Tanya Stevens-At home in a man’s world

As reggae dancehall continues to take over mainstream record charts, the world is coming to know its riddimatic reflection of the young male Jamaican mind. Reggae is a man’s world. And singer/deejay [reggae rapper] Tanya Stephens is that rare outta order gal pickney who’s proved to the dancehall frat that she’s meant for more than decorating men’s rhymes with smooth background harmonies. Gangsta Blues, Tanya’s fifth CD (VP Records), is raw, rebellious, and authentic, confirming her position at the top of the dancehall game with a vivid display of her wide-ranging musical imagination and keen wordplay. Whether spouting hardcore racy rhymes, insightful political statements, or crooning heart-tugging romantic fables, only gutsy power bolts come from the throat of this giant talent.

Vivienne Tanya Stephenson’s career kicked off like so many others, free-styling with her crew on the corner. As the second to last of seven kids, her musical influences were determined by “whatever everyone in the house was listening to.” It was a mixed bag, including Smoky Robinson, Buddy Holly & the Crickets, American R&B, her mother’s “suggestive calypsonians, like Kitchner and Sparrow. That helped me develop wit,” Tanya recalls. “I discovered what they were talking about at a real early age.” Singing on the mic at local sound system dances completed her musical education and it wasn’t long before she recorded her first track, ‘93’s “Is This For Real.” Included in producer Barry O’Hare’s Further East compilation, the tune announced the presence of a certified maverick within a business heavily populated by musical mavericks. “O’Hare’s really a musician, more melodic and musical,” says Tanya of the Ochie-based producer. “If I had gone to Kingston first, I’d have just have jumped on a riddim.” O’Hare produced her first album, 94’s Big Tings A Gwan, which set off a string of boomshots - the title track, “Love How Your Body Tan,” “Kick Way,” and “I Bet You Miss Me” - and established Tanya’s as an aggressive competitor armed with a gorgeous, rhythmic alto and a scathing wit.

Daughter, Kelly, arrived the same year, but motherhood was a motivation, not a hindrance. Tanya’s next CD, 1997’s Too Hype - a compilation of Tanya’s hit singles and new tracks that were actually demos, ”slipped” past her stringent quality control as it was released without her consent “and I couldn’t find the producer.” Yet it contained initial recordings of “Goggle” and “Yuh Nuh Ready (Fe this Yet)” - hilarious yet commanding statements of female sexual empowerment. Tanya had more input for 1998’s Rough Rider, a goldmine of hits that yielded “119,” “Part-time Lover” (a bow to Stevie Wonder but entirely Tanya’s), “Think It Over,” “Man Fe Rule,” and “Draw Fe Mi Finger.” For the writer/singer of tunes like “Big Ninja Bike,” an exuberant deflation of men who don’t deliver on sexual promises. Tanya is about “trying to bridge the gap between men and women and puncture the myth that it’s a man’s world,” she explains, adding “I have no problem being a woman - I love it.”

Tanya’s latest effort, Gangsta Blues, produced by her work partner, Andrew Henton, and released on VP Records - were culled from an extended creative explosion that followed her return from 3 tepid years in Sweden (1998-2001), where she recorded alternative rock tracks for Warner Sweden. “I missed dancehall so much that since I came back, I’ve been in the studio every day, asking everyone `Don’t you have a riddim?’” Tanya says. “It’s like therapy. I developed a lot more appreciation for the freedom of dancehall. It can be a bit tiring with the same topics - sexual limitations and gay bashing - but they’re opening now to more topics.”
VP Records

IT’S A PITY-WATCH VIDEO

Amani Delivers Immense Excitement

Last Saturday night, the place to have been was the Blue Nile Restaurant.

I got there around 11:30 p.m, psyched,excited and awaiting the performance of the night by Amani. A Kisima Award winner, Amani is the top female artist in E. Africa and most popularly known for her hit singles, “Bad boy, Ninanoki andMissing ma Baibe”. When I got to Bue Nile, Dj KV was playing Zinazopendwa, old school African music, whichmy friends and I slowly danced to as we reminisced with each passing song.

DJ Chris then took over and played someKenyan music with a mix of reggae. Though the dance floor was not necessarilyfilled up, those of us dancing were really into the music and were fully enjoyingit.

