Fally Ipupa

Fally Ipupa N'simba (born December 14, 1977), known professionally as Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist, producer, and the former UNICEF National Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Often referred to as the "Prince of rumba", he is noted for his soulful and mellow tenor vocals, as well as his blend of contemporary and traditional Congolese music genres, including Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo.
From 1999 to 2006, he was a member of the Congolese band Quartier Latin International, led by Koffi Olomide. He rose to prominence after releasing his debut solo studio album Droit Chemin, featuring Barbara Kanam, Maïka Munan, Krys, Mokobé, and Benji. The album features songs like "Liputa," "Orgasy," and "Sopeka." It went gold, selling more than 100,000 copies in one month. In 2007, Ipupa won the Kora Awards for Best Artist from Central Africa. In the same year, Ipupa became the first Congolese artist to sold out the Olympia Hall in Paris. In 2008, he performed in various countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and Cameroon. In April of the same year, Ipupa won the Kundé Award for Best Artist in Central Africa in Burkina Faso. His second studio album Arsenal de Belles Mélodies featured singles like Chaise électrique and "Sexy Dance," becoming hits and some of Ipupa's signature songs. It sold over 100,000 copies in less than a month, including 40,000 weekly sales. He later won the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 for Best Video for "Sexy Dance" and Best Francophone Artist.
His third studio album Power "Kosa Leka," featuring lead singles like La vie est belle, Ndoki, and "Service," sold over 30,000 copies in a month. It won him the Best African Artist at the first edition of Trace Urban Music Awards on May 14, 2013. In June 2014, he was nominated Best Live Act at the MTV Africa Music Awards. His fourth studio album, Tokooos, was certified gold by SNEP, establishing him as the first Congolese artist and soloist from Central Africa to attain a gold record from SNEP. Its lead singles, "Kiname" (featuring Booba) and "Bad Boy" (featuring Aya Nakamura), earned gold certification from SNEP and became a magnum opus across Africa. His fifth studio album Control was certified platinum, having sold more than 100,000 copies internationally, and it debuted at number five on SNEP's list of the most downloaded albums in France. Its lead singles "École" struck a chord with its powerful message about education. Ipupa released his sixth studio album Tokooos II in December 2020. On February 25, 2022, Ipupa released Tokooos II Gold, a reissue of his sixth studio album. On October 17, 2022, he released his seventh studio album Formule 7, which amassed over 3 million streams on Spotify within 24 hours and dominated French iTunes sales.
In 2014, the Huffington Post ranked him as the 6th richest African musician. Jeune Afrique named him one of the 50 most influential African artists in 2018. He is also the most-streamed French-speaking artist on Boomplay and the most-followed Congolese artist on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.
Early life
Childhood
Fally Ipupa was born as Faustin N'simba Ipupa on December 14, 1977, in Kinshasa, Zaire. His parents, Faustin Ebombo Ipupa and Monique Botuli Mbo, raised him alongside his brother, Bony, and two sisters, Tyna and Niclette Ipupa. Ipupa grew up in the Bandalungwa commune, surrounded by nightclubs, bars, and the headquarters of the band Wenge Musica, which ignited his interest in music. Despite his stuttering and lisping during childhood, Ipupa was drawn to music after observing traditional groups during holidays and public events. He was particularly attracted to the drum and often got into trouble for enthusiastically attempting to play it on his blackboard. Ipupa also sang in church with his mother and began performing music in the streets with improvised instruments, along with his companions Atele Kunianga, Pitshou Luzolo, and Sankara de Kunta. Despite his parents' hopes for him to pursue a medical career due to his aptitude for science, Ipupa remained committed to becoming a musician. He engaged with various orchestras and groups, including Flash Succes, Fraternité Musica, New City de la Bogania, Kibinda Nkoy, ultimately leading to the formation of Nouvelle Alliance. Ipupa gained a reputation as a singer, dancer, and atalaku (showmen or hype men who augment the rhythm and interactivity of performances), and his proficiency continued to develop as he accrued more experience with conventional instruments.
