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LINGALA EZA MOKE SERIES (part 1)

 It's not long ago when a hitherto little-known artiste, Pitson released his single "Lingala ya Yesu" which was more of a parody on Congolese soukous than a gospel song. It was a hilarious and entertaining song but also quite misleading firstly because Lingala is a Language, not a genre of music and secondly, soukous as a genre is not defined by artistes' dressing and mannerisms but the style of music. But don't get me wrong, the song is quite well composed and entertaining. Is that not what we look for in a song?

In the song we find the following words sung by Pitson, "Waliniambia lingala poa nifunge mshipi juu ya tumbo. Na nijue kilingala eti “petit Lingala eza moke” (They told me in a good Lingala song, I have to tie the belt over the stomach. And I have to speak Lingala like, "Little, lingala is Little."). These words while obviously not true are a loose depiction of Congolese stereotype. Opulent dressing and extravagant lifestyle has characterized popular Congolese music for sometime now.


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