Soukous (also known as rumba, lingala or congo) is a musical genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa. Soukous (from the French word secouer, to shake"African on your street: Glossary (BBC)") was originally the name of a dance popular in the Congos in the late 1960s, and danced to an African version of rumba. The word soukous became synonymous with African rumba, and has come to refer to its subsequent developments.

Soukous is called congo music in West Africa, and lingala in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania - referring to the Lingala language of the region from where it originated. In the 1980s and early 1990s, a fast paced style of soukous known as kwassa kwassa – named after a popular dance, was popular. A style called ndombolo, also named after a dance, is currently popular.

Origins

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In the late 1930s and early 1940s in the Congos, musicians fused African rhythms with Afro-Cuban and other Caribbean and South American sounds - rhythms that were not entirely foreign to Congo, having been founded to varying degrees on musical traditions from the area. This music emerged in the cities of Leopoldville, as Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was called then, and Brazzaville, then capital of the French Congo, now capital of the Republic of the Congo"Rumba in the jungle, The Economist, December 18, 2003". Most of the musicians performed in Lingala language, but some also used Swahili, Tshiluba and Kikongo.

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Just found the Soukous genre on Spotify. Everyday the subscription is better value #spotify
jamiepullman (Jamie Pullman) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:07:42 -0000
Just found the Soukous genre on Spotify. Everyday the subscription is better value #spotify
Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at L'Afrique Festival 2009. 14th of November. - Pressitt SMNR http://ow.ly/z863
LafriqueFest (L'Afrique Festival) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:02:32 -0000
Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at L'Afrique Festival 2009. 14th of November. - Pressitt SMNR http://ow.ly/z863
Diblo Dibala "Kelele" (Super Soukous)
erikadotnet (erika dot net) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:56:20 -0000
Diblo Dibala "Kelele" (Super Soukous)
RT @NorthEastTweets Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at @LafriqueFest 2009. 14th of November. http://ow.ly/yCL5
noxhanti (Noxi) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:56:07 -0000
RT @NorthEastTweets Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at @LafriqueFest 2009. 14th of November. http://ow.ly/yCL5
RT @NorthEastTweets Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at @LafriqueFest 2009. 14th of November. http://ow.ly/yCL5
June4th (Noxi) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:56:07 -0000
RT @NorthEastTweets Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at @LafriqueFest 2009. 14th of November. http://ow.ly/yCL5
Pressitt SMNR: Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at L'Afrique Festival 2009. 1.. http://bit.ly/2855cc
Pressitt (Pressitt) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:05:14 -0000
Pressitt SMNR: Awilo Longomba - African Soukous Superman to perform at L'Afrique Festival 2009. 1.. http://bit.ly/2855cc

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