Samba Mapangala is a Congolese singer and bandleader who has spent most of his five-decade musical career in Kenya, where he notably created and led Virunga, which has been one of the most popular bands in East Africa for more than 35 years.
He was born in
Matadi, in what is now the
Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
. He moved to
Kinshasa
Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...
, where he finished secondary school, in the early 1970s (or in 1977 according to one source, but that year is contradicted by other information in the same and other sources).
After finishing school he was a member of several 1970s Kinshasa bands: he sang with Super Tukina who recorded his first hit, "Satonge," then he joined Super Bella Bella alongside Jean Bosco and Mongoley, a guitarist formerly of Orchestre Lipua Lipua, and he also played with Bariza and Saka Saka.
Mapangala moved to
Uganda
Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
in 1975 where he and some other Congolese musicians formed the Les Kinois band. They moved to
Nairobi
Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
in 1977. He formed a new band, the Orchestra Virunga, in 1981. The band is named after
Virunga volcano located in Congo.
Orchestra Virunga released their first album, ''It's Disco Time with Samba Mapangala'' in 1982. In the early 1990s the group gained some international popularity through album releases like ''
Virunga Volcano'' and ''Feet on Fire''.
He has continued to record, and is still one of the leading musicians in East Africa. He is now based in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Mapangala began performing with the Occidental Brothers Dance Band International in the fall of 2009.
Mapangala is considered one of the golden era of Kenyan
Lingala music acts alongside
Les Mangelepa,
Baba Gaston and
Super Mazembe.
At the 2004
Tanzania Music Awards, his album ''Ujumbe'' was nominated in the best African Album category.
Discography
;Albums
* ''It's Disco Time with Samba Mapangala'' (1982)
* ''Mabiala'' (1983)
* ''Evasion, vol. 2'' (1983)
* ''Malako'' (1984)
e-release of "Disco Time"* ''Safari'' (1988) (Kenyan cassette)
* ''Vunja Mifupa'' (1989) (CBS Kenya IVA 071, cassette)
* ''Paris-Nairobi'' (1990) (European cassette)
* ''
Virunga Volcano'' 1990 (Earthworks, CD)
e-release of "Malako"/"Disco Time" / plus 2 songs* ''Feet On Fire'' (1990
or 1991)(Stern's Africa STCD 1036, CD)
* ''Karibu Kenya'' (1995) (Sun Music, CD)
* ''Vunja Mifupa'' (1997) (Lusam 01, CD)
* ''Song and Dance'' (2006"]
* ''Ujumbe'' (2001) (Stern's / Earthworks STEW43CD)
* ''Virunga Roots Volume 1'' (2004) (Samba Mapangala)
* ''Virunga'' or '' Samba Mapangala In Paris'' (?)
enyan cassette, 4 songs from "Virunga Roots Volume 1"* ''Song and Dance'' (2006) (Virunga Records)
* ''African Classics: Samba Mapangala & Virunga'' (2008) (Sheer Sound)
* ''Live on Tour'' (2009)
* ''Maisha Ni Matamu (Life Is Sweet)'' (2011)
;Contributing artist
*''
The Rough Guide to the Music of Kenya and Tanzania'' (1996) (
World Music Network)
References
External links
Virunga records
Relevant literature
* Rosenberg, Aaron L. "Making the case for popular songs in East Africa: Samba Mapangala and Shaaban Robert." ''Research in African Literatures'' (2008): 99-120.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mapangala, Samba
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
People from Matadi
Democratic Republic of the Congo emigrants to the United States
Kenyan emigrants to the United States
Democratic Republic of the Congo musicians