You Need to Hear This Playlist For Congolese Independence
Alec Lomami blends Congolese classics with newer DRC sounds for this new mix.
June 30 marks the day the Democratic Republic of Congo gained its independence from the colonial power of Belgium.
To mark the occasion, Kinshasa-raised rapper and DJ Alec Lomamiput together this 18-song playlist of Congolese classics mixed in with newer sounds coming out of the DRC.
"With such a rich musical tradition and history, trying to make an essential Congolese music playlist is almost impossible, unless you want your musical expertise to be questioned. So I won't even try," Alec tells OkayAfrica.
"What I would rather do is put a sampler of some of the Congolese classics that many would already know and some of the newer acts that few might know. So it's partially essential, partially discovery—I'm pretty much just looking for excuse to share KOKOKO! my new obsession :)"
Get into Alec Lomami's Congolese Independence playlist below, available on Okayafrica's Spotify and Apple Music curator channels now.