[Congo-Brazzaville's Music Group] Extra Musica's Official Video Of Their 1997 Mega Hit "Etat Major" (with information & comments)

Cyriaque Bassoka Productions, Jun 30, 2017
-snip-
Statistics as of  October 24, 2021 as of 4:58 PM ET

Total # of views - 18,884,601
Total # of likes - 62K
Toal # of dislikes - 5.4K
Total # of comments - 5,110

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the Congo-Brazzaville's music group Extra Musica's 1997 mega-hit song "Etat Major".

This post showcases that song's official YouTube video and provides some information about the beginning of the music group Extra Musica music group.

Part I also includes selected general comments about this group and the song "Etat Major" from the discusion thread of this YouTube video. Additional information about that group is found in some of those comments.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/10/sangulo-mama-other-words-that-non.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases the official video of Extra Musica's hit song "Etat Major"  and includes selected comments from that video's discussion thread. Many of these comments focus on how some Africans who didn't speak Lingala-the language used in "Etat Major"- came up with their own words for that song or misheard those words as being from their own ethnic group's language. Additional examples document some other statements and questions that the commenters had or have about Extra Musica's song "Etat Major". 

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Exra Musica for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are associated with this record and video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT EXTRA MUSICA
From https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extra_Musica
"Extra Musica is a Congolese music group .

[...].

History 

Geneses
At the end of the 1980s, most of the founders of Extra Musica met in choirs at the Sainte-Thérèse church in the Ouenzé Manzanza district in Brazzaville, but some have known each other since the early years of their childhood, such as Durell Loemba and Ramatoulaye. Ngolali who were classmates and sat on the same bench for most of their school years - Rogatien Ibambi dit Roga Roga, and Espérance Mouanda dit Espé Bass, also being classmates at another school.

The first two musicians to play music outside of the church were Quentin Moyascko who had a band on the street in the Talangai neighborhood, and Roga Roga who was a member of King Bongol's traditional-modern band Le Grand Mumboshi alongside members like Papy Kakol (future drummer of Wenge Musica Maison Mère), Julien Kibens and so on.

In 1992, Quentin Moyascko invited friends from the church Sylvain Mbon dit Oxygène, Espé Bass, Roga-Roga , Ramatoulaye, Christian Ambé, Guy Guy Fall, Kila Mbongo Mazikoli, as well as the semi-soloist Mbongou Saint Petro in the group of 'a company called Cogiex (the group was then called Cogiex Musica). They begin to perform in funerals and small bars, perform songs by Zaïko Langa Langa , Wenge Musica , Empire Bakuba and so on, but also repeat songs mainly composed by Quentin Moyascko who was the oldest of all, until the day they meet Ferreol Gassackys who becomes their manager and motivates them to form a more professional group. Quentin, Kila, Roga Roga, Espé Bass, Durell, Guy Guy Fall are the co-founders of Extra Musica.

The name Extra Musica comes from Roga Roga, due to the fact that they were hailed as extraordinary during the days they performed at the funeral.

In 1993, they began to prepare their first album, Les Nouveaux Missiles , which was released two years later.

[...]

Native country: Republic of Congo [Congo Brazzaville]

Musical genre    Ndombolo

active years        Since 1993"...
-snip-
I added the words "Congo Brazzaville" for to clarify that Extra Musica is from that nation and not from Congo-Kinshasha.

A somewhat detailed biography of this group can be found by searching "Frank Bessem's Musiques d' Afrique Extra Musica (Congo- Brazzaville)". (That site's link is long and the text for that page doesn't copy).  Among the information given on that page is that, after years of success in their home country and throughout Africa, some members of the group left in 1998 because of financial and other problems. Some of those members formed a spin off music group called Extra Musica International. Another spin off was the formed from that group. The original members under guitarist Roga Roga's leadership changed the group's name to Extra Musica Zangul."... 
 -snip-
Here's a link for an official YouTube video of a new song by Roga Roga & Extra Musica entitled "BOKOKO". That video was published on Sept. 24, 2021 by ROGA ROGA OFFICIEL  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-ZuDPc3J64&ab_channel=ROGAROGAOfficiel 

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ge71uT6fJo&ab_channel=CyriaqueBassokaProductions

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. Unless otherwise noted, the translations that are given after the comments that aren't in English are from Google translate French to English.

