This Blog's list of Top 10 Popular Posts of the 'Month' is auto-generated. It ranks the posts that were most frequently viewed during the period -- but does not capture the viewers' personal details. The definition of the 'Last Month ' (or 'Last 30 Days') used by Blogger (which is owned by Google and which hosts this Blog) in fact refers to the last 29 days of the month up to "now".
Thus, the present list, focusing on the 'Last 30 Days', actually captures viewers' engagements with each listed post during the 29-day period which runs from "now" -- just before the publication of this post -- all the way back to the 'start of day' at 3:00AM (GMT+3) on March 30th; that is, at the GMT border-line of March 29th and March 30th, 2018. The total number of page-views during the month up to "now" stands at 49,000+. It is those viewers' choices, out of 1,200+ posts published on the blog, that we have captured on the Top 10 List below.
We will continue in the weeks and months ahead to publish this rolling list of "Top 10 Popular Posts of the 'Month'" -- in which the 'month', to reiterate the point already made, refers to the period of 29 days culminating in the moment of publication (or release) rather than the calendar month as such. That moment of release will be indicated, but does not have to be precisely 3:00AM.
Here, then, is our list of this Blog's Top 10 Popular Posts of the last 'Month' (as captured on April 28th, 2018 at 8:37 PM ~ GMT+3):
[To view any of the 10 posts below, Click (you may have to Right Click) on the link of interest to you and choose the "Open link in new window" option]
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FIND PREVIOUSLY LISTS BELOW:
1. Top 10 Popular Posts on the MauriYambo Blog, Last 30 Days ~ Released April 21, 2018
2. Top 10 Popular Posts on the Mauri Yambo Blog, Last 30 Days ~ Released April 14, 2018
3. Top 10 Popular Posts on the Mauri Yambo Blog, Last 30 Days ~ Released April 07, 2018
4. Top 10 Popular Posts on the Mauri Yambo Blog, Last 30 Days ~ Released April 1, 2018
5. Top 10 Popular Posts on the Mauri Yambo Blog, Last 30 Days ~ Released March 27, 2018.
This is Volume 6 of the Mauri Yambo Blog's series of #LingalaPop music. The point has been made in Volumes 1 and 2 that certain Congolese music productions have all the features -- and effects on audience (or fan) sensibilities -- which are typically associated with, or seen in, pop music as broadly understood. The hashtag given above groups and highlights what I consider to be stand-out examples of that kind of music.
As previously indicated, Lingala features in that hashtag in order to give due respect to that expansive lingua franca of the Greater Congo, which serves (in word and/or tone) as the base for the songs referenced here. Most of the songs under the hashtag are sung by Congolese nationals at home or in the diaspora -- but, interestingly, not all. In Volume 3, for example, two Kenyan Queens (Victoria Kimani and Akothee) featured in two separate songs in a full-throttle sort of way.
Nor is Lingala the language that Congolese artistes, or those that they sing with, invariably use in the included songs. In Tucheze, Ferre Gola sang a considerable chunk of the lyrics in 'heavy-accent' but recognizable Swahili, while VK sang her part almost entirely in English. Lingala joined them at the hip in terms of both tone and the flow (the synchronized flow) of body texts.
Nigerian artiste J. Martins appears with Ferre Gola in Ekelebe, in Volume 4, with enough gravitational force to influence FG's celestial orbit. The same FG who in that piece sings not, shall I say, in lyrical Lingala but in bemusing English. Still, Lingala's tonal influence on both proceedings is not escaped, in whatever charming mix we may come upon the ingredients.
Volume 5, like the earlier four, showcases 10 video (or audio) clips which exemplify #LingalaPop. Indeed, I think that the songs are among the leading ones. Here, too, not everything is pure Lingala. Barbara Kanam, for example, finely weaves her song, Reste, out of three language strands: French, Swahili and Lingala. She's as good in each just as she, herself, is. And Enemy Solo is sung in a 'volatile' mix of funky Lingala and lyrical 'pidgin' (that's English) by an irrepressible Awilo Longomba and super-charged P-Square!
In the present volume, Volume 6, Linah (who is Tanzanian) and Christian Bella (Congolese) team up to deliver an exceptionally tuneful and colourful song: Hellow. Linah sings almost entirely in Swahili. The song as a whole is sung mostly in Swahili as well. However, Christian Bella renders his portion of the 'purely' Swahili lyrics in a decidedly Lingala accent. Arguably, this tilts the overall weight of the song's tonality in favour of Lingala, Christian Bella having already 'state captured' a significant portion of Lina's intonation in the first half of the song.