1997–1998: Talent Latent
In 1997, he joined Talent Latent, a music band created by Mosain Malanda and Faustin Djata. Ipupa became the band's conductor. He was accompanied by his childhood friends, including Atele Kunianga and Pitshou Luzolo, as well as the atalakus Lisimo Gentamicine and Cellulaire Yankobo. Opting to abandon formal schooling to fully commit to his musical aspirations, the band released their debut album A l'oeuvre on connait l'artiste in January 1999. The album gained national recognition and made a few appearances on the Congolese national television RTNC, where he performed the song "Courte joie." However, the album's overall success was limited. Ipupa began working on the band's second album but faced a significant setback as several key members left to establish the Quartier Latin Académia in Paris.
Faustin Djata, a staff member in Koffi Olomidé's ensemble, introduced Ipupa to Koffi, who recognized Ipupa's talents and integrated him into his orchestra, earning Ipupa the sobriquet "Anelka" and the distinction of being the "most expensive transfer," an allusion to the high-profile transfer of Nicolas Anelka to Real Madrid, valued at £22.3 million during that period.
Quartier Latin International
Ipupa joined Koffi Olomidé's orchestra in May 1999. During his audition, he sang and danced, leading to his integration into the group as a songwriter, composer, and band conductor. At the boss' request, the administrators requested he obtained a passport for travel, because the group had performances at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy (now Accor Arena) in 2000. Before the concert, he contributed to Koffi's solo album Attentat, recorded in South Africa, where his voice featured on songs like "Victory," "Chameleon," "Malanda-Ngombé," "Number One," "Nul n'est parfait," and "Kamutshima."
During his tenure with the orchestra, Ipupa included his composition "Eternelement" in the band's 5th album Force de Frappe. He also collaborated with Koffi on Effrakata album, notably on the track "Effervescent" in 2001. In 2003, he contributed a song to the band's double album Affaire d'Etat and obtained the instrumental version of his song "Ko-Ko-Ko-Ko" on CD 2. In 2004, Koffi released a solo album named Monde Arabe (Arab World), where Ipupa was the sole singer in the group to place a verse in the album's biggest hit. The Congolese public bestowed a myriad of nicknames upon him, including "Dicap La Merveille," "El Marabiocho," "Anelka," "Hustler," "Aigle," and "The Great One."
Ipupa simultaneously embarked on solo projects, including his studio albums Droit Chemin, Arsenal des Belles mélodies and Power. In an interview with Radio France Internationale, he stated that "For me, it was before making my first record, when I was still with Quartier Latin. I stayed with this group for almost ten years, I recorded more than six albums with Koffi Olomidé. At his side, I learned a lot. He is a professional musician artist, very serious in his work. With him, we worked like crazy." Despite having quit the band in 2006, he participated in the arrangements for commemorating the band's 30th anniversary.
Solo career
2006–2008: Solo career beginnings
On June 1, 2006, he released his debut solo studio album Droit Chemin (Straight Path). The album was produced by Obouo Productions and Maïka Munan. It featured collaborations with Barbara Kanam, Maïka Munan, Krys, Mokobé, and Benji. Droit Chemin sold more than 100,000 copies and attained a gold record. On April 7, 2007, Ipupa sold out the Olympia Hall to represent his album, becoming the first Congolese to do so. Louise Colcombet, writing for Le Parisien, likened the event to a messianic arrival, and extolled Ipupa as "the rising star of Zairian music". On July 13, he joined the "African Rhythms" event, jointly organized by Radio France Internationale (RFI), the Paris City Hall, and the International Organization of La Francophonie hosted at the Place de la Bastille with other prominent African music artists. Following his European tour, he subsequently performed at the Culture Palace of Abidjan, presenting songs from his album, including "Sopeka," "Noufra Ketch," "Associé," "Orgasy," "Bakandja," and "Liputa." The album's success earned him the Best Male Performer at the Césaire de la Musique awards. On October 27, he partook in an international music festival titled "1st Movicel Live Fest" at the Estádio da Cidadela in Luanda. To round off the year, he clinched two awards at the 3rd edition of the Pan-African Music Festival Black Music Awards in Benin.
