INTRODUCTION
This is the third annual edition of #TheYamboSelection, presenting the list of Africa's Top 5 Happiest Songs of 2016. The same criteria are used this year (January to December 2016) as were used last year to select and rank, out of the songs released or published during the year, those that project and/or elicit the highest quotient of happiness in the listener/audience.
With all the talent that keeps popping up all across Africa, it has been no less daunting a task this year to put together this list. Having more to pick from does not necessarily mean a greater leeway in doing so, one finds, as there's even more, regrettably, to let go that should be in. But all lists of quality do have a 'genetic' limit of sorts, one hazards to add, in the sense of how long, how elongated, they can possibly be -- and still remain optimal and (common)sensible. So, as we look ahead, one senses that this list is fast approaching a certain limit one cannot breach.
As before, the focus in this series of lists is the song, not the singer, with the added requirement that only songs in video form qualify. In addition, the song must broadly fit the standard definition of popular (or pop) music; that is, music in any of these distinct genres, or any combination of them: Hip Hop, RnB, rap, reggae or rock. We are not dealing here with gospel, classical or traditional music; although borderline cases or creative partial 'fusions' with them will always be considered.
CLICK HERE to read the whole Introduction to the criteria used to make the list below.
HERE, THEN, THE LISTING AND RANKING OF AFRICA's TOP 5 HAPPIEST SONGS OF 2016:
[Click on a Song's title to watch the video]
5. Salome by Diamond Platnumz ft. Rayvanny (2016):
Click here to read a review of the song
4. Elengi by Innoss'B ft. Koffi Olomide (2016):
Click here to read a review of the song
3. Jinja by Fuse ODG (2016):
Click here to read a review of the song
2. Tere Tere by Toofan (2016):
Click here to read a review of the song
1. Count Ur Blessings by Mixzy (2016):
Click here to read a review of the song
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READ: Africa's 40 Happiest Songs of The Year, 2015
READ: Africa's 25 Happiest Songs of The Year, 2014
READ: World Happiness Report 2015
DO ALSO READ: "The Happiness Contagion", which I posted on December 9, 2008
Innoss'B and Koffi Olomide chose Elengi, which means sweet in Lingala (as in "What sweet love!"), for the title of their song here, which runs for 4:09 minutes and which is sweetness itself, from the beginning to the very end -- believe me! The word Elengi itself is sweet, tamu, mit! Bayaye! Wololo!
"Elengi ya Mbongo"
This amazing song is sung in three lingua francas: English, Lingala and French. The music is pure excuse for the funk in the lyrics that run in tandem with (and are integral to) it, and the groove in the dance that interprets the both of them for all to see and hear. As I see and hear it all myself!
"Elengi ya Mbongo"
Innoss'B is the Jeunne Leader in all this AfroCongo stuff! He who pleads with all the ladies "Show me what I want to see!" And isn't, or perhaps is, but not in the video. And Koffi Olomide, who roars like a Lion, his stage name, written invisibly in his mane, in truth is: "ah ah ah ah Quadra eh eh eh eh". Quadra in short.
"Elengi ya Mbongo"
A dramatic beginning, full of creative and rousing noise-making, prepares us for a journey of lyrically explosive sounds, unbelievably smooth glides and gloriously choreographed group-dancing, w/ a touch of Bruce Lee's kung fu posture even (arms raised and bent outward and downward at the wrist). Pity, though, that we see only glimpses, taunting and hunger-inducing glimpses, of dancers we can tell would be a wonder to c in full blast. P'raps it's all about the money.
"Elengi ya Mbongo"
As said, then, Innoss'B and KO are the main agenda. When Innoss'B calls, KO's callback is a roar. And when KO is by the spirits moved to weigh in, he does so in stacatto bursts of phrase, and the effect is a moving, multicolored dance-hall ado. The supporting cast knows its place. When the act is really going and everything else is really 'forgot', Elengi is a grad (grand) seminar on cool performative swag. At its best, the rhythm of the body heaves and troughs like slow-motion waves in the near sea. That is, as the unseen band goes wild with whatever keys it uses to light up this wilderness of sound and mirth and technicolor -- as wild as the River Congo itself, at its crest.
"Elengi ya Mbongo"
WATCH VIDEO: Elengi by Innos'B ft. Koffi Olomide
CLICK: The Elengi Lyrics
Just found out that Mbongo means Money, as I got ready to publish this post (Dec 17, 2016 ~ 12:55 pm, GMT+3).
