This Is Africa

Koffi Olomide was born in August, 1956 in Kisangani (DRC) to a Congalese father and a mother from Sierra Leone. He was a bright student and earned a scholarship to study in France where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in Business Economics and a Masters Degree in Mathematics. Upon his return to Congo in the 1970's he joined Papa Wemba's band, Viva la Musica, at first as a composer and song-writer, and later as a vocalist and lead singer.

In 1986, Koffi formed his band, Quartier Latin. Since then, he has performed and recorded both with the group and as a solo artist and he grew to become one of Congo's most popular musicians. Koffi popularized the slower style of soukous, which he called tcha tcho. Koffi received four Kora Awards after releasing his album 'Effrakata' at the annual Kora Awards in South Africa in 2002, including the award for Best African Artist. In 2005 he got the Kora Award for Best African Artist of The Decade.

GENRE: Soukous
COUNTRY: DR Congo

WEBSITE: http://www.myspace.com/mopaomokonzi