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Koffi Olomide

Koffi Olomidé
Koffi Olomidé wearing an elaborate brown and black outfit, jewelry, and dark sunglasses, singing onstage
Olomidé performing in 2024
Background information
Birth nameAntoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba
Born (1956-07-13) 13 July 1956 (age 68)
Stanleyville, Belgian Congo (now Kisangani, DRC)
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • dancer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • lyricist
  • composer
  • media personality
  • bandleader
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • percussion
Years active1977–present
Labels
Spouse
Aliane Olomide
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 2022)​
[1][2]

Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba (born 13 July 1956),[3] known professionally as Koffi Olomidé, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, producer, and founder of Quartier Latin International.[4][5] Often referred to as the "King of Ndombolo",[6][7] he is noted for his explosive high notes, deep, throaty baritone, and offbeat voice.[8][9][10] Agbepa is considered one of the most significant figures in 20th-century Congolese and African popular music.[11][12] His lyrics often explore themes of love, politics, technology, success, infidelity, religion, chicanery, and disillusionment.[13][14][8] Through his music and stage performances, he introduced the slower style of soukous known as tcha tcho[15][16] and popularized a flamboyant fashion subculture called La Sape, alongside Papa Wemba.[17][18]

Emerging as a ghostwriter for various artists in the Zairean music industry, he gained prominence in 1977 with the song "Princesse ya Synza", which featured Papa Wemba and King Kester Emeneya.[14][19][20] In 1986, he established the group Quartier Latin International, which accompanied him onstage and on his albums since 1992, serving as a launching pad for emerging artists, including Fally Ipupa, Jipson Butukondolo, Deo Brondo, Montana Kamenga, Bouro Mpela, Ferré Gola, Marie-Paul Kambulu, Eldorado Claude, Djuna Fa Makengele, Soleil Wanga, Laudy Demingongo Plus-Plus, Éric Tutsi, among others. His career experienced a resurgence in 1990, when he signed a record deal with SonoDisc.[21][22][23]

With a nearly five-decade-long career, he is the first African artist to sell out the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, and one of twelve African artists whose work has been featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[24][25] Throughout his forty-year career, Agbepa has recorded 32 studio albums, including seven under the Latin Quarter banner, one in collaboration with Papa Wemba, as well as 18 live albums, amounting to a repertoire of over 300 songs.[26][27]

He has won six Kora Awards, four of which in the 2002 edition, for his album Effrakata.[21] Forbes has named him among Africa's 40 most influential celebrities.[28] In 2013, he founded his own recording label, Koffi Central.[29] On 13 October 2015, he released 13ième apôtre, a quadruple album comprising 39 songs, which he proclaimed to be his last, before later resurfacing with Nyataquance (2017),[30][31] Légende Éd. Diamond (2022),[32] and Platinium (alternatively titled Platinum) in 2024.[33][34]