In 2008, he gave a series of concerts in France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and Cameroon. His growing renown on the continent was also acknowledged in Burkina Faso, where he received the Best Artist In Central Africa at the Kunde Awards on April 25.
2009–2015: Arsenal de Belles Melodies, Power "Kosa Leka", Original, and tours
On May 16, 2009, during the "Creole Night" event hosted by Kassav, Ipupa introduced his album Arsenal De Belles Mélodies (French for "Arsenal of Beautiful Melodies," acronymed as "A2BM") to a crowd of 90,000 fans at Stade de France. The occasion was also in support of the LamusiK group, and he engaged in a collaborative project with them called "Young Star." The album was officially released in June 2009, marking a three-year interval since the release of Droit Chemin. Comprising 16 tracks, the album was produced by Obouo Productions and Because Music. It featured American singer Olivia Longott on the lead single Chaise Électrique, as well as dancehall artist Krys on "Sexy Dance". The album sold over 100,000 copies, including 40,000 in just one week. In that same year, he won the Trophée Arts Afro-Caribbean and a gold record. Ipupa went on to perform at the Zenith de Paris on January 2, 2010, to support his album, drawing in over 6,000 fans. To further promote the album, he delivered a performance in Germany in February, followed by a concert at the Accor Arena in July, alongside Papa Wemba and Koffi Olomide. He later performed in Belgium, Switzerland, and the United States. Other concerts were canceled due to perils from Combattants, a group critical of Congolese President Joseph Kabila and Congolese artists who endorsed him. The album subsequently earned him three Ndule Awards in Kinshasa, including Best Album of the Year, Best Music Video, and Best Song. On November 10, Ipupa was featured on "Hands Across The World," a song composed and produced by American singer R. Kelly in Chicago. The song serves as the debut release for the African supergroup One 8, which consisted of Amani, Ali Kiba, Navio, 2face Idibia, JK, 4x4, and Movaizhaleine. On December 14, Ipupa won two MTV Africa Music Awards for Best Video for "Sexy Dance" and Best Francophone Artist.
Ipupa was scheduled to perform at the Zénith de Paris on January 1, 2011, but the concert was postponed to March 12, 2011, due to a lack of a visa which he was unable to obtain. Le Potentiel reported that Maison Schengen (now the European Visa Center; Centre Européen des Visas), a visa consultancy agency, denied European visas to multiple musical groups based in Kinshasa. The decision was met with mixed reactions with several demonstrators staging protests in front of the Ministry of the Interior and Security, advocating for the closure of the European Visa Center. Following his concert at the Zénith de Paris on March 12, he was nominated in the Best International African Artist category at the BET Awards, followed by a concert at Stade de France in June 2011 alongside Werrason and Jessy Matador. He later won four trophies at the Afrotainment Museke Online Music Awards and two Okapi Awards. In June 2012, he performed at the Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar during its tenth edition alongside Extra Musica, JB Mpiana, and Werrason.
On April 5, 2013, Ipupa released his third studio album, Power "Kosa Leka", a fusion of Congolese rumba, ndombolo, and rap. Critic Claudy Siar, reviewing the album for RFI, eulogized the album as "one of the best productions on the Afro musical planet." The album was a joint production of Obouo Productions and Because Music, and it featured American rapper Eve on the track Sex'plosif. He collaborated with Bigg Masta G (Muana Mboka) on the Ndoki remix. The remix included modifications to the instrumental accompaniment and exclusion of Ipupa's vocals, which were supplanted by Bigg Masta G's rap segments. The remix's cover art featured the conspicuous inclusion of the word "Ndoki" placed between Ipupa and Bigg Masta G. The song was also remixed by Congolese rumba singer MJ30, Poison Mobutu, and Mami Wata. In MJ30's rendition, Ipupa's vocals were entirely excluded, with MJ30 herself singing the chorus. The official music video for "Ndoki" amassed over 150,000 views on YouTube within a week. In line with the promotional drive for the album, he embarked on a Pan-African tour, with live shows in Ivory Coast, Angola, Cameroon, the United Arab Emirates, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo.
