Soukous, Highlife & sub-genres (country, influence)

[Pueblofuerte]

How is Soukous and Highlife viewed in modern Africa and which countries/artists are the main protagonists?

In some countries Soukous and highlife took a strong hold in the 80's like in France and created Zouk in the French Caribbean and Champeta (Terapia Criolla) in countries like Colombia.

What are the African Soukous or Ndombolo classics everybody knows and get's up to dance to? And are there any modern afrobeat songs that have the same cross-border effect that get's almost everybody in much of Africa up and dancing?

Classics




Modern

[Ruth4Truth]

I'm glad to see these musical forms are alive and kicking. The fabulous music of South Africa has to some extent been replaced with rap. I was afraid that indigenous musical genres were dying out or being left behind. Thanks for a good topic, OP!

[Pueblofuerte]

This was big in the UK. Outside Africa, the UK seems to be the epicentre of modern Afrobeat.

[Ruth4Truth]

France is involved, as well, as Congo is francophone. Some of the musicians live there.

[ReineDeCoeur]

Well, I lovethe sound of soukous despite not understanding much at all. This song was big and I remember it getting play even in Caribbean parties.

Awilo Longomba - "Karolina"
https://youtu.be/3-BAcX3JTKs

and another by Longomba

"Moyen Te"
https://youtu.be/DZ2vakBc7gk

[Pueblofuerte]

Great classic soukous by Awilo Longomba - thanks!

In Colombia there have been 4 main categories of African influence in music.

1. The talking drums and rhythmic base of Cumbia in the Caribbean coast from the 1600's

2. The practically intact African sound of Currulao in the Pacific coast from about the 1700's

3. The West Indian sounds of San Andres & Old Providence developed on a timeline on par with other Caribbean nations like Jamaica and Barbados.

4. The modern soukous sounds which in Colombia was adapted to a genre called Champeta in the 1980's.


The following example is a merge between points 2 and 4 although there's more of an emphasis on the Pacific sounds with a sprinkle of modern soukous.

[Pueblofuerte]

I'm guessing there's no Soukous, Azonto or Naija music fans on here... ??

Some Colombian Afro-beat...




And the old school stuff striaght-outta Cartagena...

[allamshield]

Afrobeat!!!!!

[Pueblofuerte]

Guess which country this video is filmed in?