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Congolese rumba, also known as African rumba, is a dance music genre originating from the Republic of the Congo (formerly French Congo) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). With its rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, Congolese rumba has gained global recognition and remains an integral part of African music heritage.
It derived from Congolese rumba in the 1960s, with faster dance rhythms and bright, intricate guitar improvisation, [2] and gained popularity in the 1980s in France. [3] Although often used by journalists as a synonym for Congolese rumba, both the music and dance associated with soukous differ from more traditional rumba, especially in its ...
In 1986, the neighborhoods of Kinshasa were contested by leading Congolese rumba artists and groups such as Zaïko Langa Langa, Papa Wemba and Viva La Musica, King Kester Emeneya and many others. A mechanic from Kinshasa, Jeanora, then created a dance he called Kwassa kwassa, imitating the use of a gearshift. He made numerous performances on ...
Call it soukous, rumba, Zairois, Congo music, or kwassa-kwassa, the pop sound emanating from Congo's capital, Kinshasa has shaped modern African culture more profoundly than any other. Africa produces music genres that are direct derivatives of Congolese Soukous. Some of the African bands sing in Lingala, the main language in the DRC.
Franco Luambo is often credited for popularizing and revolutionizing sebene. [1]Sebene, also spelled seben, is an instrumental section commonly played in Congolese rumba. [2] [3] It is usually played towards the end of the song and is the dancing section where the lead and rhythm guitars take the lead in the dance.
Zaïko Langa Langa played a significant role in introducing and popularizing the concept of atalaku in Congolese rumba. In the sebene instrumental section of a Congolese rumba song, the atalaku serves as the band's frontman, responsible for actively engaging the audience, building excitement, and augmenting the performance with spirited vocalizations and rhythmic chants. [1]
Concurrently, the twalatsa dance, loosely derived from ndombolo, began infiltrating the music industries of several Southern African nations. [95] This dance, characterized by vigorous waist movements, signified a cultural shift, with local gospel artists integrating elements of Congolese rumba and ndombolo into their musical compositions. [95]
Cavacha has since become an indispensable element in creating a good sebene [1] —the instrumental and highly rhythmic section of Congolese rumba typically played towards the end of a song, emphasizing the lead and rhythm guitars for dancing. Cavacha was also the name of a dance created by Evoloko Jocker and launched by Zaïko Langa Langa.