soukous

Soukous (from French secousse, "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of the Congo (formerly French Congo). It derived from Congolese rumba in the 1960s, with faster dance rhythms and bright, intricate guitar improvisation, and gained popularity in the 1980s in France. 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 higher tempo, song structures and longer dance sequences.

Key facts

Music genre.name: Soukous
Music genre.image: Le groupe Loketo.jpg
Music genre.caption: Congolese band Loketo (left to right: Jean Baron, Aurlus Mabélé, Mav Cacharel; standing: Diblo Dibala) recording a studio album in 1985.
Music genre.cultural_origins: 1966 in the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the 1980s in France.
Music genre.derivatives: Muziki wa dansi and ndombolo
Music genre.regional_scenes: Congolese sound (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania), fast-paced soukous (Paris)
Music genre.other_topics: Soukous musicians

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inception: 1968-01-01

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Article

14 sections

Contents

Characteristics
History
Origins
Formation and paternity debate
1960s–1980s: International popularity
Europe and the United States
Africa
South America, the Caribbean, and Réunion
Paris scene
Ndombolo
See also
References
Bibliography
External links

Soukous fuses traditional Congolese rhythms with contemporary instruments. It customarily incorporates electric guitars, double bass, congas, clips, and brass/woodwinds. Soukous lyrics often explore themes of love, social commentary, amorous narratives, philosophical musings, and ordinary struggles and successes. Singers occasionally sing and croon in Lingala, Kikongo, French and Swahili and bands often consist of a primary vocalist accompanied by several backing singers.