Popular music
Côte d'Ivoire's independence in 1960 marked a distinct revival in Ivorian popular music. And this began on independence day itself, August 7, 1960, when the young Amédée Pierre (1937-2011) performed in concert for the first time in Treichville. Until theǹ, French variété́, Ghanaian highlife and Congolese rumba dominated the Ivorian musical landscape. But in just one evening, the man the whole country would soon dub the "dopé national" ("national nightingale" in Bété) would change all that. Composing in his mother tongue, Bété, he was the first to emancipate himself from the tutelage of the old power, mixing traditional rhythms with modern pop. Author of numerous albums, all of which were popular successes, in just a few years he became the "olêyê", the precursor who paved the way for specifically Ivorian songs and music. Saying goodbye to French or Spanish, the new stars sang in their mother tongue, usually in Bété or Dioula. One change led to another, as it was also at this time that women officially entered the Ivorian music industry with artists such as the Comoé Sisters, twin sisters of Baule origin discovered in the early 1960s by Ivorian Information Minister Mathieu Ekra (and co-author of Côte d'Ivoire's national anthem, L'Abidjanaise). True pioneers who paved the way for others (Aïcha Koné, Reine Pélagie, Chantal Taïba...), more numerous from the 1970s onwards.
And the 1970s saw the arrival of James Brown in Abidjan. This visit made a lasting impression on local youth, notably a certain Ernesto Djédjé (1947-1983), discovered by Amédée Pierre. Determined to revolutionize Ivorian music, he took an interest in both disco and rumba, while pursuing his "research music" that drew heavily on tradition. But it was Fela Kuti's Afrobeat, which he discovered during a stay in Nigeria, that really clicked. Shortly afterwards, Djédjé gave shape to his musical revolution by creating ziglibithy, a style inspired by the traditional sounds of West Côte d'Ivoire (notably tohourou, the oratorical art of sung poetry) to which the artist combined funk. Both a musical genre and a tradi-modern dance, ziglibithy conquered the country with the release of Ziboté in 1977, the genre's seminal album. Renowned as much for his glam-funk style and Afro sideburns as for his stage shows and swaying moves, the "national Gnoantré" is considered the inspiration behind two of the country's most important aesthetics: zouglou and coupé-décalé.
In the wake of their illustrious elder Ernesto Djédjé, several crooners with golden voices embodied the happy fusion of traditional music with the musical trends of the day (gospel, soul, funk, etc.). Among them was François Lougah, a monument of Ivorian song and an exceptional showman. Nicknamed "Papa National", he is considered́ one of the precursors of sape. Let's also mention Bailly Spinto, "the singer with the voice of a thousand and one octaves", "the man with the golden voice" or the "Bété nightingale", heavily influenced by religious singing and artists such as Otis Redding, Percy Sledge, Wilson Picket or Tom Jones. Before the wave of zouglou and its offshoot, coupé-décalé, flooded the world's airwaves, it was through reggae that Côte d'Ivoire nurtured its international reputation.
The reggae
Since 1982, Abidjan has been considered the world's third reggae capital, after Kingston and London. This was the year of the shock wave Brigadier Sabari ("Brigadier pardon!"). This song, written in Dioula by a young Rasta named Seydou Koné - alias Alpha Blondy - was the start of a long and prosperous career for the man who was to become an international icon, and marked the birth of African reggae, of which Ivorian singers would become the best ambassadors. A tool for raising awareness and denouncing the suffering of the people, this musical style has found Africa a particularly fertile ground for its development. While the hits of Alpha Blondy, the "Ivorian Marley", and his successor, the pan-Africanist prophet Tiken Jah Fakoly, have spread far beyond national borders, the local scene is extremely rich and dynamic, with many talented singers and groups. Infusing the whole of Ivorian society, reggae is not confined to the many dedicated venues in the economic capital, but is also played in maquis, bars, homes and cabs, and is broadcast on a massive scale across the country's airwaves. The genre is also celebrated at a major festival: the Abi Reggae Festival. In addition to concerts by international stars (Alpha Blondy, Kojo Antwi...), legendary bands and Jamaican artists (Third World, Morgan Heritage, Ky-Mani Marley), the Abi Reggae hosts themed conferences and symposia featuring many of the leading academics in reggae and the Rastafari movement (Helene Lee or Julius Garvey - son of the illustrious Marcus Garvey).
In addition to this major event, fans of the genre are like fish in water in Côte d'Ivoire. The country abounds in dedicated addresses, starting with the temple: Parker Place. Directly inspired by the Jamaican pubs of London, the place combines golden acoustics with the latest reggae trends. The ideal address for enjoying local and international talent. Another Cocody venue isAZK Live. In addition to its breathtaking view over the lagoon, this venue remains a benchmark for reggae in Abidjan, thanks to its well-crafted programming.
