Koffi Olomide facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Koffi Olomidé
Olomidé performing in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba
Born	(1956-07-13) 13 July 1956 (age 68) Stanleyville, Belgian Congo (now Kisangani, DRC)
Genres	Congolese rumba soukous Tcha Tcho kwassa kwassa ndombolo
Occupation(s)	Singer dancer songwriter record producer lyricist composer media personality bandleader
Instruments	Vocals guitar percussion
Years active	1977–present
Labels	SonoDisc Sonima Obouo Diego Music Koffi Central Cantos Music

Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba (born on July 13, 1956), known as Koffi Olomidé, is a famous singer, songwriter, dancer, and producer from Congo. He started the music group Quartier Latin International. People often call him the "King of Ndombolo" because of his unique singing style. He has powerful high notes and a deep voice.

Koffi Olomidé is seen as one of the most important musicians in Congolese and African music. His songs often talk about love, life, new technologies, and success. He created a slower style of music called tcha tcho, which comes from soukous. He also helped make a cool fashion style called La Sape popular, along with Papa Wemba.

He started by writing songs for other artists in Congo. In 1977, he became well-known with his song "Princesse ya Synza." This song featured Papa Wemba and King Kester Emeneya. In 1986, he formed his band, Quartier Latin International. This band helped many new artists become famous, like Fally Ipupa and Ferré Gola.

Koffi Olomidé became even more famous in 1990 when he signed a record deal with Sonodisc. His career has lasted almost five decades. He was the first African artist to fill up the huge Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy stadium in Paris. He is also one of only twelve African artists whose music is in the famous book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Over his long career, Koffi Olomidé has made many albums. This includes 32 studio albums and 18 live albums, with over 300 songs! He has won six important music awards called Kora Awards. Four of these awards were for his album Effrakata in 2002. Forbes magazine even said he was one of Africa's 40 most influential celebrities. In 2013, he started his own music company, Koffi Central. In 2015, he released 13ième apôtre, a huge album with 39 songs. He said it would be his last, but he later released more albums like Nyataquance (2017) and Platinum (2024).

Early Life and Music Journey

Childhood and First Steps in Music

Koffi Olomide and his mother, Aminata Angélique Muyonge, in Kinshasa, around 1978.

Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba was born on July 13, 1956. This was in Stanleyville, which is now Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His mother named him Koffi because he was born on a Friday. He grew up in Kinshasa.

When he was young, he wanted to be a professional football player. But he later chose music. He was inspired by artists like Franco Luambo and Tabu Ley Rochereau. His father told him he needed a degree to be a musician. So, in 1974, at 18, he finished high school. He then studied business in France at the University of Bordeaux. There, he bought a guitar and taught himself to play. He also started writing songs.

During school breaks in the 1970s, Koffi came back to Kinshasa. He wrote songs for many artists in the Zairean music scene. People called him "the most famous student in Zaire." Papa Wemba noticed his talent. Koffi recorded his first song, "Onia," during a break. He also wrote songs for Papa Wemba's band, Viva La Musica. In 1977, he wrote "Princesse ya Synza" with Papa Wemba and King Kester Emeneya. This song won him "Best Singer-songwriter" in Zaire. He kept making music during his holidays. In 1980, he earned his degree in business economics.

First Albums: Ngounda and Lady Bo

After graduating, Koffi Olomidé returned to Kinshasa. He couldn't find a job, so he went back to Europe. In 1982, he came back to Zaire. He started a music group called Historia Musica, but it didn't last long.

He then went to Brussels to record his first solo album, Ngounda. It came out in 1983. Koffi called this his "first experience in a professional studio." Ngounda got mixed reviews. So, he started working on his second album, Lady Bo, which was released in 1984. King Kester Emeneya was a guest artist on this album.

Diva, Ngobila and Quartier Latin International

His third album, Diva, was released in 1985. It became very popular in Africa and around the world. Diva introduced Koffi's unique Tcha Tcho music style. This is a slower and more emotional version of soukous. Many other artists copied this style, and young women especially loved it.

While working on his next album, Ngobila, he also made two albums with other artists. Ngobila was released in 1986 but wasn't a big hit. The main song on the album tells the sad story of a man watching his loved one leave. Later that year, he formed his famous band, Quartier Latin International.

