Koffi Olomide Takes A Selfie

Koffi Olomide was Congolese music royalty in the 1990s, making hit after hit with his excellent band Quartier Latin and popularizing a unique style of <em>ndombolo </em>dance music. He's back with a new single and video called "Selfie." It is a joyful comeback, complete with slinky, classic '90s-style <em>ndombolo </em>and <em>seben</em> grooves, tons of sunglasses, musical stops coinciding with camera clicks and exaggerated poses, tablet group-selfies, and a goofy dancer in purple suspenders dancing with a selfie-stick. Many Congolese music fans agree that Koffi's music and image have declined steadily over the past 20 years. Is this classic '90s<em>-</em>style song and creative video an effort to regain relevance in swiftly changing times? Or a hilarious parody of the narcissism of selfie-mania? Or both? If you understand Lingala and you watched this video, let us know your opinion on Twitter at @afropopww. <iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9fYV6ul5Mrc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> While he has definitely maintained a place for himself in Congolese pop music throughout the 2000s, Koffi lost many fans due to various controversies. He has been called out for self-aggrandizing gestures, for example referring to himself as the Pope; he went to trial in 2012 for beating up one of his producers; his European concerts were boycotted by protesters, known as <em>combattants</em>,<em> </em>who view Olomide as the mouthpiece of Congolese president Kabila; he was accused of raping and sequestering his own dancers in France; some Congolese music fans complained of moral corruptness in his videos, music and lifestyle in general. For more, see <a href="http://www.rfimusic.com/news-music/congolese-rumba/album/20120327-koffi-olomide-drc-abracadabra" target="_blank">this article from RFI in 2012.</a> A recent example of his posturing and "moral corruptness" is <a href="https://youtu.be/eQZ6zc8ZJ_0" target="_blank">the booty-worshiping, gun-toting advertisement</a> Koffi filmed for his brand new, four disc, 39-track album <em>13iéme Apôtre. </em>The title translates as "13th Apostle." The blasphemy continues, and we are enjoying every minute of it! &nbsp;