2017

1. Rodrigue Ngalim
"This music is legend.....from generations  to generations"

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2. mother Teresa
"Some of the strong music foundations will never be out of place anywhere, big ups extra musica"

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2018

3. Panashe GM
"Before Nigerian domination Congo had the whole Africa and beyond 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾You made your mark in history boys !!! Lamabibibi lamabobobo lol"

**
4. mashaka lonka
"This song (etat major)was and still the best of all extra musica songs produced when they were together as one group,but after splitting the band no one can do as good work as this"
-snip-
Here's some French definitions for état major from https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the-meaning-of/french-word-fee785abd773ffcf5d63d8c9280bb62b099c3800.html
'English Translation : staff [noun]

More meanings for état major

general staff [noun]     

88% of use

headquarter [noun]     

8% of use

leadership [noun]        

3% of use "

**
Reply
5. Nicholas Omolo, 2019
"DRC still dominates for me"

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Reply
6. na trésor, 2021
"This is not DRC,it’s Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville )."

**
Reply
7. HUJAMBO Korodani, 2019
" @Nicholas Omolo  C'est le Nigéria qui domine parce qu'ils chantent en anglais"
-snip-
"@Nicholas Omolo Nigeria dominates because they sing in English"

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Reply
8. Nicholas Omolo, 2019
"@HUJAMBO Korodani  Chacun a ses goûts et je me fiche de la langue tant que mon coeur aime une chanson. Personnellement, je n'aime pas la musique nigériane"
-snip-
"@HUJAMBO Korodani Everyone has their tastes and I don't care about the language as long as my heart loves a song. Personally, I don't like Nigerian music"

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Reply
9. Kinikini Osadjifo, 2019
"@HUJAMBO Korodani  je confirme ton assertion. La musique congolaise restera toujours l'original autour de laquelle vont tourner les autres genres. C'est le coeur battant de l'afrique."
-snip-
"HUJAMBO Korodani I confirm your assertion. Congolese music will always remain the original around which other genres will revolve. It is the beating heart of Africa."

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Reply
10. Raphy Johnny, 2020
"Nigeria has never dominated the musical scene. They music is fake. Too much copying and pasting from the US."

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Reply
11. Arnold Show, 2020
"I'm sorry but South Africa is dominating"

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Reply
12. Chris Elimba, 2021
"Nigerian make music that hits and last for months only. In Congo music is made to last for ever. That's the big difference."

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Reply
13. Louisiana Matos, 2021
"@Chris Elimba  👏🏾 and this when we drop the mic and shut the lights. Nothing more to add"

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Reply
14. lizzy Clark, 2021
"@Raphy Johnny  same with most of their movies."

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Reply
15. ToughBlackseed. 2021
"@Raphy Johnny  : You  definitely don't know what you're talking about. As far as black music is concerned, there's nothing left to copy from the Us. For one thing, Nigerian Afrobeats (afo-pop and afro-fusion) genre is indigenous to Nigeria ; it's unlike anything played in the united states.

You must have heard that two Nigerian artists won Grammy 11 months after you made this silly comment."

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Reply
16. Awesome Best, 2021
"Why do people hate Nigerians 🤦"

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Reply
17. Raphy Johnny, 2021
"Please, be careful with your words when comparing Congolese music with the Nigerian music. Congolese are the best ever."