On April 11, just a week after the album's release, he signed a contract for three international albums with AZ, a subsidiary of the Capitol Records owned by Universal Music Group, marking AZ's expansion to include Africa and bringing Ipupa international acclaim. On May 14, 2013, Ipupa won the Best African Artist at the inaugural edition of the Trace Urban Music Awards. On May 18, 2013, he participated in MTV Africa All Stars event to present his album, sharing the stage with Snoop Dogg, 2Face Idibia, and Flavour in front of approximately 15,000 spectators at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. On June 23, he released the single "Kitoko" featuring Youssoupha, with the music video released in September on his Vevo. The track was initially slated for the international album but was ultimately categorized as a standalone single. He subsequently engaged in the "Doc Agric" initiative to promote sustainable agriculture methodologies in Africa, alongside D'banj, Femi Kuti, Rachid Taha, Wax Dey, and Tiken Jah Fakoly.On May 5, 2014, Ipupa released his single "Original" on Facebook and YouTube. He later announced it was a promotional endeavor for his backing group F'Victeam's debut album Libre Parcours, for which he served as the producer and contributed to a few songs as a featured artist. In the music video, the zouk vocalists Lynnsha and Fanny J were featured dancing to the song, as well as the former Oklahoma City Thunder's basketball player Serge Ibaka. The 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 DRC music style. The song reached the milestone of 1 million views in three months on YouTube. The song is noted for revolutionizing the ndombolo genre of music, which had been experiencing a slow decline due to emigration of Congolese artistes to Europe.
In July 2014, Ipupa won the Best Artist In Central Africa in the African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) held in Dallas at the People's Convention Center. He then toured Washington as part of the US-Africa Summit meeting, for which President Barack Obama had invited 47 African leaders for the period August 4 to 6, 2014. A dozen African artists were selected to attend, including Ipupa, the only invited artist from Central Africa. On April 18, 2015, he was invited to Washington by the World Bank to participate in Global Citizen Earth Day and delivered a concert on the National Mall in front of an audience exceeding 250,000 people. Following his stay in the United States, he participated in the 8th edition of the Anoumabo Urban Music Festival (Festival de musique urbaine d'Anoumabo; FEMUA) in Abidjan. The festival was organized by the Ivorian band Magic System and took place on April 25 on the main stage of Anoumaba and on April 26 on the stage of Complexe Sportif de Koumassi. During his performance in Koumassi, he received the Special Prize for African Integration awarded by the Ministry of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad. On June 28, he received an invitation to the BET Awards ceremony in Los Angeles and was nominated the Best International Act. He also performed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, where he interpreted the songs "La vie est belle," "Original," and "Libre Parcours 2." In September, he gave two performances at Hotel Palm Camayenne on September 18 and Esplanade of the People's Palace on September 19 in Conakry as part of promoting African music. He was chaperoned by over 20 Congolese musicians for the show, performing his popular musical repertoire, including "Original," "La vie est belle," "Chaise Électrique," and "Bicarbonate". On August 21, he delivered a performance in Dallas at the People's Convention Center, followed by a concert in Houston on August 28. He presented his previous album Power "Kosa Leka" on August 29 in Portland, followed by performances in Atlanta on August 30 and Minneapolis on September 4. On September 5, he performed in Washington before concluding his American tour with a concert in New York City on September 6. He returned to Dallas and participated in the African Muzik Magazine Awards music awards ceremony on October 10 at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters and was nominated the Best Male Artist in Central Africa and Best African Artist. Back in Africa, he performed in Lubumbashi, Kolwezi, and Likasi, and participated in the commemoration of Angola Independence Day on November 11, after being invited by President José Eduardo dos Santos.
