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Kizomba
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Kizomba
is one of the most popular styles of dance and
music in the lusophone African countries. Sung
in Portuguese or Portuguese creole, it is a genre
of music with a romantic flow mixed with African
rhythm. The kizomba dancing style is also known
to be very sensual.
Kizomba is native to Angola, with influences from
other Lusophone countries. It is also performed
in other lusophone African countries and Portugal.
It is known for having a slow, insistent, somewhat
harsh, yet sensuous rhythm, and is considered
to be a fusion of semba (a predecessor of samba)
with other musical styles, namely Zouk. It is
ideally danced accompanied by a partner, very
smoothly and slowly, though not too tightly. A
rather large degree of flexibility in the knees
is required, owing to the frequent requirement
that dancers bob up and down in a manner reminiscent
of a music-hall policeman.
The influence of Angolan kizomba is felt in most
Portuguese Africa, but also Portugal (mostly in
Lisbon and surrounding suburbs such as Amadora
or Almada), where communities of immigrants have
established clubs centered on the genre in a renewed
kizomba style. Kizomba is now also quite popular
among white people that come to these clubs in
growing numbers.
In Angola most clubs are based in Luanda. Famous
Angolan kizomba musicians include Don Kikas, Calo
Pascoal and Irmãos Verdade, among many
others, but Bonga is probably the best known Angolan
artist, having helped popularize the style both
in Angola and Portugal during the 1970s and 1980s.
Source: Wikipedia |
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Semba
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Semba
is a traditional type of music from the Southern-African
country of Angola. Semba is the predecessor to
a variety of music styles originated from Africa,
of which three of the most famous are Samba (from
Brazil), Kizomba (Angolan style of music comparable
to Zouk music) and Kuduro (or Kuduru, energetic,
fast-paced Angolan Techno music, so to speak).
Barceló de Carvalho, the Angolan singer
popularly known as Bonga, is arguably the most
successful Angolan artist to popularize Semba
music internationally; it generally being categorised
as World music.
The subject matter of Semba is often a cautionary
tale regarding day-to-day social events and activities,
usually sung in a witty rhetoric. Through Semba
music, the artist is able to convey a broad spectrum
of emotions. It is this characteristic that has
made Semba the premiere style of music for a wide
variety of Angolan social gatherings. Its versatility
is evident in its inevitable presence at funerals
and, on the other hand, many Angolan parties.
Semba is very much alive and popular in Angola
today as it was long before that country's independence
from the Portuguese colonial system on November
11, 1975. Various new Semba artists emerge each
year in Angola, as they render homage to the veteran
Semba masters, many of whom are still performing.
Source: Wikipedia |
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Kuduro
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Kuduro
(or Kuduru) is a type of music from Angola.
It is mostly influenced by Sungura, Afro Zouk
(known as Kizomba natively), Semba and Ragga music
genres. It is characterized as uptempo, energetic,
and danceable.
The name itself is a word with a specific meaning
to location in the Kimbundu language, which is
native to the northern portion of Angola. It has
a double meaning in that it also translates to
"hard ass" or "stiff bottom"
in Portuguese, which is the official language
of Angola. Not surprisingly, Kuduro is also a
type of dance where, typically (like Ragga, some
forms of hiphop, and other afro-based musics)
the female dancer protrudes her derriere and swings
it sensuously to the rhythm of the hard-hitting
Kuduro beat.
Kuduro is very popular across the former Portuguese
colonies in Africa, as well as in the outskirts
of Lisbon, Portugal (namely Amadora), due to the
large number of Angolan immigrants. White Portuguese
often say Kuduro has racist lyrics against white
people, but this is mostly a myth caused by the
use of creole words that are often missunderstood.
The most well known in Kuduro is Angolan Helder
- Rei do Kuduro (King of Kuduro ). He is radicated
in Lisbon . Despite, Se Bem and Tony Amado are
Considered to be the creators of this musical
genre.
The Angolan musician Tony Amado is said to have
helped create the genre, upon meeting U.S. based
Ragga DJs. Some other known names in Kuduro are:
DJ Manya, DJ SL, DJ Davids, Helder - Rei do Kuduro,
Dog Murras, Tony Amado, DJ Nike, DJ João
Reis, DJ Beleza, DJ Joca Moreno, DJ Malvado, DJ
Amorim, DJ Paulo Jorge, DJ Baby T, Se Bem, Puto
Prata, Noite e Dia, Fofandó, among others.
The Kuduru movement was created in the suburbs
of Luanda in early 90's and now has become very
popular music among young people.
Source: Wikipedia |
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Hip-Hop
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Hip
hop (also spelled hip-hop or hiphop)
is both a music genre and a cultural movement
developed in urban communities starting in the
1970s, predominantly by African Americans.[1]
Coinage of the term hip hop is often credited
to Keith Cowboy, a rapper with Grandmaster Flash
& the Furious Five. Though Lovebug Starski,
Keith Cowboy, and DJ Hollywood used the term when
the music was known as disco rap, it is believed
that Cowboy created the term while teasing a friend
who had just joined the US Army, by scat singing
the words "hip/hop/hip/hop" in a way
that mimicked the rhythmic cadence of marching
soldiers.[2] Cowboy later worked the "hip
hop" cadence into a part of his stage performance,
which was quickly copied by other artists; for
example the opening of the song "Rapper's
Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang.[2] Afrika
Bambaataa is credited with first using the term
to describe the subculture that hip hop music
belongs to, although it is also suggested that
the term was originally derisively used against
the new type of music.
Since first emerging in New York City in the 1970s,
hip hop has grown to encompass an entire lifestyle
that consistently incorporates diverse elements
of ethnicity, technology, art and urban life.
Source: Wikipedia |
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Merengue
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Merengue
is a type of lively, joyful music and dance that
comes from the Dominican Republic. Merengue means
whipped egg whites and sugar in Spanish, similar
to the English word meringue. It is unclear as
to why this name became the name of the music
of the Dominican Republic. But, perhaps, can trace
its meaning from the movement on the dance floor
that could remind one of an egg beater in action.
This style of music was created by Ñico
Lora in the 1920s; however, it was promoted by
Rafael Trujillo, the president in the 1930s, and
eventually became the country’s national
music and dance style. World famous Merengue singers
include Miriam Cruz & Las Chicas Del Can,
Juan Luis Guerra, Wilfrido Vargas, Sergio Vargas,
Johnny Ventura, Kinito Mendez, Ravel, Josie Esteban
y la Patrulla 15, Pochy y su Cocoband, Fernando
Villalona,Cuco Valoy, The Freddie Kenton Orquestra,
Elvis Crespo and Conjunto Quisqueya. Other artists
popular in the Dominican Republic as of 2006 include
Julian, Toño Rosario, Aguakate, and Amarfis.
Milly Quezada is known as the Queen of Merengue.
Source: Wikipedia |
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