Rue D'Amour, Henriquet and Elle et Moi

In 1987, there were false rumors that Koffi had passed away in Europe. This made him write the song "Ngulupa," where he told his critics to stop spreading rumors. He also sang about illness in "Dieu Voit Tout."

In mid-1987, he released his fifth album, Rue D'Amour. This album had six new songs. It was the first time Koffi sang for very important people (VIPs). The song "Mosika na Miso" was a tribute to Claudien Likulia. "Miriam Moleka" was a tribute to a rich heiress who had passed away. Other songs talked about love and jealousy. Because of his success, a house was built for him in Kinshasa.

In 1988, he released the album Henriquet. This album was named after the Miss Zaire of that year. The album made Koffi famous in many countries, including Cameroon and Kenya. A TV presenter called him "the biggest current star of Zairian music."

In August 1989, Koffi released his seventh album, Elle et Moi. The main song is dedicated to his daughter, Minou. This album showed a new, modern sound for his Tcha Tcho style. It had a fresh feel and showed the lively spirit of Congolese music.

Big Success with SonoDisc

In 1990, Koffi released his eighth album, "Les prisonniers dorment…". This album was produced by Sonodisc and sold over 100,000 copies worldwide. It won two awards in 1991 for "Best Songwriter" and "Best Album of The Year."

In February 1992, he released Haut De Gamme. This album mixed his Tcha Tcho, Kwassa kwassa, and Congolese rumba styles. The songs "Désespoir" and "Koweit Rive Gauches" were about love. The hit song "Papa Bonheur" made him a huge star in Africa and Europe. In 2005, Haut De Gamme was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was the only Congolese album to get this honor.

On June 1, 1992, Koffi and his band released their first album together, Pas de faux pas. It was a big success and led to many tours in Africa. He was invited to perform for President Omar Bongo and President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

On August 14, 1993, Koffi performed in Paris to introduce his next album, Noblesse Oblige. It was officially released in September 1993. The album sold over 100,000 copies and became a gold record. That same year, Koffi toured Kenya.

On November 22, 1994, Koffi released the band's second album, Magie. Music videos for the album were filmed in the United States and Paris. Magie won two African Music Awards in December 1994. These included awards for Best Male Singer and Best Video Clip.

V12, Wake Up, and Loi

V12, his thirteenth album, came out on October 9, 1995. It also earned a gold record, selling over 100,000 copies. The main song, "Fouta Djallon," was one of the top 20 Congolese rumba songs that year.

In 1996, he released Wake Up with Papa Wemba. This album helped stop rumors that they were fighting. On May 21, 1997, he released Ultimatum, the band's third album. Then, Loi was released in December 1997. The main song from Loi became the symbol of the ndombolo dance that spread across Africa. Loi sold 25,000 copies in France and 105,000 internationally, earning a gold record. In 1997, Koffi also released his first collection of old songs called "N'Djoli."

On December 31, 1998, he released his seventeenth album, Droit de Veto. A week after his sold-out concert in Paris, he won the Kora Award for "Best Central African Artist." He then went on a "European Tour" to support the album.

Attentat, Bercy Concert, and Effrakata

In November 1999, Koffi released Attentat. The album was named after the 1998 attacks on American embassies in Africa. Attentat sold over 100,000 copies in two months and became a gold record.

On February 19, 2000, Koffi made history. He became the first African solo artist to perform at and sell out the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy (now Accor Arena). About 17,000 people attended, even though it was only promoted by word-of-mouth. Journalists from major TV channels covered the concert.

On December 26, 2000, Koffi released the band's fifth album, Force de Frappe. It quickly became popular on music charts. He then toured West Africa, Nairobi, and Paris.

Koffi started recording his album Effrakata while on tour. On December 7, he released Effrakata, a double album with 16 songs. It became very popular and sold over 180,000 copies, earning him a gold record. He went on a "Western tour" to promote it, with concerts in London and Brussels. The album won him four Kora Awards on November 2, 2002, in South Africa. He won for Best Male Artist of Central Africa, Best Video, Best Arrangement, and a special Jury Award. This earned him the nickname "Quadra Koraman."

Affaire d'Etat and Monde Arabe

The band's sixth double album, Affaire d'Etat, was released in Paris on March 28, 2003. It came out in Kinshasa on April 5. It had 16 songs, including ones written by Fally Ipupa and Bouro Mpela. The album won the Kora Award for Best African Group. On April 12, Koffi supported the album with a concert in Paris. He and Quartier Latin then toured major cities in the United States and Canada. They also toured the Republic of the Congo to prepare for the Pan-African Music Festival. Koffi won an individual prize for his great performance.