2016–2017: Tokooos and Tokooos tours
Following his signing with AZ record label in 2013, he began recording his debut international album in October 2015. He later teased with Nigerian singer Wizkid in Paris, for an upcoming single on October 6. In March 2016, while working on his album, he released "Hymne Coca-Cola" on YouTube for the Coca-Cola campaign in the DRC, and the subsequent month, he participated in the French rapper MHD's eponymous debut album MHD on the track "Ma vie." On June 25, 2016, he joined the Warner Music France Group after the departure of Julien Creuzard from Universal Music Group. A few months after signing with Warner Music, Ipupa organized an American tour with his F'Victeam orchestra, performing in Washington, New York City, and Atlanta. During this tour, he reached out to R. Kelly for collaboration on his album. At the end of November, he announced a collaboration with Booba on Instagram. Their single "Kiname" (contraction of Kinshasa and Paname) was released on December 7, and the music video was made available on December 14. The song was certified gold on May 16, 2017, by SNEP. The "Eloko Oyo" singles followed on April 7, a traditional song of the Mongo ethnic group first covered by Mimi Mongo, then by Mabele Elisi. He released "Bad Boy" featuring Aya Nakamura on June 16, which contains a sample of a guitar played by Simaro Lutumba in his 1983 composition "Faute ya Commerisant." It was later certified gold on November 3. On June 22, Ipupa was scheduled to perform at La Cigale to present his album. The proceeds from the concert were intended for donation to UNICEF in the fight against chronic malnutrition afflicting the youth of Africa. The show was canceled by the Paris Police Prefecture, who feared "serious disturbances to public order" stemming from threats by the Combattants.
On July 7, 2017, Ipupa released his fourth album Tokooos under the Elektra France label, a subsidiary of the Warner Music Group. It marked a departure from his previous works as it ventured into urban music. The album comprised 18 tracks with a range of styles from Congolese rumba, French rap, R&B, and Afro-pop. The album derived its name from the Lingala word kitoko, signifying something good and exuding a positive aura. Building on this concept, Ipupa coined the term Tokooos music as a term for his new artistic style and musical philosophy. In an interview with a BET Buzz affiliate based in France, Ipupa stated that, "On my fourth album, I wanted to create a bridge between Kinshasa and Paris; I have done it all in Africa, but I would like to win this French market." In Tokooos, Ipupa experimented by singing some tracks entirely in French. The album collaborated with a star-studded lineup of guest singers, including R. Kelly, Booba, MHD, Naza, Keblack, Wizkid, Aya Nakamura, and Shay. As part of the album's promotion, he was invited to Frédéric Musa's urban show Planète Rap on Skyrock from July 10 to 14.
Two presentation tours were organized for the album, collectively known as the "Tokooos Tour", with approximately fifty concerts held in various cities. The first leg commenced on September 2, 2017, in Lomé and concluded on February 19, 2018, in Los Angeles, with concerts and showcases held in cities such as Nairobi, Lyon, Bordeaux, Frankfurt, Kinshasa, Brazzaville, Cotonou, Lusaka, Bamako, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Abidjan, and Luanda. The second leg was launched in March-August 2018, featuring a series of concerts and showcases in several countries, including Spain, France, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Norway, Italy, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. He capped off the year by winning the title of "Best International Artist of the Year" in the Skyrock 2017 awards. On October 10, 2022, Tokooos was officially certified gold in France by SNEP, with sales exceeding 50,000 copies. Ipupa became the first Congolese artist based in Kinshasa to obtain a gold record certified by SNEP and the first solo artist from Central Africa to achieve this milestone. Tokooos also became the second album from Central Africa to receive a gold disc certification by the SNEP, following Bisso Na Bisso in 1999 with the album Racines.