In Olla as well, Christian Bella sings in Swahili with the same Lingala accent. One should expect the same result, but Khaligraph Jones, the Kenyan Rapper King, blends, and so tempers, all that with his signature "stream of Consciousness" rapping style. And yet the Lingala imprimatur doesn't lose enough force to disappear. This is a win-win, in the end. We can declare a similar result in Nagharamia (sung by Tanzania's Alikiba and Christian Bella). Alikiba succeeds in creating a context in which Swahili (infused in a subtle and measured fashion with Taarab 'elements') cedes as much ground as it gains from Christian Bella's Lingala.
My growing selection of #LingalaPop titles includes a significant number about which I have made 'substantive' comments already or, alternatively, ranked in #TheYamboSelection series -- over the stretch of a few years. And I have restricted my commentary essentially to songs that have "reached my ears" in one way or another -- or, let's say it, via smart algorithms. It has not been a total scouring of the Great Lakes and Rivers (etc) universe -- which would have been an exercise in futility for one man.
The urge to share exemplary or exciting 'finds' on a particular list (scheduled or not) may prompt -- indeed already has (in #TheYamboSelection series), and in some instances perhaps should -- the publication of the list before the narratives related to particular titles are ready for release, or even 'fully' drafted. The fact is that there's just so much music being produced these days -- and increasingly "all over". The urge to share must keep reasonable pace with the volume and accelerating velocity of creative productions.
The lister's and commentator's work is never done, experience teaches! Such comments as I have already made are available on this blog, but the links I give below take you only to the clips associated with the songs listed in Volume 6. Links to any comments that I will make in the days ahead about particular titles on the list below will be added to an updated version of this post as soon as those comments are ready to share.
The songs appearing below are not arranged in any particular order of rank. I really love all of them, and think you will do so too. Let me also add that the 'burst' of incoming evidence that I have encountered as I have continued with my (re)search on songs that deserve inclusion means, alas/happily, that even Volume 6 will not be the last. There's going to be a Volume 7.
About the video/audio clips included in Volume 6:
Click (you may have to Right Click) the song of your choice on the list below, and then (if you have Right Clicked) choose the "Open link in new tab" option in order to watch or listen to the clip.
1. Hellow by Linah ft. Christian Bella (2015)
2. Dance 4 Me Remix by J.Martins ft. Koffi Olomide (2015)
3. Kibombanda by Ferre Gola (2014)
4. Service by Fally Ipupa (2013)
5. Nagharamia by Alikiba x Christian Bella (2015)
6. Muzangila by Mbilia Bel (2017)
7. Bolingo by Makoma (2012)
8. Olla by Christian Bella ft. Khaligraph Jones (2017)
9. Cobetox by Koffi Olomide ft. Ferre Gola (2016)
10. Alidor by Koffi Olomide (2017)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find below links to previous Volumes ~ 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5:
1. LingalaPop, Volume 1
2. LingalaPop, Volume 2
3. LingalaPop, Volume 3
4. LingalaPop, Volume 4
6. Lingala Pop, Volume 5
INTRODUCTION
Happiness is a state of mind, a feeling - with feelers to the 'outside'. Outside becomes what things we allow it to become, and what things we have no control over and so impose themselves.
Happiness and Love? They are twins. Twins, which, sometimes, alas, we find in mortal combat.
Good Music:
In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino utters these immortal words: "If music be the food of life, play on; / Give me excess of it ..." I just want to endorse that here. Good music is at once a convergence of happiness - happy feelings - and its source.
Happy songs make people happy, happy people arguably happier, and less sad sad people - and even, perhaps, happy; if they're not too deep into their own sadness. They breed happiness through the joyfulness of the words in the song and the soulfulness of the song in the words, the melody in the tunes, the liveliness of the body-language and suppleness of the assembled 'bodies', the harmony of the charged instruments, the pulsating visuals of the video, and the warmth of the stage upon which everything, and everything else, is set.
There is magic in the happy song, then. The song that makes people happy has magical power over 'em. So, oh my goodness, does the song that makes people truly sad.
There are times, if I may digress, that I have thought (sensed would be too strong a word) that truly throbbing drumbeat among the prayerful carries within it the voice of God in its surreal, surround beat, as it's heard among the gathered, and as it cascades across the land - and even among the landless and the faithless.
So good music, howsoever it is delivered, has the powers -- howsoever we c these powers. But, I ask: Why is it that music videos that elicit the most happiness seem generally to have a street motif?