Blade Brown and Baraka got onto the stageand performed a few songs. By this time, DJ Dan was at the turn tables mixingit up for the artists. With much emotion and passion, Blade Brown urged theaudience to participate in his performance and delivered quite a remarkableact. After a short break, the show stopper of the night, Amani, dressed in aturquoise dress that highlighted her beautiful figure, got on the stage singing.

The crowd, eager and anticipating herperformance unanimously screamed in glee and excitement. She did not disappoint,singing and enticing the audience with her dance moves and melodic voice.Amani, entertaining and highly energetic, carried the crowd and delivered songafter song.

She sang, she danced, she communicated,joked with the audience and invited a few of them on the stage with her. Herspace was everyone’s space and she made all feel included. Performing a few ofher songs from her new album Tamani, Amani brought out her soulful voice andfun side with her music. She kept the audience captivated and entertainedthrough the night.

With cameras flashing everywhere and peoplereaching out to touch her, Amani’s celebrity status was obvious but did not getto her as she signed copies of her CD and took pictures with many of her fansat the end of the night. Exhausted, worn out and done for the night, Amanistill managed to talk and laugh with her fans, nonchalant and accommodating oftheir needs.

The concert was presented by George “Jojo” Ndegeof Kilimanjaro Entertainment.

Helen Kinuthia , Mshale News

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Koffi Olomide

Antoine Koffi Olomide, who is also known by a plethora of other names such as Large Degaire, Akram Bourge, Gralibane Maji, Le Grande Mopao, Le Shakespeare Du Zaire, Nkolo Lupemba , Mokonzi etc etc, is arguably the most talented African singer , producer and composer of the 1990s..

He has dominated music charts across the continent and abroad with a combination of his deep baritone voice, which barely caresses the microphone , sophisticated arrangements , blending old school rumba and smooth keyboard melodies as well as a searing guitar climax. His compositions are classy and appeal to a wide spectrum of fans worldwide. His songs delve deep into a wide variety of topics including love , politics, technology and even religion. In each song he discusses his feelings about such diverse topics while expressing confused feelings about mythical beasts and dream like fantasies. Names of famous people like Bill Gates , Silvio Berlusconi , Saddam Hussein and even George Weah are mentioned. Indeed He himself said you have to understand the words to fully appreciate his songs. More so , he has a keen sense of fashion and extensive sapeur wardrobe as well as a personality to match.

While on tour He is accompanied by his 18 piece band : Quartier Latin which consists of a bevy of talented musicians and his dancers fondly referred to as the Koffiettes. He has wowed fans in Africa , Europe and North America with his stage presence , and his ability to turn heads and create a raucus. Multitudes of fans follow him wherever he performs creating record attendance figures. He is now firmly entrenched as one of the most popular performers ever in South Africa following a brilliant performance there in 1998. More recently ,He performed at the Olympia in Paris. Tabu Ley is the only other African musician to have performed there. A new album and video “Olympia live ” with his live performance at the venue has been released.

All his success has not been without a downside. He has found himself at odds with he powers that be in Congo. Certain lyrics in his album La Loi were interpreted as a veiled criticism of the Kabila regime. He is also said to have been arrested for hosting the son of the late Zairean dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. During a tour in Cameroun a few years ago He is said to have left the country cursing and swearing never to return. Three years ago in Kampala He refused to ride in a Limousine because it had no air conditioning. The fact that he has emerged from all this unscathed is a measure of his immense popularity .

He was born in Kinshasa ,Congo in 1958. His father was Congolese while his mother was from Sierra Leone, West African , which explains his name. He was born into a family where education took precedence above everything else. He has earned a bachelors degree in Economics and a masters in Mathematics from the University of Paris. While pursuing his academic goals he honed his musical talent with a guitar which he borrowed from a neighbour. He commenced his musical career as a songwriter. In the late 1970s he joined Papa Wemba’s band Viva La Musica. Here He learned his vocal and stage techniques. He launched his solo career in the mid 80s and has turned out to be one of the biggest success stories in African music.

