Ndombolo

Ndombolo, also known as dombolo, is a genre of dance music originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It derived from soukous in the 1990s with fast-paced hip-swaying dance rhythms, often accompanied by upbeat, percussion-driven music. Ndombolo became a widespread African dance style in the mid-1990s and the subsequent decade, dominating dancefloors in central, eastern, and western Africa. It inspired West African popular music, coupé-décalé, Kudoro, and East African dance music.

Ndombolo customarily features lead vocalists, backup vocalists, guitars, horns, drums, and synthesized sounds. The lyrics often explore the themes of human relation, marriage, courtship, trickery, disappointment, and Congolese sociopolitical culture. Prominent musicians and bands such as Papa Wemba, Dany Engobo, Koffi Olomide, Werrason, Awilo Longomba, Quartier Latin International, Général Defao, Aurlus Mabélé, Extra Musica, Wenge Musica, and Wenge Musica Maison Mère played a pivotal role in popularizing the genre.

Etymology

Etymologically, "ndombolo" derives from Kikongo, meaning "to ask or solicit". The lexicologist Arizona M. Baongoli, specializing in Lingala, expounds that "ndombolo" encapsulates a genre of Congolese dance, literally mean "gorilla" or "chimpanzee." The dance choreography involves hip gyrations, showcasing their posterior while executing forward and backward movements. Baongoli posits that this stylized dance mimics gorillas' and chimpanzees' gait, dance, or movements during courtship rituals. The Parisian writer Milau K. Lutumba elucidates that this metaphorical construct emerged as a collective expression of the Congolese populace's hope for an end to the brutality, terror, injustice, and misery perpetuated during the reign of President Mobutu Sese Seko. The genesis of the term coincided with the ousting of President Mobutu from power by the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL) led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila. In the aftermath of Mobutu's exile in May 1997, musicians immortalized Kabila as the embodiment of "ndombolo". Lutumba notes that this symbolic renaming marked a turning point in the country's history, signifying a desire for positive change and a departure from the oppressive era. The term took on additional layers of meaning when President Kabila, seen for the first time on television in 1996, was immediately identified as a ndombolo—a dwarf man, a characterization stemmed from Kabila's extensive time spent in the bush as a guerrilla fighter, highlighting his pliability, elasticity, and strategic intelligence, reminiscent of the smart monkeys often depicted in African tales. In African folklore, the monkey character is portrayed as an intelligent figure who, through wit and cunning, prevails over larger, stronger animals such as lions and leopards.

Form

Ndombolo's dance style is characterized by convulsive and fast-paced hip movements, often involving a side-to-side swaying motion. Men typically bend low and box in the air while women undulate their hips and bottoms with plenty of facial expressions. The hip-swaying is often accompanied by synchronized footwork and precise leg movements while maintaining a relatively stationary upper body. Ndombolo is usually danced in pairs or groups. Dancers form close connections with their partners and engage in puckish and flirtatious movements that reflect the connection present in the accompanying music.

History

Origins

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Zaïko Langa Langa revolutionized soukous by expurgating the horn sections and wind instruments and elevating the snare drum and electric guitars. Nelson George notes that this transformation resulted in high-octane auditory that produced hits and dance crazes that gained popularity across Africa and major European cities, launching the careers of many homegrown artists, most notably world music singer Papa Wemba. However, the fiscal insolvency that befell Congolese record labels such as Parions-Congo, Parions Mondenge, International Don-Dass, and Molende Kwi Kwi following the collapse of the Mazadis, Sophinza S.P.R.L., and Izason recording labels, coupled with the transition from vinyl to compact discs, led to national phonographic production sinking into lethargy during the 1980s. Foreign labels specializing in African and Caribbean music took over, starting with SonoDisc and Sonima (France). However, this also gave the Democratic Republic of the Congo a substantive platform for the proliferation and cultivation of homegrown artists.

Formation

Koffi Olomide and Papa Wemba in 1988

By the denouement of the 1990s, artists like Koffi Olomide, Général Defao, and the band Wenge Musica joined the SonoDisc, orchestrating a paradigm shift that transmogrified soukous into raunchy, fast-paced dance music, renaming it "ndombolo." Ndombolo became one of the popular dance styles with convulsive booty-shaking across Africa and into the African diaspora of Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, as well as the United States. Koffi's 1997 eponymous single "Loi" dominated Africa's music charts and abroad with a combination of his deep baritone voice, sophisticated arrangements, blending old-school rumba and silky keyboard melodies, and pinnacling in a searing guitar climax. This triumphal prelude laid the foundation for subsequent magnum opuses, exemplified by Extra-Musica's "Etat-Major (1998)," Koffi's "Droit de Veto (1998)," Werrason's opulent compositions in "Solola Bien (1999)," as well as Mpiana's "Toujours Humble (2000)."

