Gary Stewart, Rumba on the River: A History of the Popular Music of the Two Congos, Verso, London / New York, 2000, p. 308:
« As a result of Zaïre's failing economy and declining record sales, live performances took on greater importance. Stars' individual character and style could count for as much, perhaps more, than their music. The phenomenon of la sape, 'society of ambiancers and persons of elegance' (from the French les sapes, clothes or togs), appeared to spring in part from this development. Practitioners were called sapeurs. Nearly every young star – and soon many of their fans – joined in pursuing the fad. Sapeurs' predilection for European designer clothes flew in the face of authenticity [...]. La sape gave rise to a dance known as la griffe (the label). 'When you dance you have to show off the [clothing] label', Wemba explained. 'You can even take off your shoes to show the label on the shoes.' Wemba invented a dance called Firenze in honor of the fashion houses of Florence. »
Papa Wemba's 1983 song "Matebu" was the anthem of the sapeurs:
« As a result of Zaïre's failing economy and declining record sales, live performances took on greater importance. Stars' individual character and style could count for as much, perhaps more, than their music. The phenomenon of la sape, 'society of ambiancers and persons of elegance' (from the French les sapes, clothes or togs), appeared to spring in part from this development. Practitioners were called sapeurs. Nearly every young star – and soon many of their fans – joined in pursuing the fad. Sapeurs' predilection for European designer clothes flew in the face of authenticity [...]. La sape gave rise to a dance known as la griffe (the label). 'When you dance you have to show off the [clothing] label', Wemba explained. 'You can even take off your shoes to show the label on the shoes.' Wemba invented a dance called Firenze in honor of the fashion houses of Florence. »
Papa Wemba's 1983 song "Matebu" was the anthem of the sapeurs:
You'll grab these lyrics between 5:00 and 5:30 approximately.
« [Papa Wemba est] le prince, le "pape" de la SAPE, la Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes. Né au Congo à la fin des années 70, ce mouvement prend toute son ampleur au Zaïre, mais surtout auprès de la diaspora zaïro-congolaise à l'étranger et en particulier en France. La SAPE est un phénomène d'abord vestimentaire fondé sur une élégance flamboyante et exagérée. Fou de fringues, Papa Wemba est à la pointe de la mode et les grands couturiers européens et japonais n'ont pas de secret pour le chanteur. Les jeunes hommes s'empressent de se transformer en coquets dandys, et de suivre très précisément les codes particuliers de la SAPE, du choix de leurs chaussures à celui de la coupe de cheveux. Forme de rébellion anti-pauvreté et anti-déprime, la SAPE est aussi une façon de lutter contre la dictature de l'abacost, version locale du costume trois-pièces, et uniforme quasi-officiel des hommes sous le régime de Mobutu.» (http://papawembamwalimu.skyrock.com)
In 1986 Viva La Musica (in May) and Zaïko Langa Langa (in October) would travel to Japan and bring back to the soukous communities of Kinshasa, Paris and Brussels the craze for Japanese fashion deginers.
Massive Love To Japan!!!!!!!!
In the track by Viva La Musica, please also pay attention to the electronic drum hits. The trend of the time to spice up the 70s soukous sound with up to date electronic instruments can't help but make me think about the later Columbian DJ technique consisting in adding electronic bursts to the soukous tracks they played. Check this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRfTphbPV0w&feature=related but also this former post on our blog: http://m-u-s-i-c-c-i-t-y.blogspot.com/2010/03/picos-y-picoteros.html
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