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Reply
18. Raphy Johnny, 2021
"@ToughBlackseed  Give me the name of just one Nigerian artist who made Africa (and the world) dance for 30 years and I will name at least 5 Congolese who have done so. If you like challenge, then let's do this. One name is all I asked for, and I am waiting."

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Reply
19. More Lyrics, 2021
"@Raphy Johnny Nigeria Never dominated the music industry and yet top 5 most streamed artiste on apple music and Spotify are all Nigerians. The first 3 artiste to sell out 02 London are Nigerians. Nigerian musicians are the most recognized in the Africa and most recognized African artistes in the world and unless you're living in caves, this shouldn't be news to you. Nigerians own African music. There's no African country where Nigerian artistes isn't dominating. Nigerian artistes are the most featured artiste in Africa with collaboration spanning across America to the Caribbeans and Europe, from trap to rnb to hip hop. They are also the richest and the most awarded artiste in Africa. If there are 20 categories in African music awards Nigerians bags 15

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20. Alexandra Montoya
"Me recuerda a Barranquilla el ambiente que genera esta canción. 😊"
-snip-
Google translate Spanish to English
"The atmosphere that this song generates reminds me of Barranquilla. 😊"

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2019

21. abdul kamara
"I've been enjoying this song since 1998,I still enjoyed watching it in July 2019..❤❤"

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22. George Orido
"This must have been 1998. I still remember my fubu track suit. I bought it for KES 1800 in 1999."
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FUBU for information about the 1990s African American owned clothing brand called "FUBU".

Reply
23. edgarindainyapadi
"ainyapadi

1999 instead"

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Reply
24. New Begining
"@edgarindainyapadi  1998 was the making of this video. the song came out in 1997 while Brazzaville was a war zone. They had to wait 1998 to get visas to fly to Paris for this video shout. While the music and this video expanded in 1999, the war was going at it's end with political negotiations. This song brought a lot of confort in people's lives to get out  of war traumas"

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25. HERMANNO GODSON
"Once upon a time when the Congolese music were in Africa's music throne. 😁😁. Then came the zouglou and coupe decale from Ivory Coast 😃😃🙏"
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zouglou for information about Zouglou music genre.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup%C3%A9-d%C3%A9cal%C3%A9 for information about Coupe Decale music genre.
Also, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ndombolo for information about Ndombolo, this song's music genre.

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Reply
26. 93i, 2000
"Congolese music paved the way for African music to be where it now is. Life is like a theatre, you come and do your part and others do theirs.. They played their part in building the foundation of African music👏🏽🎵💯💕"

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27. Danielvargas1907
"Wow this music is awesome i'm from Colombia , this music is very important in my country in some cities cartagena Barranquilla"

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28. peRrItosH
"I m sure Manu of you wonders why this song is so popular  in Colombia particularly in Cartagena and Barranquilla the reason is we share the same tropical and Caribbean rythms , the rythm champeta here in Colombia was influenced by African roots , back in the 80 , Pico's owner ( a big local amplifier  sound system) used to travel to France and some African countries where this music was comercialized , to get the latest African music hits , they brought them back and played in local events.

By the way there is a Spanish version of this song called bololo , I m not sure they have rights to copy it , if you want to give it try Google It , or search here in YouTube ..

Gracias por toda esa musical saludos desde Barranquilla"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English:
"Thanks for all this music. Greetings from Barranquilla."

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2020

29. okechukwu livinus
"The man behind the guitar  🎸 deserved a crown his born legend with raw talents. God bless Africa"

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Reply

30. Pankyes Dashan, 2021
"Lead Guitar: Roga Roga

Bass Guitar: Espe Bass

Rythym Guitar: Sonor Digital

Drums: Ramatoulaye

Lead Atalaku: Kila Mbongo

Greetings from Jos, Plateau state Nigeria 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬"

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31. Asmine Baby
"Makes me proud to be Congolese

Where all my Congolese at?😂😂❤️❤️❤️"

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Reply
32. qwaxerty
"Please, tell us what the song is about."

