Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Pepe Bipoli

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Bipoli
(Congo-Kinshasa)

Back to Musiques d'Afrique
retour aux Musiques d'Afrique
Back to Musiques du Congo-Kinshasa

Bipoli (Pepe Bipoli, Bipoli Tshando) started as an animateur in Viva la Musica at the end of 1976. Soon, he gained massive popularity because of his wild animations and dancing. In 1978, he lead a defection to set up Kawara Musica but returned soon after.

With Viva la Musica, he penned successes as « Zengo », « Conseil Amisi » and « Ami Kapangala ». In 1982, he left with Kester Emeneya to form Victoria Eleison. In late 1983, he left for Choc Stars, came back, then left again, this time to create a group of his own the short lived Veritable Victoria Principal.

After this band folded he tried to return to both Viva la Musica and Victoria Eleison, making occasional appearances with both. He also involved musicians from both bands on his late 1980s' and early 1990s' Paris based solo works. Bipoli also collaborated with a number of the the Paris based Viva La Musica musicians on the pre Nouvelle Generation Comme à l'Ecole project. After a long absence, in 2004, Pepe Bipoli resurfaced with a solo album, on which he reinterpreted some of his old hits, such as « Kapangala », « Bosey » and « Zengo » alongside newer works.

Sources:
Vincent Luttman's Papa Wemba site.
Veritable Victoria Principal discography.

Born: 14 May 1955, as Yoka Loningisa
Style: Modern Congolese music / rumba.

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Nzété Ya Mbongo	2004	Esselta ESS-2045 / Atoll Music 9134 AT 900
Dans Engambe / Comme à l'Ecole	19??	BS 4854	LP
Dans Vivi Santa	19??	BP 1803	LP