• Digital Album

  THE MUSIC SCENE IN CAMEROON
  
  In Cameroon, Bikut-si and Makossa are the main genres of music you can hear on the local scene. However, many other genres can be heard on the radio, in night clubs and other dancing places. One can also notice that the local scene is also varied artistically, with various composers, singers, musicians, etc. It is as if, all of a sudden, all forms of artistic expressions in connection with showbiz had come to view, with fashion designers, dress makers and their cohort of models.
  
  In Cameroon, right from the sixties, Makossa was up front on the local music scene for years, with such pioneer groups as the UVOCOT (union of the coastal voices).. They were vocalists who began their initiation into music and started playing rumba in Equatorial Guinea (at Bata, then called petit Paris). Among them were NELLE EYOUM and his band, followed later on by the Black Styls, EBOA LOTTIN, EKAMBI BRILLANT, MANU DIBANGO and many others. Yet, even in the (early) seventies, Makossa remained a marginal phenomenon, its expression being too “daring” in the view of most music lovers, for supposedly Christian reasons. Nonetheless, with the international success of Manu Dibango’s Soul Makossa, the ice was broken.
  
  Henceforth, Makossa would be judged right for popular consumption and soon, it was no more surprising to see an unusual enthusiasm expressed around Ekambi Brillant, who had just topped a music competition for which the reward would be the sponsored recording of a single for the laureate. Ekambi,s success and his moving to France became a focus for several other young talents who aspired to emulate him and work under the tutelage of French seasoned artistic producer SLIM PEZIN. TALA ANDRE MARIE was one of the most eager amongst those youths.
  
  In Paris, there was also one Mme COUVIOUR, owner of a label called Sonodisc. Aided by EKO ROOSEVELT, a “heavy” on the African music scene in Paris, she gave chances to African musicians. That was how the Cameroonian music began to have an international echo. Shortly, the so called National Team of Makossa was born. The line-up was comprised of TOTO GUILLAUME (guitar), ALHADJI TOURE (bass), EBENY DONALD WESLEY (drums), etc. In no time, the Makossa National Team gave Makossa a new shape and new sonorities that would, in the long run, have an impact, first, in Cameroon, then, in Africa, and the world, at large.
  
  After the Black Styls, Makossa lovers discovered DINA BELL, BEN DECCA, MONI BILE, PIERRE de MOUSSI, CHARLY NELLE, PETIT PAYS, CHARLOTTE MBANGO, HENRI NJOH and many others. These artists, solo, or in bands, staged many shows, in Yaoundé as well as in Douala. Sometimes, session men came all the way from France to support them. The assistance of show promoters such as EED (ESSAKA) helped to bring good performers like TOKOTO ASHANTI alias “l’homme de chevre” (the goat man) to preeminence.
  
  The arrival of this “nouvelle vague” on the music scene in Cameroon made the invading impact of KWASSA-KWASSA, DOMBOLO and other genres originated from both the Congos, recede. They had reigned supreme on the music scene in Cameroon for a long, long time. And now, it seemed, the local artists wanted to be in control. To the extent that, even the likes of woman folks such as GRACE DECCA, followed by VILLA VIENNE, MARTHE ZAMBO, BETTI BETTI, ANINA and others, joined in the music.
  
  Unfortunately, this Makossa movement which started pugnaciously began to turn in circles around the mid eighties. The reason for this was quite simple to understand... As a matter of fact, the National Team of Makossa composed and arranged the music for all and sundry. Eventually, after a repeated use, the formula sounded routinous and flat. Exceptionally, every now and then, Makossa addicts could hear something interesting from singer composers like GEO MASSO and SAM MBENDE, joining forces with the likes of LAPIRO de MBANGA, or SALLE JOHN, the Ambassibey master.
  
  At this juncture, in the middle of this Makossa stagnation, the TETES BRULEES stormed into the local scene. Their BIKUT-SI was way out from the current trend. And, very soon, it would become mainstream, generating a collective hysteria. Quickly, things began to evolve. Contrary to Makossa which is “classy”, Bikut-si is physical, engaged and deliberately sexual. Especially, the brand tagged PEDALE which usually finds favor with dancers, thus becoming fashionable. With 500 CFA francs, you gain access into a dancing hall. With the same amount, you can have a bottle of beer too. And watch MBARGA SOUKOUS, MESSI MARTIN, EBOGO EMERAND, LES MARTIENS, EBOUE CHALEUR, live. As time goes by, the Bikut-si army of musicians is growing bigger and bigger, more so as most of them make their recordings “at home” in unsophisticated conditions.
  
  The rap scene has “taken advantage” of this lack of sophistication. A couple of names pioneer this burgeoning movement: KROTAL, KOPO, VALSERO, ETAT d’URGENCE, AK100 GRAVE and LES JOEL. Their music and their “gang battles” are relayed through the Medias, which have grown in number since the “liberalization”. Along the more popular trends, the likes of DONNY ELWOOD and OTTOU MARCELIN sing for the brain and the soul, just for the listening pleasure. Anne Marie NZIE has been 60 years on the scene. And is still waxing strong. BELOBO, the opera singer, is still seen as some kind of oddity. When all is said after the review, it becomes evident that the music scene is very much alive in Cameroon.
  
  However, it is beguiled by a series of problems: no governmental cultural policy, no hall that can contain more than 1000 punters, no training schools for musicians, unavailability of professional instruments, piracy reigns supreme and nothing is done to stem it, copyright is handled haphazardly; and to cap it all, the current proliferation of FM stations is a nightmare for the artist who has no money to pay for the promotion of his product. Although I didn’t mention all of them above, many great artists are to be reckoned with when talking about the music scene of Cameroon. Each, in his capacity as a singer, songwriter, composer or instrument player, has played a definitive role to enhance Cameroonian music.
  
  Article Written by : JEAN MARIE AHANDA ... more

  Free Download

• Share / Embed

credits

tags

license

feeds

feeds for this album, this artist