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Reply
33. simbarashe muchinani
"And as an african as well"

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Reply
34. Matt Seinzor
"@qwaxerty  This song was Made After civilian congolese War in 1998.  It was a sort of masterpiece done for carring back joy and lifetaste to us, those were suffering during battles."

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35. MrKevin90
"While growing up in Kenya 🇰🇪 this song was often played on the comedy show Redykulass"

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36. Elijah Emmanuel
"This was the changing of guards in Congo music styles, going from era of  Soukous to Ndombolo. Nevertheless both eras were good, but Soukous music was much more contagious, 2020 still going strong

This song gave me a lot of money back in days. I used to dance in a local liquor store and get presents for being the best

All the way from chalinze-Tanzania"
**
37. 0nly. Bhadbby
"If Africa had an anthem"

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38. Wambui Wanyutu
"United States Of Africa National Anthem..."

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39. Ultra Sonic
"Wicked tune ! I never stopped dancing to this song back in Naija. The Congolese hits like this actually took over Nigerian music space before my Naija brothers re-strategised and blasted off into world music space. Very healthy competition all over . Proudly African 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿"

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Reply
40. 93i, 2021
"At that time Nigerian artists were flying to Congo to learn music... Congolese music is the foundation of African music altogether"

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41. MASHAKA LONKA
"This song marked the highest achievement of extra musica as a group!,to get separated was the law of nature!.

 You can't put together the young talented stars like these and expect unity among them. "

 **
42. Tim Sur
"In 2020 this song is in my every playlist, true African rythm Roga Roga a living legend"

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43. Stephene Wankara
"One thing I know is that the gods of Music first settled in Congo before spreading their wings to other parts of the world"

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44. Nimrod Caro
"La costa de Colombia Barranquilla y cartagena seguimos nuestra propia champeta gracias a ustedes 💪"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English
"The coast of Colombia Barranquilla and Cartagena we continue our own champeta thanks to you 💪"

**

45. tendai mtizva
"First heard this hit around 1999 in supermarket in rural Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 & everyone was dancing on inside while shopping.

Now it's 2020 lockdown"

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Reply
46. Dyson Murwira
"This was the soundtrack for all parties and weddings in Zimbabwe when we were growing up in the early 2000s."

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47. Bouillon de Culture
"Personne ne peut test les congolais niveau music. Au Congo Brazza c'est extra Musica qui met tout le monde d'accord. Au Congo Kinshasa c'est Koffi Olomide. Trop fière d'être congolaise. Vive les deux congos❤️😘❤️😘"
-snip-
Nobody can test the Congolese level music. In Congo Brazza it's extra Musica that puts everyone in agreement. In Congo Kinshasa it is Koffi Olomide. Too proud to be Congolese. Long live the two congos❤️😘❤️😘

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2021

48. Exauce nkoukou
"Meilleur générique de l histoire de la Rumba en Afrique

Best credits in the history of Rumba in Africa"

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Reply
49. 93i
"1. État major

2. Loi

3. Solola bien

Les meilleurs de tout les temps 💯⚖️"
-snip-
"The best of all time 💯⚖️"

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50. chepkwony kiplangat ronal
"Our broadcasting radios in Kenya used to play congo songs upto now! Esp during lunch hours, and night hours! Till today they are playing congolese songs, kudos congo"

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51. Supra King
"Before the wizkid's, burns boys and davido's, we had kanda bongo man, koffi olomide, and awilo longomba. These guy's were the superstars."

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Reply
52. Supra King
" @Matthew Persinger  these are og's"

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Reply
53. Mercy
"The problem is we don't bother to know who is who. For instance neither Awilo, Koffi or anyone else you mentioned is on this song.  I am Nigerian and I find that condescending. Our People will listen to Djouna Mumbafu 6600 volts, and say wow Awillo is great. We have to understand that there are many great musicians out of Congo, South Africa etc from which we have developed our sounds of Nigerian music. We copied Soukous, Makossa etc and SA in Many of our beats etc. If we want people to know our artists names, we might bother to know theirs. This is group Extra Musica. It's on the title."