Koffi, though well known in Zaire was virtually uknown outside Zaire before the 1990s. Then came albums like Papa Bonheurre and Elle et Moi and Koffi was sudenly a hot commodity all over Africa. The slower types of Rhumba which were in decline since the era of TPOK Jazz and Afrisa ended were now back in fashion thanks to Koffi and his Quartier Latin. Since then His discography has continued to expand. He has continued to release one hit after the next while being faithful to his self proclaimed Tcha Tcho style. Tcha Tcho is a slower , more sensuos kind of Soukous . In the early 90s came albums like Noblese Oblige and Magie and Koffi appeared to be going from strength to strength as his popularity shot straight through the roof. In 1995 He released his most succesful album , V12. The following year He collaborated with one of his mentors Papa Wemba to produce the album Wake Up . Then came the controversial La Loi which sold widely largely due to its controversial nature. In 1998 He collaborated with Bana Ok Legend, Josky kiambukuta to produce the album Ngounda . Just the thought of those two legends collaborating on a CD sent millions of music fans flocking to music stores to buy the album. And they were not dissapointed. The combination of Koffi’s smooth baritone and Josky’s effervescent vocal skills made the CD a worthwhile investement by any account. Towards the late nineties, he changed to the more vigorous and dancable “Ndombolo” dance style which has taken the continent by storm , to the point where He is now referred to in some circles as the King of “Ndombolo “. This brand of music has come under criticism amid charges that it is obscene, and has been banned in Mali and Cameroun among other countries . This did not stopped Koffi who has taken Ndombolo to new heights with albums such as Droit de Veto and Attentat , released at the dawn of the new millenium.

In late 1999 Koffi faced what proved to be his biggest setback yet : After a concert staged in Paris , He had a disagreement with several members of his band who then decided to quit the band and form their own band which they aptly named Quartier Latin Academia. Among the stalwarts who left the band were Modogo Sam, Lebou Kabuya , and Suzuki. It is rumoured that they were disgruntled at not getting a fair share of the band’s earnings. Koffi has also been at odds with several Zairean musicians many of whom accuse him of being arrogant, while He accuses him of jealousy. The most notable of these is Papa Wemba who launched a scathing attack on Koffi in one of his albums Mzee Fula Ngege . Koffi responded to the attacks in his album Attentat . The biggest question on his fan’s minds is Will he continue his success into the new millenium or will this defection spell the beginning of his decline. However, Koffi once again confounded critics when his album Attentat which he released immediately after the defection was a major success.

In 2001, Koffi and Quartier Latin released two more albums, Force de Frappe and Effrakata . In addition, Koffi embarked on his first ever tour of the US. The tour was however marred by poor organization , leading to fan disencchantment in some cases. Nevertheless Koffi and Quairtier Latin gave some scintillating performances.

Effrakata was a widely succesful album and signalled Koffi’s triumpahnt return to Tcha Tcho. It was a double disc album featuring 8 songs on each disc. The majority of the songs in the album are irresistible ballads, featuring refreshing choruses and excellent vocals from Koffi, Fally Ipupa , Soleil ,Gipson and Bouro Mpela who makes a happy return to the band. Fally in particular is outstanding with his golden tenor voice which is reminiscent of the late Djo Mpoyi of TPOK Jazz. The string section of Binda Bass, Felly Tyson and Ramazani provide excellent rythms and irresistible sebene’s. Indeed This album is a triumph for Koffi Olomide and signalled that the band had finnaly recovered from the 1999 debacle when most of the key band members left.

To further add to his problems, many will recall the humiliation Koffi suffered when his limousine was flagged down in Kinshasa by security personnel in 2001. He defied the order, but they later caught up with him, pulled him out of his Mercedes Compressor and allegedly flogged him in public.

However, Koffi put the setbacks behind and set out to rebuild his career. He recruited new musicians, including General Defao’s long-time associate Montana Kamanga, and went on to eclipse everybody else at last year’s Kora Awards, emerging Africa’s leading musician. At the Kora awards of 2002, he won a record 4 awards including one for Best African artiste. It sent a clear message to many of his detractors who claimed his career was on the decline after being deserted by 12 of his band members.

In 2003 he embarked on yet another tour of Europe. with the highlight being a show at the Zenith Hall in Paris, where he launched his latest album Affaire D’etat on April 12. And classic Koffi style he dubbed himself “Quadra Kora Man”, in reference to the 4 awards he won.

Desparate to make up for the fiasco that was his 2001 tour of North America, Koffi returned to the US in June of 2003. The tour takes in 12 cities. This time the performaces were scintillating and received rave reviews.

Article extracted from africasounds.com