Pepe Kalle
Encyclopedia
Pepe Kalle was a soukous
singer, musician
and bandleader
from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. Pepe Kalle was born Kabasele Yampanya in Kinshasa
(then Léopoldville), but later assumed the name of his mentor, Grand Kalle
.
With a multi-octave
vocal range
and a dynamic stage presence, the 190 cm (6 feet 3 inches) and 136 kg (300 pound) vocalist recorded more than three hundred songs and twenty albums during his two decade-long career. Known affectionately as "the elephant of African music" and "La Bombe Atomique", Kalle entertained audiences with his robust performances.
His musical career started with African Jazz, the band of Grand Kalle. He later become the lead singer of Lipua Lipua, where he sung alongside Nyboma Mwandido
. In 1972, Kalle along with Dilu Dilumona and Papy Tex, left Lipua Lipua to form their own band named Empire Bakuba
. Empire Bakuba took its name from a Congolese warrior tribe, and it pointedly incorporated rootsy rhythms from the interior, sounds that had long been sidelined by popular rumba. The band was an instant hit, and together with Zaiko Langa Langa
they became Kinshasa
's most popular youth band. With hits such as Pepe Kalle's Dadou and Papy Tex's Sango ya mawa, the band was a constant fixture on the charts. They also created a new dance, the kwassa kwassa
.
On their tenth anniversary in 1982, the band was voted Zaire's top group. Throughout the early 1980s, Empire Bakuba continued to tour extensively while releasing no less than four albums a year. By the mid eighties, they had a large following throughout Francophone
Central and West Africa. His 1986 collaboration with Nyboma labelled Zouke zouke was one of the years top selling albums. But it was his second collaboration with Nyboma, Moyibi (1988), which launched his popularity throughout Africa.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kalle 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
footballer, is a classic example of this arrangement.
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, Pepe Kalle's popularity continued to soar in the nineties as he released albums like Gigantafrique, Larger than life and Cocktail. He also collaborated with other legends like Lutumba Simaro and Nyoka Longo.
Pepe Kalle died of a heart attack in November 1998.
Soukous
Soukous is a dance music genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa...
singer, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. Pepe Kalle was born Kabasele Yampanya in Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
(then Léopoldville), but later assumed the name of his mentor, Grand Kalle
Grand Kalle
Joseph Kabasele Tshamala , popularly known as Le Grand Kalle, was a Congolese singer and bandleader, considered the father of modern Congolese music...
.
With a multi-octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
and a dynamic stage presence, the 190 cm (6 feet 3 inches) and 136 kg (300 pound) vocalist recorded more than three hundred songs and twenty albums during his two decade-long career. Known affectionately as "the elephant of African music" and "La Bombe Atomique", Kalle entertained audiences with his robust performances.
His musical career started with African Jazz, the band of Grand Kalle. He later become the lead singer of Lipua Lipua, where he sung alongside Nyboma Mwandido
Nyboma
Nyboma is one of the most celebrated Soukous musicians in the world. Nyboma Mwan'dido was born in Zaire ....
. In 1972, Kalle along with Dilu Dilumona and Papy Tex, left Lipua Lipua to form their own band named Empire Bakuba
Empire Bakuba
Empire Bakuba is an influential soukous band that formed in Zaire in 1972, founded by popular singer Pepe Kalle. The name of the band refers to the Bakuba Kingdom; it is sometimes reported as Empire Bakuba du Grand Kalle, in honor of Grand Kalle, the "father of Congolese music", who was also Pepe...
. Empire Bakuba took its name from a Congolese warrior tribe, and it pointedly incorporated rootsy rhythms from the interior, sounds that had long been sidelined by popular rumba. The band was an instant hit, and together with Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa
Zaiko Langa Langa are a seminal soukous band from DR Congo. The word "Zaiko" is a portmanteau for the lingala phrase Zaire ya bankoko, meaning "Zaire of our ancestors", where "Zaire" must be read as a reference to the river by that name, now called Congo...
they became Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
's most popular youth band. With hits such as Pepe Kalle's Dadou and Papy Tex's Sango ya mawa, the band was a constant fixture on the charts. They also created a new dance, the kwassa kwassa
Kwassa kwassa
Kwassa kwassa is a dance rhythm from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that started in the 1970s where the hips move back and forth while the hands move to follow the hips. It was very popular in Africa in the late 1980s. The words kwassa kwassa may have come from the French quoi ça?...
.
On their tenth anniversary in 1982, the band was voted Zaire's top group. Throughout the early 1980s, Empire Bakuba continued to tour extensively while releasing no less than four albums a year. By the mid eighties, they had a large following throughout Francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
Central and West Africa. His 1986 collaboration with Nyboma labelled Zouke zouke was one of the years top selling albums. But it was his second collaboration with Nyboma, Moyibi (1988), which launched his popularity throughout Africa.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kalle fused elements of the fast paced version of soukous
Soukous
Soukous is a dance music genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa...
produced in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
studios. His 1990 album, Roger Milla
Roger Milla
Roger Milla is a retired Cameroonian footballer who played as a striker. He was one of the first African players to be a major star on the international stage...
, a tribute to the exploits of the great Camerounian
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
footballer, is a classic example of this arrangement.
In 1992 the band faced its first major calamity when Emoro, the band's dancing dwarf, died while on tour in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. Despite this setback, Pepe Kalle's popularity continued to soar in the nineties as he released albums like Gigantafrique, Larger than life and Cocktail. He also collaborated with other legends like Lutumba Simaro and Nyoka Longo.
Pepe Kalle died of a heart attack in November 1998.