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Reply
54. Laura
"@Mercy  facts!! 💀 as if there was only a few countries bringing out music! 💀 hun, Africa is Africa. The musical talent, is everywhere. And everyone has their flavour! This is their flavour but at this time I guarantee there were superstars all over, people just weren't listening to them like that or people just missed it coz they aren't from that culture 🤷🏾‍♀️ but I'll give these man their flowers coz they are banging in their own right!"

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Reply
55. Nelly-Angel Uwimana
"They still are 🔥🔥"

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Reply
56. Bello Abigail
"@Mercy  yes because awilo is most mentioned name in Nigeria that why any  makosa music they listen they can't differentiate all na awilo"

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Reply
57. patrick wasike
"@Supra King 

You mention others and fail to mention the ones on whose page you are. Super funny"

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58. Supra King
"@patrick wasike  I'm merely paying homage to other great African artists besides extra musica."

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Reply
59. joji georige
"Very  true..."

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Reply
60. Sharma Kumar
"U are right about all u are saying"

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Reply
61. Village Girl Rita
"The original superstars for sure 🙌"

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62. Hussein🤫🤫
"Without the internet or collaborating with American stars."

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Reply
63. james Claire
"Were??? They still are!"

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64. Adroa Patrick Lumumba
"@Mercy  You are right my dear.Africans will know everything about Nikki Minaj,Justin Beiber etc.but zero about their own superstars.For example how many Nigerians know that their own Prince Nico Mbarga sold more copies of a single ("Sweet Mother"13 million) than the Beatles?Until we begin to appreciate our own we shall always be losers."

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65. Alicia Keys
"I am a Zimbabwean and I don't understand  what they  are saying but let's dance because I love this song and the beat is the best"

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Reply
66. Ebunitata Meno
"Lol they aren't saying much, they are just cheering their crew"

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67. Sylver Chi
"This song was hit all over the continent 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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68. Doudou Ignacio
"I don't know if the best ndombolo but surely top 5 an amazing masterpiece... Quelle chanson.. Tout simplement parfaite."
-snip-
"What a song .. just perfect"

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69. Aisha Baidy
"Il y'a pas a dire .les congolais sont les meilleurs musiciens ,chanteurs et danseurs d Afrique .peut être même du monde entier .leurs musique est irrésistible. On ne peut pas s empêcher de danser ça ni d aimer ça ..Bravo les gars .j'ai déjà été au concert de extra musica a Paris en 2001 .c était extraordinaire .une sénégalaise qui adore la musique congolaise .je veux  aussi apprendre le lingala pour comprendre les chansons .L Afrique entière dit merci au Congo"
-snip-
"There is no need to say. The Congolese are the best musicians, singers and dancers of Africa. Perhaps even in the whole world. Their music is irresistible. We can't help but dance that or love that .. Bravo guys. I already went to the extra musica concert in Paris in 2001. C was extraordinary. A Senegalese woman who loves Congolese music. I also want to learn Lingala to understand the songs. The whole of Africa says thank you to Congo”

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70. Fabrice Izzo
"I miss this type of music.

Afrobeat we hear now is merely a combination of this genre, coupe decale, dance hall and American music. Not much originality.

The Nigerian diaspora is the reason why Afrobeat is popular."

**
71. Izdore Theo
"Alltime favourite from this crew mad respect"

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72. Obame Bassong
"The two Kongos in Africa are just the best. They gave birth to so many music and movements such as Afro beat, coupe decale...even in America its congolese ancestors aka the Bakongo who got kidnapped who invented jazz rythm n blues and other music. KONGOLESE PEOPLE GOT MUSIC IN THEIR DNA"

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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

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