Any mention of Congo inevitably conjures up in many African listeners’ minds the finest of music and dance.
This has been the case, especially since the mid-1950s, but Congolese music prowess has been traced back much earlier to when bands began to emerge in the 1930s, for example.
This has often been cited as one of the major influences of Belgian colonisation and the Christian missionaries, who encouraged the teaching of music in schools and churches.
But it would be unfair not to mention the rich folklore and the immense contribution of music in conveying messages. While great names such as the late grandmaster Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi and his biggest rival for several decades, Rochereau Pascal Tabu Ley, mostly sang in Lingala, the former had some hit songs in his native Kikongo language. The music tradition has always been deep-rooted in Congo.
To date, the biggest export from the two Congos, Brazzaville and Kinshasa, better known as Democratic Republic of Congo, is music. Congolese bands have enjoyed popularity across the continent, in Europe, especially France and Belgium, for historical colonial and linguistic reasons, and in the past three decades that have seen some talented musicians heading for the United States.
Congolese rumba, as cultural experts have noted, is a popular genre of dance music dating back to the 1940s, with Cuban-Latino influence. The style gained popularity throughout Africa, but mainly in East and Central Africa in the 1960s and 1970s.
The musicians started by doing Cuban imitations and went on to create their own songs with lyrics in French and later, Lingala, which is widely spoken in the two Congos, Central African Republic, parts of Angola and Cameroon. Antoine Kolosov, popularly known as Papa Wendo, became the first star of African rumba in the 1940s, with his band, Victoria Bakolo Miziki or Victoria Kin.
By the 1950s, big bands emerged. They were the African Jazz of Joseph Kabasele Tshamala, popularly known as Grand Kalle and OK Jazz, which was later renamed TPOK Jazz (Tout Puissant Orchestre Kinshasa – the all-powerful Kinshasa band). Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi was the leader of TPOK until his death on October 12, 1989.
By the early 1960s, the musicians who had performed with Grand Kalle and Franco formed their own groups. Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr Nico wa Kasanda started African Fiesta, fusing Congolese folk music with soul, Caribbean and Latin beats and instrumentation. Tabu Ley and Nico are considered the pioneers of the modern fast-tempo Soukous beat.
They would be followed by Papa Wemba and Sam Mangwana, who made their name with classics such as Afrika Mokili Mobimba. Other greats include Werrason, JB Mpiana, Koffi Olomide, Abeti Masikini, Mpongo Love, Tshala Muana, and Mbilia Bel, who greatly benefited from her collaboration with Tabu Ley that yielded some big songs such as Nadina, Beyanga, Nakei Nairobi, Boya Ye and Mobali Ngai Wana.
Recently, Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto sparked outrage, with careless, disparaging remarks on Congo, as not having any cattle but only known for music and artistes who wear their trousers up to their chests. He named one of them as Kanda Bongoman.
This caused a spat between Kenya and DRC, with a Congolese diplomat calling out DP Ruto, and President Felix Tshikedi also denouncing the Kenyan leader. But even more outraged were the hordes of Kenyan fans of Congolese rumba music in Lingala.
Congolese bands have for several decades ruled the roost in Kenya and East Africa. The mercurial Nairobi-based Congolese bands included Les Mangelepa, Les Kinois, Super Mazembe, Virunga, and Viva Makale. Names such as Baba Gaston, Kabila Kabanze, and Samba Mapangala still evoke nostalgic memories in Kenyan fans.
However, one of the biggest global achievements of Congolese music came in December 2021. Considered the “real treasure” of Congo, the music finally entered Unesco’s treasured list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity”. This coincided with the release of a seminal film on the roots and genre that is rumba music.
The documentary, The Rumba Kings, chronicles the rhythm that helped Congo to fight colonial oppression. It not only became the soundtrack to the country’s independence struggle, but also took Africa by storm with its mesmerising guitar sounds and great vocals.
The rumba beat rallied the quest for independence, through the popular Pan-African liberation anthem, Independence Cha Cha, which Le Grand Kalle recorded in 1960.
Vicky Longomba, then of TPOK Jazz, did the vocals. The film captured the voices of Papa Wemba, TPOK Jazz deputy leader Lutumba Simaro Masiya, and Cameroonian Manu Dibango, who honed his talent in Kinshasa in the early 1960s. This film is as remarkable as Gary Stewart’s 2004 book titled, Rumba on the River.
Film director Alan Brain says: “Everybody knows about the immense mineral resources of Congo and the wars that those minerals have fuelled, yet few people know about the country’s real treasure, rumba.”
Franco will remain the undisputed king of rumba, who was nicknamed the Sorcerer of the Guitar. During a span of 40 years, he produced more than 100 albums and nearly 1,000 songs to his name.
The new generation of talented Congolese musicians includes Ferre Gola, Fally Ipupa, Barbara Kanam, Lokua Kanza and Meje 30, who continue to excel with their superb compositions, putting their country on the international map.
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