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The music of Cameroon has a diversity similar to that of its geography and culture: Makossa from Douala, Bikutsi from the Centre Province, Makassi and Tchamassi from the West... Although these modern electric music styles were influenced by latin and congolese music, they are nontheless rooted in various traditional rhythms. Also, the influence of christian chorals can sometimes be heard in the way of singing.
From early contributors as Lobe Lobe, Ebanda Manfred and Nelle Eyoum, music developed differently in Douala and Yaoundé. In Douala, makossa emerged from a traditional Douala rhythm, in Yaoundé balafon based bands such as the Richard Band de Zoétélé were popular. Other Cameroonian music styles are even more rooted in traditional rhythms, such as the Asiko, a folkoric rhythms of the Bassa people, the Ambasse Bey, and the Mangambêu. The Makossa style has been the most successful, and is internationally known through Manu Dibango's Soul Makossa, although his music is more fusion and jazzy derivation of pure makossa.

Makossa remained popular at least until the end of the 1980s. The 1990s brought about more (and renewed) attention for bikutsi music (due to changing political circumstances) from the Yaoundé area, but also the Bend Skin from the West. From the second half of the 1990s on, the Cameroonian music scene felt the competition of the Congolese ndombolo vague. Since then, makossa music can be considered as a music style in crisis, but new talents have made their appearance.

Click below for more info on Cameroonian stars:

Abakuya Chantal Ayissi Ali Baba Dina Bell
Moni Bilé Richard Bona Ben Decca Dora Decca
Grace Decca Devally Inac Manu Dibango Georges Dickson
Samy Diko Henri Dikongue Douleur Eboa Lotin (1942-1997)
Hoïgen Ekwalla Donny Elwood François Essindi Jean-Pierre Essome
Queen Etémé Viviane Etienne Prince Eyango Faadah Kawtal
K-Tino Koppo Lapiro de Mbanga Guy Lobé
Longuè Longuè Etienne Mbappé Coco Mbassi Mpandé Star
Francis Ndoumbe Kristo Numpuby Sally Nyolo Anne-Marie Nzié
Petit Pays Sergeo Polo Sam Fan Thomas Gino Sitson
André-Marie Tala Tonye Moussinga Wes Zélé le Bombardier

External links:
Francis Bebey (1929-2001)
Manu Katché
Bachot Muna
Other Cameroonian stars on the Afromix website

Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique:
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Burkina Faso... Côte d'Ivoire... Guinée... Mali... Sénégal... R.D. du Congo... Autres pays...

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