After his North American tour, Koffi introduced his next album, Monde Arabe, in Kinshasa. It was released on December 7, 2004. Koffi produced this 18-song double album himself, and it was a huge success. It even started a fashion trend for special slippers. However, one month after the album came out, the Congolese Censorship Commission banned three of its songs from TV. On February 12, 2005, he celebrated Valentine's Day with Quartier Latin in Kinshasa. He performed in London in March and at music festivals in Dakar and July.

On December 4, 2005, he won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Kora Awards in South Africa.

Later Albums: Danger de Mort and Bord Ezanga Kombo

In September 2006, Koffi began recording the band's seventh album, Danger de Mort. He also made an advertising song for Bracongo. Danger de Mort was released on October 13, 2006. It was the band's last album because some musicians left. He promoted the album with live shows in Kinshasa and Paris.

In early 2008, Koffi announced his new album was almost ready. He said it had no title and called it "the priest's album." The album included songs with Cindy Le Coeur and a collaboration with Youssou N'Dour. He also worked with other artists like Lokua Kanza. He started filming music videos in Atlanta. The album sold thousands of copies quickly.

The album was officially released on August 7, 2008, with the title Bord Ezanga Kombo. It sold 60,000 copies in four months and became a gold record. To promote it, he sold out concerts in Abidjan. The album was briefly banned by the DRC's censorship group but was later allowed again. In March 2009, he took part in the World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar.

In September 2009, Koffi was supposed to perform at the opening of the SADC summit. However, he was not included because he didn't sing in the opening song. He was upset by this, saying, "We are all Congolese musicians, so why this discrimination?" On October 17, 2009, he performed at a big concert in Kinshasa. This concert honored Franco Luambo and featured many famous Congolese rumba artists. Later that year, he released "La Chicotte à Papa," a mini-album with 7 songs.

Abracadabra and 13ème Apôtre

In June 2011, Koffi's album Abracadabra was illegally copied before its release. The music video for the song "Double Mbonda" was already being shown secretly. Koffi blamed a group of protesters for trying to harm his music career. His producer decided to release the album officially on January 10, 2012, to fight the piracy. Koffi even gave away his new album for free in Kinshasa.

In May 2013, he started recording his album, 13ème Apôtre. He said it would be his 20th and final album. He explained that he saw himself as the thirteenth Apostle of Jesus. He believed that black apostles were needed and mentioned Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. as examples. In 2014, he began filming music videos for the album. He also worked with other artists, even rivals like Ferré Gola and Fally Ipupa.

On October 13, 2015, 13ème Apôtre was officially released. It sold over 22,000 copies in one day and 46,000 in a week. It reached number one on the French iTunes chart. The main song, "Selfie," became very popular online. The hashtag #OpérationSelfie was used by famous people like Didier Drogba. Trace Africa dedicated the month of October to Koffi. Many TV channels worldwide covered the "Selfie" phenomenon.

Recent Works: Nyataquance and Coronavirus Assassin

After a year away from music, Koffi announced his next album, Nyataquance, was almost finished. He released the main song on March 8, 2017, to celebrate International Women's Day. He said he wanted to "ask women for forgiveness" for past issues. The album included the song "Pardon," dedicated to women, and tributes to his family.

To promote the album, he held a Women's Day concert in Kinshasa with Fally Ipupa. On July 13, 2018, he performed a big concert called "Koffi: Encore et Toujours."

In March 2020, he released the song "Coronavirus Assassin." This song encouraged people to stay indoors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The song was in Lingala and French. It said the virus was "the anger of God" and "cannot be stopped by witchcraft." The music video showed the effects of the pandemic around the world.

Légende Millénium and Légende Ed. Diamond

Koffi was supposed to perform in Paris in February 2021 to promote his album, Légende Millénium. But the concert was postponed and then canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2021, Koffi announced that Légende Millénium was almost done. It was planned to feature guest artists like Tiwa Savage and Davido. He released "Mon Amour," a promotional song with Cameroonian singer Charlotte Dipanda. Légende Millénium was officially released on November 26, 2021. Koffi called it "the album of the century." He then performed two concerts in Goma to celebrate his band's 35th anniversary. The money from these shows went to help victims of attacks and natural disasters.