2018–2019: Control and Accor Arena concert
Recorded simultaneously with Tokooos since the end of 2016 and in preparation for his return to Congolese rumba, Ipupa released three promotional singles from the album: "École" on July 25, 2018, "Canne à sucre" on August 31, 2018, and "Aime-moi" on October 26, 2018. On November 2, 2018, he released his fifth solo studio album, Control. The album was mainly recorded in his studio, Tokooos Studio, and Studio Ndiaye in Kinshasa, with some finishing touches done in Parisian studios. It consisted of 31 songs, including his three previously released singles, "École", "Canne à Sucre", and "Aime-moi". It gained traction and ranked 5th among the most downloaded albums in France by SNEP. He presented his album on the Journal Afrique of TV5Monde a week later and announced the official presentation in Kinshasa on November 30, 2018.
As had been the practice since 2015, a "World Summer Tour 2019" tour was announced in April 2019, covering various locations worldwide, including the United States, South Africa, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Australia. Announced on June 12, 2019, Ipupa performed on February 28, 2020, at the Accor Arena in front of 20,000 spectators. Due to the prohibition of several Congolese concerts on French territory, arising from the specter of "serious disturbances to public order" precipitated by the belligerent Combatants, Didier Lallement, the Prefect of Paris, promulgated a decree on February 26, 2020, which prohibited all demonstrations in the vicinity of the arena and demarcated a security cordon around the venue. A few hours before the concert's commencement, significant incidents and violence erupted around the Gare de Lyon by opponents accusing Ipupa of being too closely associated with the Congolese regime. Despite threats against Ipupa and the event, the concert sold out on the same day. On May 10, 2023, the album was certified platinum for export by the Centre National de la Musique (CNM) in France, having sold more than 100,000 copies outside France.
2020–2023: Tokooos II, Tokooos II Gold, Formule 7, and tours
In an interview with Afropop Worldwide on July 10, 2019, Ipupa announced the release of his sixth album Tokooos II. He later endorsed the album with a concert at the Accor Arena on February 28, 2020. The album was officially released on December 18, 2020, under the Elektra France label and features 16 songs in the digital edition and 22 songs in the physical edition. It includes four features with Dadju, Naza, Ninho, and M. Pokora and fuses traditional Congolese rumba, soukous, ndombolo, R&B, and trap beats. Reviewing for Pan African Music, Rémi Benchebra described the album as being "guided by love, a theme dear to rumbists," and "a voice which combines fragility with power." On December 26, 2020, Ipupa sold out Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire and won the Best African Artist of The Year at the fourth edition of the African Talents Awards, followed by a concert in Bouaké. In February 2021, he promoted his album at Yaoundé Multipurpose Sports Complex, where he performed in front of 3,000 youths celebrating President Paul Biya's 88th birthday. He was later featured on "Molo Molo" by Magic System as their return to the record market. To promote his album further, he unveiled a lineup of multiple African concerts, referred to as the "Tokoos II Tour Part I." The tour kicked off on October 9 in Dar es Salaam and concluded on January 10, 2022, in Bafoussam. It covered 19 countries, primarily in French-speaking regions, where he performed with his accompanying group F'Victeam.On September 26, 2021, while performing live in Kinshasa at FIKIN (Foire Internationale de Kinshasa), Ipupa announced his Tokooos II Gold, a reissue of his sixth album Tokooos II, with 15 additional tracks added to the original list of 26 songs. Concomitantly with the production of Tokooos since 2017, Ipupa released his promotional single "Nzoto" on November 12, blending ndombolo and the traditional Congolese rumba overlaid with the sounds of Mongo ethnic group from the Équateur Province. Before releasing his Tokooos II Gold on February 25, 2022, he clinched the Best Male Artist from East, South and Central Africa at the 7th edition of the African Entertainment Awards USA on December 26, 2021, followed by a performance at the opening ceremony of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations at the Olembe Stadium and Sport Complex. Five months after the release of Tokooos II Gold, Ipupa embarked on his "Golden World Tour", with visits to Luanda, Brazzaville, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Brussels, Porto, Spa, Cabinda, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Pointe-Noire, and Kinshasa.
