Cultural origins 1990s Congo | ||
Stylistic origins Congolese rumba
Soukous Typical instruments Guitar (esp. fingerstyle)
bass (esp. acoustic)
drums
brass
vocals | ||
Ndombolo is a Congolese music genre and dance style, also popular in other African countries such as Kenya and Madagascar. It is derived from kwassa kwassa.
This style of fast music, currently dominating dance floors in central, eastern and western Africa, is performed by Dany Engobo, Awilo Longomba, Aurlus Mabele, Koffi Olomide and groups like Extra Musica and Wenge Musica, among others.
The hip-swinging dance to the fast pace of soukous ndombolo has come under criticism on claims that it is obscene. There have been attempts to ban it in Mali, Cameroon and Kenya. After an attempt to ban it from state radio and television in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000, it became even more popular. In February 2005, ndombolo music videos in the DR Congo were censored for indecency, and video clips by Koffi Olomide, JB M'Piana, and Werrason were banned from the airwaves.