Pépé Kallé
Pépé Kallé | |
---|---|
DR Congo) | |
Died | November 29, 1998 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo | (aged 46)
Genres | African Rumba, Soukous |
Occupation(s) | singer, song writer |
Instrument(s) | Vocals |
Years active | 1960s–1998 |
Pépé Kallé, sometimes written as Pepe Kalle (November 30, 1951 – November 29, 1998) was a Congolese soukous singer, musician and bandleader.
Biography
Pépé Kallé was born Kabasele Yampanya in Kinshasa (then Léopoldville) in the Belgian Congo, but later assumed his pseudonym in hommage to his mentor, Le Grand Kallé.
With a multi-octave vocal range and a dynamic stage presence, the 210 cm (6 ft 11 in) and 150 kg (330 lb) vocalist recorded more than three hundred songs and twenty albums[2] during his two-decade-long career. Known affectionately as "the elephant of African music" and "La Bombe Atomique,"[3][4] Kallé entertained audiences with his robust performances. The guitarist was Solomon.
Musical career
His musical career started with
On their tenth anniversary in 1982, the band was voted
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kallé fused elements of the fast-paced version of soukous produced in Paris studios. His 1990 album, Roger Milla – a tribute to the exploits of the great Camerounian Football player, is a classic example of this arrangement.
Pépé Kallé later introduced some dancers with growth disabilities like Jolie Bebe, Dominic Mabwa and Ayilla Emoro in to his band. In 1992 the band faced its first major calamity when Emoro, the band's dancing dwarf, died while on tour in Botswana. Despite this setback, Pépé Kallé's popularity continued to soar in the nineties as he released albums like Gigantafrique, Larger than life and Cocktail. [8] He also collaborated with other legends like
Death
On November 28, 1998, Pépé Kallé suffered a heart attack at his home in Kinshasa and was rushed to the nearby Clinique Ngaliema. Shortly after midnight on Sunday November 29, Pépé Kallé was pronounced dead. The cause of his death was officially reported to be myocardial infarction. After his death, minister for culture and arts Juliana Lumumba announced that the government would hold a funeral for the fallen hero on December 6. Further she requested that all music performances be halted in his honour.[9] Upon his death Kallé received praise from government ministers and the common people as well. His body lay at several locations throughout the city where he had lived and worked. More than one million people were reported to have paid their final respects at his funeral at the Palais du Peuple and along the funeral procession route. Pépé Kallé was buried on December 6 at Gombe Cemetery (Cimetiere De La Gombe) in a grandiose state funeral. He is part of the growing pantheon of Congolese music stars who died much too young. He is survived by his five children. His wife died recently in 2019. People described him as a very talented musician and band leader. Others described him as a patriot who loved his country even when times were tough. "Despite bleak conditions in Zaïre/Congo during Mobutu's last years and under the faltering regime of Laurent Kabila, Pépé Kallé continued to reside in Kinshasa, refusing to join the mass movement of music stars to Europe. He was the only musician who never had a problem with anybody. He was able to reconcile two musical generations," said Tabu Ley Rochereau. [10] Veteran Congolese journalist Achille Ngoie, who covered Empire Bakuba from its inception, remembered Kallé as a man of the people. "Kallé could be on stage in the middle of a song and, seeing a person in the audience he hadn't seen for years, he could work a greeting to that person into the song. "He was an extraordinary person with an elephantine memory.” [11]
See also
- Soukous
- Nyboma
- Empire Bakuba
- Kwassa Kwassa
References
- ^ Kenya Page Blog – Pepe Kalle by musica, April 10, 2012
- ^ Trendzikizm (June 4, 2023). "Young Africa by Pepe Kalle ft Empire Bakuba - Download Mp3". Zambia Music. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "Obituary: Pepe Kalle". The Independent. January 19, 1999. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "20 years after Pepe Kalle's death, where are Empire Bakuba stars?". Monitor. February 1, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ISBN 9780704325043.
- ^ "100+ Songs Similar to Zouke - Zouke by Pepe Kalle | Gemtracks". Gemtracks.com. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "FAGOstore - Empire Bakuba - Pepe Kalle & Nyboma (LP)". www.fagostore.com. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "Remembering the gentle giant of Congo music". Daily Nation. July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Pepe Kalle, 1951–1998". insideworldmusic.com.
- ^ "Rumba on the River". rumbaontheriver.com.
- ^ Philip Sweeney (January 19, 1999). "Obituary: Pepe Kalle". The Independent. Retrieved September 30, 2019.