The zouglou and the coupé-décalé
Shortly after the reggae explosion, the economic recession of the 1980s gave rise to the first musical movement to unite all Ivorians: zouglou. The response of a disenchanted youth to the turbulent end of Houphouët's reign, this music of social and political protest is characterized by lyrics of bittersweet irony and a tendency to humor and self-mockery. An innovative genre made by and for young people, zouglou is inspired in particular by tohourou (also one of Ernesto Djédjé's musical references) andaloukou (a traditional Bété dance accompanied by percussion ensembles), which were very popular in the 1960s-1970s. Musically, zouglou is based on a style of singing known as "ambiance facile" or "wôyô", set to the rhythm of hand-clapping and drumming on makeshift supports such as metal scrapers, empty bottles, crates or drums. From 1990 onwards, the zouglou movement, relayed by students, took on a clearly protesting tone, with young people finding it an ideal platform for participation in public debate, as well as a direct means of addressing the authorities. If you're wondering who the stars of zouglou are, you might be familiar with them: Magic System. These "Old Fathers" of zouglou - who had a resounding success in France in the early 2000s - enjoy a stainless sympathy capital, even if some purists accuse them of making music for "benguistes" ("French"). Extremely influential in the country, Magic System remain a great source of national pride and are very involved in good works through their foundation. In addition to the "old fathers", other important names in the genre include Didier Bilé, self-proclaimed "king of zouglou", and Les Garagistes, authors of Tapis rouge, THE classic of the genre.
If Magic System was the first to contribute to the internationalization of Ivorian music, today even those who have never been to Côte d'Ivoire know or have heard of coupé-décalé. A key element of "Ivoirité", paradoxically born in Paris (in the early 2000s) among the Ivorian diaspora, coupé-décalé is now one of the country's national monuments, and its icon DJ Arafat a legend.
Among the constellation of venues dedicated to "enjailment", one of the most emblematic is L'Internat. Nicknamed the "Temple of Zouglou", the place is a popular party space and a real plunge into the heart of the Ivorian soul. It's an experience similar to what you might experience at PAM's. More than just a live bar, PAM's is an institution, a state of mind and a benchmark for live music in Abidjan. A great address for zouglou and coupé-décalé. The 40/40 Club ("Forty-Forty Club") has been one of the Ivorian economic capital's must-visit nightclubs for years.
Alternative scenes
Another musical trend inseparable from Côte d'Ivoire is "rap ivoire". Didi B, whose real name is Bassa Zérehoué Diyilem, is the real star of the genre today. An Ivorian rapper, singer and songwriter, he is the MC leader of the excellent group Kiff No Beat, pioneers of a rap style based on Dirty Décalé, born of the fusion between American Dirty South and coupé-décalé. In 2022, Didi B won Best Album of the Year 2022 at the Africa Talent Awards with his album Mojotrone II.
The last few years have also seen the emergence of an interesting jazz scene which, although still confidential, has a growing number of fans. An unloved musical style, associated - in Côte d'Ivoire as in the rest of the world - with elitist, bourgeois music, jazz now boasts a number of major events in the country, such as L'Émoi du jazz, initiated in 2009 by the late Désiré Coffi Gadeau, and Abidjan Jazz by BICICI, which has become a not-to-be-missed event since its first edition in 2012, featuring a fine array of international stars including the immense Salif Keita, Cheick Tidiane Seck and, of course, the "Elephants" and leaders of Ivorian jazz: bassist Luc Sigui, saxophonist Isaac Kemo and bassist-pianist Évariste Yacé, led by living monument and legendary drummer Paco Sery. Abidjan also boasts some fine addresses for a concert, such as Filjim, a club run by Philippe Tissot, a well-informed music lover, or L'Entrepôt, a fine venue regularly programming highly successful Jazz Nights.
And, of course, there's no getting away from electronic music. In the East (Uganda, Tanzania) and West (Ghana, Senegal, Mali) - and much of South Africa - over the past two decades, the African continent has seen the emergence of hotbeds of avant-garde electronic music, spearheaded by the dynamic Nyege Nyege Tapes label and festival. The Ivory Coast is no exception, with artists such as Raoul K and Abidjan-based collectives such as AkwaBeat shining on the international scene. For music lovers, the Bushman Café, a major cultural and social hub in Abidjan (located in Cocody), presents itself as an alternative ecosystem engaged in a process of "African aesthetic renaissance", of which electronic music is one of the leading trends. A veritable crossroads for electro in the country.