On October 17, 2022, during an interview with the French television channel France 24, Ipupa announced the release of his seventh studio album Formula 7. He later posted the album cover, setting abuzz on social media and said to have been inspired by the American film The Great Gatsby, dressed in a velvet tuxedo and black nail polish. On October 28, he posted three album's singles on Youtube: "Bloqué", "Science-Fiction" and "Se yo," which accumulated millions of views. On Friday, December 16, Ipupa officially released his seventh studio album Formule 7, under the Elektra France label, featuring thirty tracks predominantly blending Congolese rumba in all his tracks. The album amassed over 3 million streams on Spotify and became the best-selling album on French iTunes. On January 5, 2023, Ipupa appeared at the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire to promote his album. At the 8th edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), he clinched the Best Francophone Artist award for the album's hit single "Bloqué."
On February 26, French President Emmanuel Macron summoned him to the Élysée Palace as part of Macron's seminal approach to partnership between France and Africa. After their meeting, Ipupa conveyed on his Twitter that he had a confabulation with President Macron concerning the ongoing Kivu conflict and the role of Congolese music among the youth. On March 6, President Macron attended his concert in Kinshasa, where they were spotted drinking beer and waving to the populace. Their encounter generated a mixed reaction, with some critics alleging that Macron was leveraging Ipupa's image for his own benefit and insinuating French support for "Kigali-M23."
In preparation for his performance at the Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat on May 27, he held a media briefing on May 24 at the Ngabé tourist site. During the conference, he urged his fanbase to attend in great numbers and offered reassurances regarding the implemented security precautions. Over 25,000 people attended the concert. He later delivered a performance at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie on July 28.
Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte (June 2016 - October 2022)
To celebrate his decade-long career, Ipupa announced on February 29, 2016, his concert at the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte, scheduled for June 25, 2016, with an 80,000-seat capacity. However, after extensive promotional efforts, the event was called off by the Kinshasa's municipal authorities due to ongoing renovation work in the stadium enclosure.
Following his performance at the Accor Arena on February 28, 2020, he again announced a concert at the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte for April 18, 2020. Nevertheless, the concert was postponed due to COVID-19-related health conditions and lockdown measures.
October 2022 stampede
On March 1, 2022, he announced his concert scheduled for October 29. The event was part of his "Golden World Tour," from June 4 to October 3. Initially designed for an 80,000-strong audience, it ultimately summoned over 120,000 attendees. During the performance, he was joined on stage by Charlotte Dipanda, Gaz Mawete, Awilo Longomba, Mignon Abraham, DG Virus, Manon Loubaki, Pathy Nsaraza, Naty Lokole, Fiston Kolokey, Vany Morgane, Souley Kahuka as well as his former colleagues from Quartier Latin International, Sam Tshintu, Modogo Abarambwa, Gipson Butukondolo, Champion Djicapela, Montana Kamenga, and Babia Ndonga Shokoro's son, Prince Babia. Producers Dany Synthé and Seysey were also present. Claudy Siar and Juliette Fievet presented him with the gold record for his album Tokooos. While performing, a stampede ensued due to the excessive number of attendees who sought ingress into the exalted VIP and reserved sections. The ensuing pandemonium resulted in eleven deaths, including two police officers, according to the Minister of the Interior, Daniel Aselo Okito.
Philanthropy
Fally Ipupa Foundation (FIF)
In 2013, Ipupa established the Fally Ipupa Foundation (Fondation Fally Ipupa; FFI), a non-profit organization aimed at providing assistance to different sections of the population in need.
UNICEF
In 2017, Ipupa partnered with UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) to fight malnutrition, which affects 10 million children across the DRC each year.
On August 20, 2021, Ipupa was appointed as UNICEF National Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week, during which he actively endorsed the advancement, preservation, and reinforcement of feeding practices for infants and young children.
Discography
Albums
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Awards and nominations
See also
References
1977 births
Living people
Musicians from Kinshasa
21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo male singers
Democratic Republic of the Congo songwriters
Soukous musicians
Democratic Republic of the Congo guitarists
Quartier Latin International
Male singer-songwriters
Male guitarists
21st-century guitarists