Censorship and resurgence

In the early 2000s, numerous African television stations banned ndombolo due to its perceived "pornographic" nature, alleging that it sullied youth morality. In Cameroon, ndombolo faced prohibition for being deemed excessively erotic and obscene, causing hesitation in programming it on their schedules. Critics contended that Cameroon's imposition emanated from the belief that ndombolo encroached upon Cameroonian music genres like makossa and bikutsi. By January 2004, the ban extended to Congolese state-operated radio and television outlets. In Senegal, specific hosts of Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS) faced lightning strikes as a consequence of their association with ndombolo. Paradoxically, despite prohibitions, record sales surged, and new releases continued to dominate SMART discos, sweat-box bars, and clubs across Africa, with its trademark bass, tingling guitars, and soaring falsettos setting pulses racing. In Europe, the sound became synonymous with African music, catapulting artists like Papa Wemba into high demand.

Fally Ipupa performing at Culture Palace of Abidjan, February 2008

Koffi released his album Monde Arabe on December 7, 2004, gaining traction for blending ndombolo and Congolese rumba, accentuated by acoustic guitar interludes. Meanwhile, Fally Ipupa's "Original" became a standout hit in 2014, reigniting interest in the genre after prominent ndombolo artists migrated to Europe. This was accompanied by Koffi's subsequent triumphant releases, including "Selfie" (2015) and the 2017 sensation "Tshou Tshou Tshou," pulsated through bars and clubs, inducing spontaneous dance.

Ya Levis Dalwear in 2022

In June 2018, BM released a remix of his magnum opus "Rosalina," featuring Awilo Longomba, which gave rise to the "#RosalinaChallenge" trend on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. This trend features exhilarating ndombolo motions synchronized with the pulsating Congolese rhythms, encapsulating the precise articulation of the entire corporeal form, from limbs to waist. "Ecole," from Fally's November 2018 album Control, introduced a new dance known as the "Ecole dance," synonymous with ndombolo dance moves, embraced by numerous dancers on social networks.

Emerging ndombolo artists like Innoss'B, Robinio Mundibu, Gaz Mawete, and Paris-based singer Ya Levis Dalwear surfaced. On September 7, 2019, Inoss'B released a remix of his popular song "Yope" featuring Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz, which became one the most-viewed ndombolo songs on Youtube as well as the first song in East Africa and Central Africa to surpass 150 Million views. In November 2020, Diamond Platnumz released a successful crossover ndombolo-infused Swahili song, "Waah," featuring Koffi. "Waah" became the first Sub-Saharan African song to reach two million views on YouTube in less than 24 hours. In June 2021, Tanzania singer Ali Kiba released his single hit "Ndombolo," featuring K2ga, Tommy Flavour, and Abdu Kiba, which was later featured as a sample song for the ndombolo music genre on the Grammy Awards website.

Influence

French rap

Ndombolo has strongly impacted French rap from Congolese diasporas, where the Congolese solo guitar is audible in their music. The group Bisso na Bisso("between us" in Lingala) pioneered the infusion of congolese guitar patterns and rhytms into French rap in late 90's.

French rapper Naza pioneered the infusion of ndombolo rhythms into French rap. In September 2017, Naza released his platinum-certified album Incroyable, predominantly blending ndombolo rhythms. Adorned with lead guitar tributes to musical collectives like Wenge Musica, Extra Musica, Quartier Latin, and Viva La Musica, the album emerged as a defining ndombolo-rap fusion in France. Its lead singles, "Sac À Dos," "Sans problèmes," "Pas demain," "Caleçon," and "La débauche," featured rhythmic waist movements, enhanced by deliberate, methodical leg and hand motions in unison. In the album's single "Moi je vérifie," featuring Dadju and Aya Nakamura, Naza introduced a singing style synchronized with the rhythm of a dry guitar. This success paved the way for subsequent hits like Dadju's "Mafuzzy Style (2018)," Belgian rapper Damso's "Même issue," and Maître Gims with "Na Lingui Yo," which means "I love you."


This page was last updated at 2023-11-27 19:53 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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