READ: World Happiness Report 2015
READ: "The Happiness Contagion" December 9, 2008
HERE, THEN, IS THE TOP 5 RANKING OF THE 2014 SELECTION
[Click on a Song's title to watch the video]
5. Double Wahala Part 2 by Oristefemi ft. D'banj (2014):
4. Skelemba by Olamide ft. Don Jazzy (2014):
3. Ole Themba by Linah (2014):
2. Tchelete by Davido ft. Mafikizolo x Uhuru x Eslido (2014):
1. Dorobucci by Mavin Don Jazzy, Reekado Banks, Dr. Sid, Korede Bello, Tiwa Savage ... (2014):
SELECTION/INCLUSION CRITERIA
To qualify for inclusion in this list, a song was required to meet the following criteria:
1. Released as music video in 2014. Broadly in any of these genres: Pop, RnB, Hip-Hop, Reggae
2 Available via YouTube or Otherwise available online
3. Predominantly sung by an artiste or artistes from Africa, PARTICULARLY Sub-Saharan Africa
4. Regularly played on one or more of Africa's leading music channels: Afro Pop and HipTV Music, in particular (they pay sustained attention to their African audience); Sound City, MTV Base and Trace Urban (all three of whose fare is significantly more diffuse).
5. Have a discernible "happiness" (or sunny) content/slant in terms of the following mix of considerations: beat, language (verbal or body), lyrics, melody, visuals (dance routines, 'stage sets' and video quality), voice (and audio quality) and use of vocal and technical instruments
6. Broad sensitivity to sub-regional tastes and artists' bases of operation (East, West, Central or Southern)
7. Gender: Minimum of 1/3 Rule, if short-listed songs make this possible.
INTRODUCTION
Happiness is a state of mind, a feeling - with feelers to the 'outside'. Outside becomes what things we allow it to become, and what things we have no control over and so impose themselves.
Happiness and Love? They are twins. Twins, which, sometimes, alas, we find in mortal combat.
Good Music:
In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino utters these immortal words: "If music be the food of life, play on; / Give me excess of it ..." I just want to endorse that here. Good music is at once a convergence of happiness - happy feelings - and its source.
Happy songs make people happy, happy people arguably happier, and less sad sad people - and even, perhaps, happy; if they're not too deep into their own sadness. They breed happiness through the joyfulness of the words in the song and the soulfulness of the song in the words, the melody in the tunes, the liveliness of the body-language and suppleness of the assembled 'bodies', the harmony of the charged instruments, the pulsating visuals of the video, and the warmth of the stage upon which everything, and everything else, is set.
There is magic in the happy song, then. The song that makes people happy has magical power over 'em. So, oh my goodness, does the song that makes people truly sad.
There are times, if I may digress, that I have thought (sensed would be too strong a word) that truly throbbing drumbeat among the prayerful carries within it the voice of God in its surreal, surround beat, as it's heard among the gathered, and as it cascades across the land - and even among the landless and the faithless.
So good music, howsoever it is delivered, has the powers -- howsoever we c these powers. But, I ask: Why is it that music videos that elicit the most happiness seem generally to have a street motif?
READ: World Happiness Report 2015
ALSO READ: "The Happiness Contagion", December 9, 2008
HERE, THEN, IS THE TOP 10 RANKING OF THE HAPPIEST SONGS OF 2014
[Click on a Song's title to watch the video clip]
10. Oshe by Praiz and Awilo Longomba (2014):
9. Awelewa Most Beautiful by Gabriel Afolayan (2014):
8. Chop Am by Reekado Banks (2014):
7. Taste The Money by P-Square (2014):
6. Fiko Fiko Fion by Claudia Bakisa ft. Koffi Olomide (2014):
5. Double Wahala Part 2 by Oristefemi ft. D'banj (2014):
4. Skelemba by Olamide ft. Don Jazzy (2014):
3. Ole Themba by Linah (2014):
2. Tchelete by Davido ft. Mafikizolo x Uhuru x Eslido (2014):
1. Dorobucci by Mavin Don Jazzy, Reekado Banks, Dr. Sid, Korede Bello, Tiwa Savage ... (2014):
SELECTION/INCLUSION CRITERIA
To qualify for inclusion in this list, a song was required to meet the following criteria:
1. Released as music video in 2014. Broadly in any of these genres: Pop, RnB, Hip-Hop, Reggae
2 Available via YouTube or Otherwise available online
3. Predominantly sung by an artiste or artistes from Africa, PARTICULARLY Sub-Saharan Africa
4. Regularly played on one or more of Africa's leading music channels: Afro Pop and HipTV Music, in particular (they pay sustained attention to their African audience); Sound City, MTV Base and Trace Urban (all three of whose fare is significantly more diffuse).
5. Have a discernible "happiness" (or sunny) content/slant in terms of the following mix of considerations: beat, language (verbal or body), lyrics, melody, visuals (dance routines, 'stage sets' and video quality), voice (and audio quality) and use of vocal and technical instruments
6. Broad sensitivity to sub-regional tastes and artists' bases of operation (East, West, Central or Southern)
7. Gender: Minimum of 1/3 Rule, if short-listed songs make this possible.
This is Volume 5 of this blog's series of #LingalaPop music. The point has been made in Volumes 1 and 2 that certain Congolese music productions have all the features -- and effects on audience (or fan) sensibilities -- which are typically associated with or seen in pop music, as broadly understood. The hashtag given above groups and highlights what I consider to be stand-out examples of that kind of Congolese music.