In November 2022, Koffi released Légende Ed. Diamond. This was a new version of Légende Millénium with 14 extra songs. It mixed traditional Congolese rumba, ndombolo, and urban music. One reviewer called it a "cultural broth that brings together all age groups."

Music Style

Koffi Olomidé's music style is called tcha tcho (sometimes spelled tchatcho). It comes from the dance-focused soukous genre, which is based on traditional Congolese rumba. Tcha tcho is slower, with detailed guitar playing and emotional melodies. Koffi said, "Music for me is not only to dance, to jump to. Music is also meant to make the heart vibrate." This new style changed Congolese music and influenced many artists.

Besides Congolese rumba, Koffi also uses elements of ndombolo, kwassa kwassa, R&B, trap, salsa, and zouk in his music. His songs cover many topics, including love, politics, technology, and success. He is known for his unique singing voice, which is powerful and deep. Koffi is also famous for his lively stage presence. He often acts as an atalaku, a hype man who gets the audience excited during instrumental parts of the music.

His album Diva was the first to introduce tchatcho. Haut de Gamme/Koweït, Rive Gauche showed how he mixed genres, combining tchatcho, kwassa kwassa, and Congolese rumba. The hit songs "Désespoir" and "Koweït Rive Gauche" were about romantic relationships. Loi focused on Congolese rumba and introduced ndombolo, a more energetic soukous style.

Attentat explored Afropop, especially on the song "Si si si" with Senegalese singer Coumba Gawlo. Koffi's music has also gone beyond African sounds. He worked with Africando on the 2000 song "Mopao," which explored salsa. His version of Serge Gainsbourg's "Je t'aime... moi non plus" with Ivorian singer Nayanka Bell brought zouk into his music. On Monde Arabe, Koffi sang about political themes, dedicating songs to the Arab world. Albums like Bord Ezanga Kombo showed his mix of tchatcho and Congolese rumba. On Légende Ed. Diamond, he combined Congolese rumba and trap music. For example, the song "Biberon" talks about the challenges and strength of people in Congolese neighborhoods.

2003 Concert Incident

On May 3, 2003, a sad event happened at the Stade de l'Amitié in Cotonou, Benin, during Koffi Olomidé's concert. Sixteen people died because of a crowd crush. Reports said the concert was not well organized. There wasn't enough security, and the stage setup was poor. Only one of the stadium's fifteen entrances was open. The stadium was being renovated, so it was not suitable for a big concert. Koffi later honored the victims with his song "Les Martyrs du Tchatcho."

Personal Life

Family

Koffi has been married three times and has several children. He had two children with his first wife, Marianne Makosso. He then had three children with his second wife, Stephanie Godee.

Koffi started dating his third wife, Aliane, a former French model, in the early 1990s. They got married on April 15, 1994, in Paris. They have three children together. He has dedicated several songs to Aliane, like "Miss des Miss" and "Alidor." Their daughter, Didi-Stone Naïke, is a fashion model and social media star. She has been on many fashion magazine covers, including Vogue. She became an ambassador for L'Oréal Paris in 2020 and for UNICEF in 2022.

After 27 years of marriage, Aliane filed for divorce in 2021. Their divorce was finalized in 2022.

Political Involvement

In 2020, Koffi showed interest in becoming the chief of staff for the Congolese president, Félix Tshisekedi. In July 2021, he became an executive member of the Alliance des Forces Démocratiques du Congo (AFDC), a political party.

On February 9, 2022, President Tshisekedi appointed Koffi as a cultural ambassador for the nation. This honor came with a diplomatic passport. He was given the job of representing Congolese culture outside the country. In March 2024, Koffi announced he would run in the senatorial elections. However, he later withdrew from the race, saying the process was unfair.

Legacy

Koffi Olomide is considered one of the greatest Congolese and African musicians ever. Many artists look up to him for inspiration. President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo recently named him one of the country's cultural ambassadors.

Awards and Nominations

Koffi is one of the best-selling artists in Africa. He has won six Kora Awards, with four of them on one night for his album Effrakata. He is the only African artist to achieve this. He is also the only Congolese solo artist whose work is featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Discography

Images for kids

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  Koffi Olomide and Papa Wemba, 1988

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  Koffi Olomidé during his concert at Bercy Arena in front of 18,000 people, around February 2000

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  Koffi Olomide concert in Lusaka at Woodlands stadium, June 2009