Africa, Latin America is a more reasonable field to attack.

I think our music is one of the rare that can fight with anglo-american music.

Totally agree with paysan congolaise. As a guy born and raised here in the states, Americans will always be bias and ignorant to their music. Fally seems like he is trying to win that audience over and it will never work. Just make the best music you can your way and if it happens to be popular around the world then it will happen naturally.

At this point, he's more a nuisance to our music than anything.

Musically, he's getting lazy and he's not bringing something new.

And when it comes to that connections stuff. I never understood why congolese think that taking pictures with american stars or hanging around with them will help our music. Americans will never accept our music, unless we start singing in english doing a diluted version of our music. And even if we do that, it will only last for a few years. How many non american musics became established in the US ? None. Raggae and Raggaton tried, it failed.

We should perfectionate our music instead of trying to make it american friendly. It will be an artistic blasphemy and a commercial failure.

If people want to expand our music scene outside of Africa, Latin America is a more reasonable field to attack.

I think our music is one of the rare that can fight with anglo-american music.

I don't understand your point how is fally lazy? He's still Making music so how does that make him lazy? At least he's trying to introduce our music to a wider audience and I applaud him for that so in your logic to be a congolese musician you have to stay in congo this is the thoughts that are killing music you need to give the guy a break at least he's trying unlike some of his colleagues

At this point, he's more a nuisance to our music than anything.

Musically, he's getting lazy and he's not bringing something new.

And when it comes to that connections stuff. I never understood why congolese think that taking pictures with american stars or hanging around with them will help our music. Americans will never accept our music, unless we start singing in english doing a diluted version of our music. And even if we do that, it will only last for a few years. How many non american musics became established in the US ? None. Raggae and Raggaton tried, it failed.

We should perfectionate our music instead of trying to make it american friendly. It will be an artistic blasphemy and a commercial failure.

If people want to expand our music scene outside of Africa, Latin America is a more reasonable field to attack.

I think our music is one of the rare that can fight with anglo-american music.

I don't understand your point how is fally lazy? He's still Making music so how does that make him lazy? At least he's trying to introduce our music to a wider audience and I applaud him for that so in your logic to be a congolese musician you have to stay in congo this is the thoughts that are killing music you need to give the guy a break at least he's trying unlike some of his colleagues

Tokos is a lazy album. He just took the most basic thing done on the afro-urban scene. No innovation, no imagination. Nothing.

He's not innovating. He's claiming to be a genius, but he's just using the same formula again and again.

Music is dying because people are caring too much about other things than the quality of our music.

Trying to mimic americans is not "introducing our music" to a new audience. Congolese music is played all over Africa. When did you see me say that Congolese music must stay in Congo ? Our music has been played in many countries since the 60's.

Paysan cogolais I applaud you for saying literally everything I been thinking. Our music has pioneered african sound for 50 years, we should not be comforming to ANY musical standards be it american or european.

Any artist that makes music with a specific intent always runs into great difficulties. You cannot go to the studio and plan on recording the next #1 hit, just doesnt happen like that. Same token you cannot make music in hope it reaches this audience or that one. You have to just make music and let the music do its work.


If we look at the big picture Fally is failing on his call. This guy has been a household name in europe for 20 years. When Koffi was at his highest thats he’s ever been, when Koffi was the NUMBER 1 artist in africa, who was he pushing to the forefront? Fally Ipupa. Now with all that publicity, how is that guy not further ahead. With that big push he should be in the same conversation as Davido and others. The thing that the nigerians understood is that they dont give a fuck if the US or european market is receptive. They make their music the way they know it, they dont conform to any standards, and look. Now they’re number 1 and now every nigerian artist is sought out by rappers and american artists. Not that thats the ultimate goal, but it just shows that crossing over has to start from home.

Droit Chemin is the only album that I can play front to back from Fally and not really skip anything.
I wasn't really feeling the Tokoos album at all. A good chunk of his vocals are autotune and musically it didn't blow my mind. I couldn't stand it. Its like whoever is running Warner France thought, let's stick him in an AfroBeat box. Which is incredibly annoying, because that's not our music. Hopefully no one takes offense, but Nigerians have the privilege of speaking English which is easier for them for them connect with a larger fan base. Plus West Africans generally have a more solid infrastructure than most Africans. Congolese music is sophisticated and extremely influential, I don't personally feel that AfroBeat can match that level of sophistication. Sorry. But back to Fally, he knows how to figure out connections and market himself which lots of other DRC musicians can learn, but at the same time he's signed to Universal. Not everyone will get that chance to be signed onto a big label like that. But he needs to get back to who he is artistically. Hopefully he'll do just that with the Rumba album and keep it under 20 tracks.

Guys, you seem to have a point but of course, you have to make allowances for Fally's yes men who will even tell you that when Fally farts it smells heavenly. Myopia is both a disorder of sight but also a state of mind!!!