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The following artists are affiliated with Afrika
Yetu. Contact us for booking information:
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The WACONGO Dance
Company is a traditional ensemble of master drummers, musicians and dancers
from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who perform the ancestral songs and
dances of Central Africa. WACONGO’s artists have extensively toured Europe,
Asia and North and South America. WACONGO promotes African culture by presenting African arts to the public, especially schools, churches, neighborhood organizations and community forums. In its performances WACONGO explores music from 400 ethnic groups, including Luba, Mongo, Kongo, Mbala, Chokwe, Pende, Kuba, Mbunda and many more. |
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The Soukous Stars has been pleasing USA-based african music fans for the past several years and are currently the most interesting and authentic Congolese touring act based full-time in America. One glimpse at a sampling of Soukous Stars albums over the past decade and one theme is certainly evident - the band has hosted top session players and singers. Nyboma, Madilu, Yondo Sister, Dally Kimoko and others have all made their mark on this groups history. Luckily, the most recent incarnation of the band emphasis two of the more alluring elements of Congolese music. First, the band has several talented youthful recruits who perform the latest congolese grooves and dance crazes from Kinshasa. Second, the band veterans add a healthy dose of rumba congolaise including songs by Franco and featuring originals by Lokassa Ya Mbongo, Ngouma Lokito, Jirbo Ntunta and Chico Mawatu. |
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Shegue-Di is a singer, songwriter
and a multi-instrumentalist from Congo-Kinshasa, Central Africa. He performs
Reggae Nzaki – a fusion of traditional African elements, urban
sounds, reggae, spirituality and tradition along with elements of Western
pop.
Born in Kinshasa, he was raised in a community of musicians and began singing in a church at age 12. Songwriting became a way for Shegue-Di to express his emotions. He had a taste of being in the spotlight at that early age, when he played with his friends. He started playing his first guitar at age 19, with time he gravitated toward percussion to experiment with several traditional African sounds. He created a musical fusion that led him to found EMBOWASSA with childhood friends in 1983.After a series of success in Central Africa, they accepted an invitation to a festival in Brussels, Belgium where they recorded and released their first album Tuta Weza (Sowarex) in 1992. The following year would prove to be Shegue-Di’s year. In 1983, they became recipients of French Cultural Center award in Kinshasa, the Best Band at the Festival of Kinshasa and he won the prize of the Best Singer. The word that describes him best is "Versatility." He is an inescapable presence in every major facet of Afropop music since the early 90’s. His recording with EMBOWASSA helped rejuvenate the Congolese tradition of Rumba music in Congo. The experience alone made Shegue-Di a staple of "African Urban Fusion Music" on radios all over Central Africa. His song "Tshanga" from the album Tuta Weza was licensed by Putumayo (USA) in 1995 for the compilation The Best of World Music. Yet his considerable success was eclipsed by his songwriting for other artists and his 10-year collaboration as a bass player, singer and percussionist with his brother, Lokua Kanza. However, the 10 years next to his talented brother had him performed at the most prestigious venues such as Olympia, Zenith, the omni-Sport Stadium of Bercy in Paris-France, Central Park in New York City, and the Festival of Montreal in Canada. He successfully toured Africa, Europe, Asia, Brazil, Japan and the USA. His talent linked him with some of the biggest stars, Nougaro (France), Morane (Belgium) and Sara Tavarez (Portugal) Shegue-Di sings in his native Lingala & Swahili and occasionally in English and French. Playing a highly infectious music, he is constantly expending his audience and he says "worry not, life will fix it somehow, someday"
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Soleil Diva is a entertainer with a unique blend of soulful vocals and swing beats that sooth the soul of the listeners. She commands a resonant voice that bridges the gap between the singer and the listener on the inspiration of love and faith. Soleil's voice influences and inspires melodies that trigger an upbeat in her listeners' own spirits. Throughout her music career, Soleil has succeeded in creating songs that appeal to the heart with impassioned rhythmics to bind her emotions with those that adore her music.
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Dynamq love for music came from attending sunday
schools and also singing just for the sake of it, As a young kid, Dynamq &
his family fled the war in Sudan & moved to Nairobi Kenya, around when his
mother was hospitalized due to a plane crash that happened to her in Sudan.
Growing up in Kawangware in Nairobi Kenya was not easy for Dynamq's family,
It was one of the worst Ghetto areas in Nairobi/Kenya. To stay out of
trouble, Dynamq played Football (soccer) and sang at stage shows hosted by
local sound systems around his area. With his strong full of vibe voice, He
always had the crowd want more, he has often been compared to various reggae
artists as "Sanchez, Wayne Wonder & Singing Melody". His first big stage
show was at age 14 at the 1996 King Lions Sounds "Rasta Festival" held at
the City Hall in Nairobi kenya, At this point that's when Dynamq took the
Music thing serious. Even though soccer is his first love, music is more
than anything that he could explain"
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