As previously indicated, Lingala features in that hashtag in order to give due respect to that expansive lingua franca of the Greater Congo, which serves (in word and/or tone) as the base for the songs referenced here. Most of the songs under the hashtag are sung by Congolese nationals at home or in the diaspora -- but, interestingly, not all. In Volume 3, for example, two Kenyan Queens (Victoria Kimani and Akothee) featured in a full-throttle sort of way.
Nor is Lingala the language that Congolese artistes, or those that they sing with, invariably use in the included songs. In Tucheze, Ferre Gola sang a considerable chunk of the lyrics in 'heavy-accent' but recognizable Swahili, while VK sang her part almost entirely in English. Nigerian artiste J. Martins appears with Ferre Gola in Ekelebe, in Volume 4, with enough gravitational force to influence FG's celestial orbit. The same FG who in that piece sings not, shall I say, in lyrical Lingala but in bemusing English. Still, Lingala's tonal influence on both proceedings is not escaped, in whatever charming mix we may come upon the ingredients.
Volume 5, like the previous four, showcases 10 video (or audio) clips which exemplify #LingalaPop. Indeed, I think that the songs are among the leading ones. Here, too, not everything is pure Lingala. Barbara Kanam, for example, finely weaves her song, Reste, out of three language strands: French, Swahili and Lingala. She's as good in each just as she, herself, is. And Enemy Solo is sung in a 'volatile' mix of funky Lingala and lyrical 'pidgin' (that's English) by an irrepressible Awilo Longomba and super-charged P-Square!
My growing selection of #LingalaPop titles includes a significant number about which I have made 'substantive' comments already or, alternatively, ranked in #TheYamboSelection series -- over the stretch of a few years. And I have restricted my commentary essentially to songs that have "reached my ears" in one way or another -- or, let's say rather too generally, via smart algorithms. It has not been a total scouring of the Great Lakes and Rivers (etc) universe -- which would have been an exercise in futility for one man.
The urge to share exemplary or exciting 'finds' on a particular list (scheduled or not) may prompt -- indeed already has (in #TheYamboSelection series), and in some instances perhaps should -- the publication of the list before the narratives related to particular titles are ready for release, or even 'fully' drafted. The fact is that there's just so much music being produced these days -- and increasingly "all over". The urge to share must keep reasonable pace with the volume and accelerating velocity of creative productions.
The lister's and commentator's work is never done, experience teaches! Such comments as I have already made are available on this blog, but the links I give below take you only to the clips associated with the songs listed in Volume 5. Links to any comments that I will make in the days ahead about particular titles on the list below will be added to an updated version of this post as soon as those comments are ready to share.
The songs appearing below are not arranged in any particular order of rank. I really love all of them, and think you will do so too. Let me also add that the 'burst' of incoming evidence that I have encountered as I have continued with my (re)search on songs that deserve inclusion means, alas/happily, that even Volume 5 will not be the last. There's going to be a Volume 6 -- and a Volume 7.
About the video/audio clips included in Volume 5:
Click (you may have to Right Click) the song of your choice on the list below, and then (if you have Right Clicked) choose the "Open link in new tab" option in order to watch or listen to the clip.
1. Zazou by Ferre Gola (2009)
2. Reste by Barbara Kanam (2015)
3. Orgasy by Fally Ipupa (2013)
4. Enemy Solo by Awilo Longomba ft. P-Square (2015)
5. Muzangila by Mbilia Bel (2017)
6. Ju[d]gement by Ferre Gola (2017)
7. Je t'en Prie by Koffi Olomide (2017*, 2012)
8. Gate le Coin by Awilo Longomba (2009)
9. Symposium by Koffi Olomide ft. Cindy le Coeur (2016)
10. "Ya Mado" Mascara by Fabregas Le Metis Noir (2018)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find below links to previous Volumes ~ 1, 2, 3 and 4:
1. LingalaPop, Volume 1
2. LingalaPop, Volume 2
3. LingalaPop, Volume 3
4. LingalaPop, Volume 4
Five years ago, on April 24 2013, I posted the piece below on my Facebook page. I think that it still 'rings', and rings true; and that it's worth sharing with you today:
"In today's mad-rush world, we hardly have the time 2 commune with the inner self and 2 feel, feel deeply, the sole and unique and fond presence that's us, us alone, and only us; 2 hum, out of a collage of songs and tunes, silences and pauses, gathered since childhood and, since then, intermittently recalled, such medleys of the heart, with such poses, as the soul alone can in solitude arrange -- and only 4 us."
This day is uniquely ours, we who have it -- just as we do.
My only previously published comment on Seyi Shay's uplifting song, Jangilova, is a tweet I published in 2015. Here it is:
