Fally Ipupa N’simba (born December 14, 1977), known by his stage name Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist and producer. From 1999 until 2006, he was a member of Quartier Latin International, the music band formed in 1986 by Koffi Olomidé.
His first solo album was Droit Chemin released in 2006, which went on to sell over 100,000 units, and his second album Arsenal de Belles Melodies was released in 2009. In 2007, Fally Ipupa won the Kora Awards for Best Artist or Group from Central Africa.
In 2010, Fally Ipupa won the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 for Best Video for “Sexy Dance” and Best Francophone Artist. He won the urban awards for Best African Artist.
Fally Ipupa was nominated in the Best Live Act category at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2014. He released an album named Power “Kosa Leka” in 2013. Ipupa, who is also a noted guitar player, connected with audiences stateside with “Chaise Electrique”, a bilingual love song featuring former G-Unit singer Olivia.
Fally Ipupa Nsimba was born on December 14, 1977 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo in a large family. Having been raised in a Catholic family, he began singing in the church choir. In adolescence, he began his musical career in various small groups in Kinshasa, and in the mid-1990s his voice attracted attention and he eventually joined local groups, including “New City” or “New Covenant”. In the late 1990s, he joined the nationally recognized “Latent Talent”, with whom he recorded his first album.
Quartier Latin International
Main article: Quartier Latin International
In the late 1990s, a key meeting sealed the beginning of a musical ascension, when he joined Quartier Latin International founded by Koffi Olomide. Ipupa became “conductor of the orchestra”. Ipupa included his composition “Eternelement” in the Force de frappe album. He was also known for duets with Koffi Olomide in Effrakata specially the track “Effervescent” in 2001. As with many other Congolese stars, the public liked to have nicknames for artists and soon he was called “Di Caprio”, “Anelka” and “The Great One”. With success in the orchestra, he also promoted his own solo projects including his own album Droit Chemin,Arsenal des Belles mélodies , Power, Tokos and Control. He has been heavily involved in the planning of the commemoration of the band’s 30th anniversary, despite having quit the band in 2006.[8]
Solo career
In 2006, he released his first solo album Droit Chemin produced by David Monsoh Obouo of Music (known for his work with great names of African music such as Koffi Olomide, Papa Wemba, DJ Arafat and throwing Douk Saga and JetSet. He collaborated with Maddy Munan, Krys, Mokobé of 113 and Ben J of Neg ‘Marrons, including songs like Liputa, Orgasy and Sopeka emerging in the DR Congo and other parts of Africa. Its success is evident when he got a gold record for having sold more than 100,000 copies.
Fally received numerous awards and nominations: he won Césaire music male artist of the gear in Paris, two Black Music Awards for Male Artist of the Year, Best clip in Benin, Male Artist of the year in Ivory Coast. He was nominated in the category “Best Soukous Entertainer” to IRAMWA awards to United States and best artist in Central Africa at the Kora Awards . His successful solo career was started there; which involved concerts, tours and lectures. On April 7, 2007 the artist performed at the Olympia in Paris.
With his solo success, Ipupa had no plans to return to Quartier Latin International. However, in numerous interviews, he has admitted that he will always be part of the band. Koffi Olomide has not been happy that Ipupa continues to mention the band’s name while promoting his own productions.
Arsenal de Belles Melodies “A2BM” and Power “Kosa Leka”
Three years after the release of Droit Chemin (Straight Path), Ipupa released a second album of 16 tracks called Arsenal De Belles Melodies (French for “arsenal of beautiful melodies”) acronymed as “A2BM.”[9] It was the second album by Ipupa to be produced by David Monsoh. In this album, Olivia Longott, American singer (former member of G-Unit by 50 Cent ) was featured on the lead single Chaise Électrique and dancehall artist Krys was featured on ” Sexy Dance “for the second consecutive time after the success of “Droit Chemin Remix”. After the collaboration with singer Olivia, who has a huge fan base in Africa, Ipupa gained even more recognition in the continent and became one of Africa’s most sought after musicians.
He won his second gold drive through this album with over 100,000 copies sold, including 40,000 in one week, a record for a Congolese artist. On May 16, 2009, during “Creole Night”, an event organized by the group Kassav, Fally gives a moving performance and ignites the Stade de France filled with 90,000 people. The event also supported the group “LamusiK”. Fally and “LamusiK” worked on a project; “Young Star.” Fally booked a recital at the Zénith Paris on January 2, 2010, bringing together more than 6,000 people.
He has won numerous trophies, such as: 3 Ndule awards 2010 (“Best Album”, “Best Video” and “Best Song”), “Micro Gold”, “Best Artist Central Africa” in the Soundcity Music Video Awards (SMVA 2010), Double Mama in the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010, Best Francophone Artist, Best Music Video: “Sexy Dance”, four trophies in the Moamas Awards, two Okapi Awards 2011, appointed Nostalgies Music Awards 2012. He has also been nominated for numerous awards: MTV Europe Music Awards 2011, BET Awards 2011.
On Saturday June 11, 2011, he participated in the African Night at Stade de France with other African stars. He participated in solidarity with Haiti and Spread the Word.
On April 4, 2013, he launched into the market his third album Power “Kosa Leka” which contained 22 tracks. It was Ipupa’s last album to be produced by his now former producer and mentor David Monsoh. This album contained critically acclaimed songs such as “Bruce”, “Service”, “Terminator”, “1000% Mawa”, “Anissa”, “Skype”, “Love Assassin”, “Sony”, “Double Clic” “Kosa Leka” “Hustler is Back “, the R&B and hip hop song Sweet Life (La vie est belle), Ndoki, Oxygene, among others. Sweet Life (La vie est belle), is an R&B/ hip hop song, which is composed in a moderate tempo. It carries a stuttering beat which is accompanied by a slow-rolling and heavy bass-pumping groove with a guitar. The song marks the future musical direction of Ipupa.[12] A mix of melodic Congolese rumba and hip hop, it features Ipupa as the hard worker and hustler speaking about living a sweet life. Sweet Life (La vie est belle)” Remix features Congolese rapper Bigg masta G (Muana Mboka). The remix was posted by Ipupa, on his Facebook account.
Ipupa also collaborated with Bigg masta G (Muana Mboka) on the “Ndoki” remix. The instrumental for the remix was modified and parts of Ipupa’s vocals was cut out of the song and replaced by Bigg masta G’s rap parts. The official cover of the remix shows a dramatic thrilling image with the word “Ndoki” between Ipupa and Bigg masta G. Congolese rumba singer MJ30, Poison Mobutu & Mami Wata also made a remix of the song. On MJ30’s remix, Fally Ipupa’s vocals are completely excluded; instead, MJ30 herself sings the chorus.
The official video for the song “Ndoki” garnered more than 150,000 views on YouTube in less than a week (a record for a Congolese artist). His third album was deemed a success, seeing that it had sold over 30,000 copies in a month. May 14, 2013, Fally won the trophy for “Best African Artist” at the first edition of Trace Urban Music Awards.
Ipupa signed a contract for three albums (World Version) in April 2013 with Universal (Label AZ), the largest record company in the world. This signified the steady rise in the encompassing of African music by the label. Of particular note is the featuring of American rapper, Eve, in the track “Sex’plosif”, during the show Guest Star Trace TV in February 2013.
Ipupa participated in MTV Africa All Stars with nationally and internationally renowned artists such as Snoop Lion (formerly known as Snoop Dogg), 2Face Idibia, Flavour, among others in front of over 15,000 spectators on May 18, 2013 at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban. He also participated in the project “Doc Agric”, towards the development of good agricultural practices in Africa to ratings of several African artists D’banj and Tiken Jah Fakoly.[18]
On May 5, 2014, Ipupa posted his new title track “Original” on his Facebook page and YouTube channel. In the video, the singers Zouk Lynnsha and Fanny J are featured dancing to the song, as well as basketball player “OKC Thunder”‘s Serge Ibaka. This track includes scenes from Ipupa’s previous live shows in the African cities: Kinshasa, Brazzaville, Dakar, Douala, Abidjan, Luanda and others. The song’s rhythm highlights the folk style of African music, especially the Ecuador DRC music style. The song reached the milestone of 1 million views in three months on YouTube.The song is noted for revolutionizing ndombolo genre of music,which had been experiecing a slow decline due to emigration of Congolese artistes to Europe.
Fally Ipupa won the Best Artist category for Central Africa in the Afrimma Awards held in Dallas in July 2014. He then travelled to Washington, D.C. as part of the US-Africa Summit meeting, for which President Obama had invited 47 African leaders for the period August 4 to 6, 2014. According to the White House, this meeting was convened to strengthen ties between Africa and the United States. A dozen African artists were selected to attend, including Fally Ipupa, the only invited artist from Central Africa.
Tokooos, Control and Tokooos II
In July 2017, Ipupa released his fourth album Tokooos which is his first urban album. One year after his first urban album, he makes a comeback to the traditional Congolese rumba and Ndombolo with his fifth album Control released in November 2018.
On February 28, 2020, protesters started a demonstration against a concert by Fally Ipupa in Paris, accusing him of being close to the Democratic Republic of Congo authorities and to the newly elected Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi. The demonstrations had not been authorized by French police citing a “tense political context”. Some participants of the banned demonstration tried to stop the concert, with some protesters lighting fires around the Gare de Lyon station in Paris. French Police had to intervene and arrest 30 protesters and issued fines for dozens of others.
In December 2020, Ipupa released his sixth album Tokooos II which is his second urban album which contains 16 songs in the digital edition and 22 songs on physical edition.
Discography