  1. ^ "15 avril 1994 – 15 avril 2021 : 27 ans, depuis que Koffi Olomide se mariait à Alyane". mbote.cd. 16 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Congo-Kinshasa : Après 28 ans de mariage, Koffi et Alyane – A qui profite le divorce ?". La Prospérité. 9 February 2023.
  3. ^ Dan B. Atuhaire (21 April 2014). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Koffi Olomide!". Kampala: Bigeye.ug. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  4. ^ Dictionnaire des immortels de la musique congolaise moderne (in French). San Francisco, California: Academia. June 2012. pp. 22–25. ISBN 9782296492837.
  5. ^ Ellingham, Mark; Trillo, Richard; Broughton, Simon, eds. (1999). World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Volume 1. London, England: Rough Guides. p. 470. ISBN 9781858286358.
  6. ^ "Bill Clinton Kalonji : "la personne qui a poussé le Ndombolo à l'international, c'est Koffi Olomide"" [Bill Clinton Kalonji: "the person who pushed Ndombolo internationally is Koffi Olomide"]. Mbote (in French). Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Au Congo Kinshasa, la musique entre dans les "polémiques"". Le Monde.fr (in French). 3 September 2004. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  8. ^ a b Daoudi, Bouziane (24 December 1994). "Koffi, sapeur frimeur". Libération (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  9. ^ DiPiazza, Francesca Davis (15 December 2007). Democratic Republic of Congo in Pictures. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States: Twenty-First Century Books. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-8225-8572-5.
  10. ^ Walters, John L. (2 April 2005). "Koffi Olomide". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  11. ^ Matanda, Alvin (28 April 2023). "Koffi Olomidé : 45 ans de carrière célébrés en 15 titres". Music in Africa (in French). Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  12. ^ Onwudiwe, Ebere; Ibelema, Minabere (2003). Afro-Optimism: Perspectives on Africa's Advances. London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney: Bloomsbury Academic. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-275-97586-9.
  13. ^ Mawazo (14 April 2012). "Koffi Olomide". Kenya Page. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  14. ^ a b Daoudi, Bouziane (29 August 1998). "World. Le chanteur ex-zaïrois en concert à l'Olympia. Koffi Olomidé, Rambo de la rumba. Koffi Olomidé. Samedi à 23 heures à l'Olympia, 28, bd des Capucines, Paris IXe. Tél.: 01 47 42 25 49. Album: "Loi", Sonodisc" [World. The ex-Zairean singer in concert at the Olympia. Koffi Olomidé, Rambo of rumba. Koffi Olomide. Saturday at 11 p.m. at the Olympia, 28, bd des Capucines, Paris 9th. Tel.: 01 47 42 25 49. Album: "Law", Sonodisc.]. Libération (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  15. ^ Zulu, Clever (28 December 2012). "Zambia: Koffi Olomide to Rock Pamodzi Hotel". Times.co.zm. Lusaka, Zambia. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  16. ^ Barlow, Sean (3 November 2022). "Afropop Worldwide | Talking with Mopao (The Leader) Koffi Olomide: Exclusive Interview with Sean Barlow". Afropop Worldwide. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  17. ^ Bensignor, François (1998). "Koffi Olomidé". Hommes & Migrations. 1216 (1): 123–127. doi:10.3406/homig.1998.3257.
  18. ^ "Kinshasa : des icônes de la "Sape" immortalisées à travers une exposition d'art" [Kinshasa: icons of the "Sape" immortalized through an art exhibition]. Radio Okapi (in French). Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 16 April 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Papa Wemba and Viva La Musica – playing with politics". www.nostalgieyamboka.org. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  20. ^ Olomidé, Koffi (27 April 2016). "Koffi Olomidé : "La mort de Papa Wemba, un grand handicap pour la musique africaine"" [Koffi Olomidé: "The death of Papa Wemba, a great handicap for African music"]. JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  21. ^ a b "Koffi Olomidé". Congolese Music. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  22. ^ Dictionnaire des immortels de la musique congolaise moderne (in French). San Francisco, California, United States: Academia. June 2012. pp. 22–24. ISBN 9782296492837.
  23. ^ Nlandu-Tsasa, Jean-Cornélis; Kindulu, Joseph-Roger M. (May 2009). Les cadres congolais de la 3è république (in French). Paris, France: Éditions L'Harmattan. p. 13. ISBN 9782296225190.
  24. ^ Koloko, Leonard (25 April 2012). Zambian Music Legends. Morrisville, North Carolina, United States: Lulu.com. pp. 202–203. ISBN 978-1-4709-5335-5.
  25. ^ Parker, Steve (2005). "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". London: Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  26. ^ "Koffi Olomide". LA Entertainment. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  27. ^ Coulibaly, Justin (1 April 2021). "Koffi Olomidé se fait payer 200 millions pour une dédicace !" [Koffi Olomidé gets paid 200 million for a dedication!]. Afrik (in French). Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  28. ^ Nsehe, Mfonobong (12 October 2011). "The 40 Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa". Forbes. Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  29. ^ ""Cindy Le Coeur" sort son premier album" ["Cindy Le Coeur" releases her first album]. Radio Okapi (in French). 7 June 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  30. ^ Kibangula, Trésor (14 October 2015). "RDC : quand Koffi Olomidé s'autoproclame "13e apôtre"" [DRC: When Koffi Olomide proclaims himself "13th apostle"]. Jeune Afrique (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  31. ^ Pajon, Leo (14 March 2017). "Musique: Koffi Olomidé revient avec son nouvel album "Nyataquance"" [Music: Koffi Olomidé returns with his new album "Nyataquance"]. Jeune Afrique (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  32. ^ Siar, Claudy (27 March 2023). "Koffi Olomidé fait sa Libre Antenne #GénérationConsciente" [Koffi Olomide goes on the air #ConsciousGeneration]. Radio France Internationale (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  33. ^ Cite error: The named reference :26 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  34. ^ Mande, Ordi (6 August 2024). "Le clip de la chanson "Eza pasi" de Koffi Olomide feat Gaz Mawete en tête des vues sur YouTube devant ses collaborations avec Innoss'B et Gally Garvey" [The video clip for the song "Eza pasi" by Koffi Olomide feat Gaz Mawete tops views on YouTube ahead of his collaborations with Innoss'B and Gally Garvey]. Mbote (in French). Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
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