Logobi

This article is about music genre. For French band, see Logobi GT.
For other uses of "Logobi", see Logobi (disambiguation).

Logobi also written in French as Logobie is an urban musical genre accompanied with certain dance moves. It first appeared in Côte d'Ivoire in 1986 and became popularized initially in university campuses in Abidjan. It became an international dance trend that moved to other African countries and eventually continental Europe. The dance is based on Côte d'Ivoire's traditional Zouglou dance with new elements added and sometimes Zouglou and logobi are used interchangeably, although zouglou is more ancient whereas logobi is a more modern development.

Etymology

The literal meaning of "logobi" in Nouchi (an Ivorian slang) is to earn money through cunning crafty and often trickery means to earn a fortune.[1] Many of the dance moves accompanying the music are depictions of bandits, hooligans and street gangs including fight moves, using of weapons, secret gang signals as well as sexual overtures. The music and dance try to convey the social realities of poverty and misery aspiring at the same time happier more positive future and longing for prosperity, justice and peace. It has been also dubbed as "la danse des gros bras" (literally the dance of big arms). The European, particularly French, development of "logobi" has also included electric and tecktonic elements to the music, diluting the gang aspects of the original dance by gearing it towards children and young adults.

Artists

Since its inception, the number of artists in the genre have proliferated not only in Côte d'Ivoire and neighboring African countries but in Europe, and partricularly France, most notably within the African immigrant communities. Well-known artists playing Logobi music include: Les Garagistes, Espoir 2000, Magic System, Petit Yodé and l'Enfant Siro, Soum Bill, Didier Bilé, Vieux Gazeur, Petit Denis, Fitini, Lato Crespino, Molière, Les Pivoines, Les Patrons, Les Mercenaires, Anti Palu, Sur-choc, Khunta and Sixko, Bayon, Malmo, Les Salopard, Dezy Champillon, Major and Zabson, Oxigène, C ki'sa, LogobiGT, Les Mantanien, Yang Systeme and others.

Successful singles and music videos include the hits "Djolo National" by Yang Systeme, "Logobi" by Les Mantanien, "Logobi" by Les Youlés, "Sucré Salé" by Logobi Gt and "Logobitombo" by Moussier Tombola.

References

  1. ↑ [According to Siddhartha Mitter, The Hip Hop Generation: Ghana's Hip Life and Ivory Coast's Zouglou]

See also