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Soukous

Soukous
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsLate 1960s in DRC and Republic of the Congo, 1980s in France
Derivative formsMuziki wa dansi and ndombolo
Regional scenes
Congolese sound (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania), fast-paced soukous (Paris)
Other topics
Soukous musicians

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).[1] 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 higher tempo, song structures and longer dance sequences.[3]

Soukous fuses traditional Congolese rhythms with contemporary instruments. It customarily incorporates electric guitars, double bass, congas, clips, and brass/woodwinds.[4][5] Soukous lyrics often explore themes of love, social commentary, amorous narratives, philosophical musings, and ordinary struggles and successes.[2] Singers occasionally sing and croon in Lingala, Kikongo, French and Swahili and bands often consist of a primary vocalist accompanied by several backing singers.[6][7]

  1. ^ Appiah, Anthony; Gates, Henry Louis (2010). Encyclopedia of Africa, Volume 1. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. pp. 407–408. ISBN 9780195337709.
  2. ^ a b Appiah, Anthony; Gates (Jr.), Henry Louis (2010). Encyclopedia of Africa. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. pp. 407–408. ISBN 978-0-19-533770-9.
  3. ^ a b Peek, Philip M.; Yankah, Kwesi (2004). African Folklore: An Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Routledge. p. 548. ISBN 9781135948733.
  4. ^ Davies, Carole Boyce (July 29, 2008). Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora [3 volumes]: Origins, Experiences, and Culture [3 volumes]. Santa Barbara, California: Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 849. ISBN 978-1-85109-705-0.
  5. ^ Domosh, Mona; Jordan-Bychkov, Terry G.; Neumann, Roderick P.; Price, Patricia L. (2012). The Human Mosaic. Macmillan. p. 416. ISBN 978-1-4292-7200-1.
  6. ^ Olwig, Karen Fog; Sorensen, Ninna Nyberg (August 27, 2003). Work and Migration: Life and Livelihoods in a Globalizing World. Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom: Routledge. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-134-50306-3.
  7. ^ Russell, K.F. (1997). Rhythm Music Magazine: RMM. K.F. Russell. p. 45.

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