Remmy Ongala

**Ramazani "Remmy" Mtoro Ongala** (10 February 1947 – 13 December 2010) was a Tanzanian guitarist and singer. Ongala was born in Kindu near the Tanzanian border, in what was the Belgian Congo at the time, and now is the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A rising musician since the 1980s, Remmy Ongala was part of the soukous scene (also known as "Congolese rumba"). In 1978 he travelled to Dar es Salaam where he joined Orchestra Makassy. Later with his own band, Orchestre Super Matimila (named after the businessman who owned the band's instruments), he helped to transmit the soukous style to the Tanzanian musical subculture often called Ubongo, the Swahili word for brain. This in turn contributed to the development of Tanzanian hip-hop, particularly in the city of Dar es Salaam during the 1990s.

The use of his music as a social instrument led him to address concerns in his hometown that entailed social issues including poverty, AIDS/HIV, urbanisation and family life. Known as the Sauti ya Mnyonge (voice of the poor man), his fight was strong.

Ubongo is usually perceived by artists and listeners alike as "conscious" music, a style that actively contributes socio-political commentary to the Tanzanian soundscape. Believing in the abolition of racism and social injustice, Ongala infused his lyrics with these messages. His inspiring and sometimes didactic message led him to be nicknamed "Dr Remmy".

Following the end of British colonial rule in 1961, Julius Nyerere preached the value of Ujamaa, or familyhood, as a basic constituent of Tanzanian nationalism, placing an emphasis on equality and justice. This became a recurring theme in many Tanzanian artists' music, including Remmy Ongala's.

His song "Kipenda Roho" was used in Oliver Stone's film, *Natural Born Killers*.

Ongala died on 13 December 2010 at his home in Dar es Salaam. Posthumously, he received the Hall of Fame trophy at the 2012 Tanzania Music Awards.

## Links to Kershaw

Kershaw played much of Remmy's material on his BBC Radio One shows, especially in the 80's and 90's as well as on his BBC Radio Three shows and his podcasts.

## Sessions

The first three sessions are available on The Kershaw Sessions (1994, CD, Strange Roots)

1. Recorded: 1988-07-21. First Broadcast: 04 August 1988

* Nasikitika / Nifanyenini / Dole Tupu / Usingizi

2. Recorded: 1992-04-05. First Broadcast: 02 May 1992. Repeated: 16 October 1993

* Narudi Nyumbani / Bwana Mdogo / Nisemenini / Dunia

3. Recorded: 1993-06-24. First Broadcast: unknown

* Kilio / Waseme Waseme / Maisha / Amisa

4. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 13 August 1995. Repeated: 19 November 1995

* Uyoye Uva Duniya / Mizani / Vivana / Nyerere

## Live

Recorded at WOMAD Music Festival. First Broadcast: 02 February 1992

* unknown set

## Other Shows Played

   1991
* 25 August 1991: Karola (album - Songs For The Poor Man) Real World

1992
* 09 February 1992 (& Holmes Brothers with Remmy Ongala's band): May The Circle Be Unbroken
* 14 March 1992: Dodoma (CD - Mambo) Real World
* 21 March 1992: One World (CD - Mambo) Real World
* 04 April 1992: Living Together (Tupendane) (CD - Mango) Real World
* 19 December 1992: Dodoma (CD - Mambo) Real World

1995
* 05 February 1995: Narudi Nyumbani
* 17 September 1995: Nalia Mwana
* 12 November 1995: Niseme Nini

1996
* 07 April 1996: Kilio (The Fish Song) (CD - Sema) Womad
* 28 April 1996: Fadhili Ni Utumwa (CD - Sema) Womad
* 05 May 1996: Kilio (The Fish Song) (CD - Sema) Womad
* 09 June 1996: Wasme Waseme

1997
* 08 December 1997: Kilio (CD - The Kershaw Sessions) Strange Roots

1999
* 11 November 1999: Amisha (CD - The Kershaw Sessions) Strange Roots

2000
* 03 February 2000: Nasikitika (Compilation CD - Voices Of The Real World) Realworld

2005
* 27 March 2005: Sauti Ya Mnyonge (CD - Songs For The Poor Man) Real World

2021
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 9: Bwana Mdogo (CD - The Kershaw Sessions) Strange Roots

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs