Fally Ipupa
Fally Ipupa N'simba (born December 14, 1977), better known mononymously by his stage name Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist, producer, and the UNICEF National Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is known for his melancholic soft tenor voice, emphatic and emotive dance moves, as well as his unique blend of contemporary and traditional Congolese music genres, including Congolese rumba, soukous, and ndombolo.Over the course of his two-decade-long career, Fally Ipupa has earned numerous awards and accolades and is regarded as one of Africa's most celebrated and influential musicians. From 1999 to 2006, he was a member of the critically acclaimed Congolese band, Quartier Latin International, led by the prolific musician Koffi Olomide.He rose to prominence after releasing his debut solo album Droit Chemin in 2006, collaborating with 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 or Group from Central Africa. In the same year, Ipupa became the first Congolese artist to perform to a full house at the legendary Olympia stage in Paris. In 2008, he performed in various countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and Cameroon. In April of the same year, he won the Kundé for Best Artist in Central Africa in Burkina Faso. His album Arsenal de Belles Mélodies, released on April 8, 2009, featured successful singles like Chaise électrique and "Sexy Dance," becoming massive hits and some of Ipupa's signature songs. The album sold over 100,000 copies in less than a month, including 40,000 sales in a week. He later won the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 for Best Video for "Sexy Dance" and Best Francophone Artist. In 2011, he performed at several leading European festivals, as well as in Nigeria, and finished off the year with a performance in Ivory Coast.Power "Kosa Leka released on April 13, 2013, and its lead single Sweet Life (La vie est belle), Ndoki, and "Service" sold over 30,000 copies in a month. On May 14, 2013, he won the trophy for "Best African Artist" at the first edition of Trace Urban Music Awards. On May 18, 2013, he participated in the MTV Africa All Stars event alongside other artists like Snoop Dogg, 2Face Idibia, and Flavour in front of approximately 15,000 spectators at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. In the same year, he collaborated with the French-Congolese rapper Passi on the song "Full Option" in the album Ere d'Afrique. Ipupa also released the single "Kitoko," featuring Youssoupha, one of the children of Tabu Ley Rochereau, which broke away from his previous productions and seemed to announce a new register more tailored for the French market. He was invited on stage at Accor Arena, one of the largest venues in Paris, during the Grand Ball of Senegalese star Youssou N'Dour. He then toured in Ivory Coast in November and Equatorial Guinea in Malabo.In June 2014, he was nominated in the Best Live Act category at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2014. He gave three concerts in Gabon, returned to perform in Abidjan, celebrated the Fête de la Musique in Niamey in Niger, took part in the Francofolies de Kinshasa in DRC, and ended the year in Benin after being invited by the authorities. The following year, in 2015, Ipupa performed in Cameroon, Guinea in Conakry on the esplanade of the People's Palace, and Bamako in Mali. He also performed at the FEMUA (Festival de musique urbaine d'Anoumabo) in Ivory Coast and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to perform in Houston, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.The song "Mannequin" from his 2017 album Tokooos also gained immense popularity and became a staple in Ipupa's live performances. "École" from the album "Control" in 2018 struck a chord with its powerful message about education. In 2020, "Juste une danse" create soulful ballads, further endearing him to audiences worldwide.On October 10, 2022, Ipupa's album Tokooos was certified Gold by SNEP in France, five years after its release.

Early life
Childhood
Fally Ipupa was born as Fally Ipupa N'simba on December 14, 1977, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 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 and bars and the headquarters of the legendary band Wenge Musica, which sparked his interest in becoming a professional musician. 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 making too much noise trying to play it on his blackboard. Ipupa also sang in church with his mother and began playing music in the streets with makeshift instruments and friends like Atele Kunianga, Pitshou Luzolo, and Sankara de Kunta. Although his parents hoped he would become a doctor due to his aptitude for science, Ipupa continued to pursue music. He joined various orchestras and groups, such as New City de la Bogania and Kibinda Nkoy, before eventually forming Nouvelle Alliance. Fally gained a reputation as a talented singer, dancer, and atalaku, and his skills continued to develop as he gained more experience with proper instruments.

Talent Latent (1997-1998)
In 1997, he joined Talent Latent, a music band created by Mosain Malanda and Faustin Djata. Despite the presence of Éric Tutsi, an ex-member of Quartier Latin International, 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. Ipupa eventually dropped out of school to focus on music, and in January 1999, the group released their album A l'oeuvre on connait l'artiste and made appearances on television. The song "Courte joie de Fally" and "Otwa" gained popularity, but the album had little success. Despite this setback, Ipupa remained motivated and planned to release a second album. However, several musicians left the band to join Quartier Latin and later formed Quartier Latin Académia in Paris.Faustin Djata, a close staff member of Koffi Olomidé's group, introduced Ipupa to Koffi. He was puzzled with Ipupa's talents that he paid a large sum of money to bring him into his orchestra, earning Ipupa the nickname "Anelka" and the title of "most expensive transfer." This was a nod to Nicolas Anelka, who was involved in a big transfer at the time worth  £22.3 to Real Madrid.

Quartier Latin International
At the beginning of 1999, Ipupa joined Koffi Olomidé's orchestra, which marked the beginning of his meteoric rise in the music industry. During his test, he impressed everyone with his voice and dance steps, which led to his immediate integration into the group. At the request of the boss, the administrators asked him to obtain a passport from the authorities so he could travel with the group to perform at the Accor Arena in 2000. Before the concert, he participated heavily on Koffi's solo album Attentat, recorded in South Africa, where his voice could be heard on songs like "Victory," "Chameleon," "Malanda-Ngombé," "Number One," "Nul n'est parfait," and "Kamutshima." Ipupa's participation in the Accor Arena made him the new member who impressed all fans of the Latin Quarter based in Europe.During his tenure with the orchestra, Ipupa included his composition "Eternelement" in the Force de frappe album released in 2000. He was also known for duets with Koffi Olomide in Effrakata, especially the track "Effervescent" in 2001. In 2003, he signed one of the songs on the group's double album entitled Affaire d'Etat and also obtained the instrumental version of his song on CD 2 (Ko-Ko-Ko-Ko). In 2004, Koffi released a solo album named Monde Arabe (Arab World), where Ipupa was the only singer in the group to place a verse in the album's biggest hit. As his popularity soared, the Congolese public affectionately bestowed a myriad of nicknames upon him, including "Dicap La Merveille," "El Marabiocho," "Anelka," "Hustler," "Aigle," and "The Great One."Amidst his triumphs within the orchestra, he simultaneously nurtured his solo aspirations, channeling his passion and creativity into a series of solo projects, including his albums Droit Chemin, Arsenal des Belles mélodies, Power, Tokooos, and Control. Despite having quit the band in 2006, he also has been involved in the planning of the commemoration of the band's 30th anniversary.

Solo career
2006–2007: Solo career beginnings
On June 1, 2006, he released his first solo album Droit Chemin. The album was produced by David Monsoh of Obouo Productions and featured collaborations with artists such as Maddy Munan, Krys, Mokobé of 113, and Ben J of Neg ’Marrons. It received immense success in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other parts of Africa, selling over 100,000 copies and earning a gold record.That year, he was nominated for and won several awards, including the Césaire music Male Artist of the Year award in Paris, two Black Music Awards for Male Artist of the Year, Best Clip in Benin, and Male Artist of the Year in Ivory Coast. In 2007, he won the Kora Awards for Best Artist or Group from Central Africa.

2009–2015: Arsenal de Belles Melodies, Power "Kosa Leka" and Original
Three years after the release of Droit Chemin (Straight Path), Ipupa released his second album, Arsenal De Belles Melodies (French for "arsenal of beautiful melodies"), acronymed as "A2BM." This album, which consisted of 16 tracks, was also produced by David Monsoh. Notably, it featured Olivia Longott, an American singer-songwriter and former member of G-Unit by 50 Cent, on the lead single Chaise Électrique, as well as dancehall artist Krys on "Sexy Dance," marking their second collaboration after the success of "Droit Chemin Remix." The album achieved considerable success, selling over 100,000 copies, including 40,000 in just one week. In that same year, he was nominated for and won several awards, including the Trophée Arts Afro-Caribbean and a gold record.
On May 16, 2009, during the "Creole Night" event organized by Kassav, Ipupa gave a moving performance and ignited the Stade de France, which was packed with 90,000 people. The event was also in support of the group LamusiK, and he collaborated with them on a project called "Young Star." Ipupa went on to perform at the Zenith de Paris on January 2, 2010, where he brought together over 6,000 people.
Ipupa earned several accolades, including 3 Ndule Awards in 2010 ("Best Album," "Best Video," and "Best Song"), "Micro Gold," "Best Artist Central Africa" at the Soundcity Music Video Awards (SMVA 2010), Double Mama at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010, and Best Francophone Artist, as well as Best Music Video for "Sexy Dance," among four trophies at the Moamas Awards and two Okapi Awards in 2011. He was also appointed for the Nostalgies Music Awards 2012.On April 4, 2013, Ipupa released his third album, Power "Kosa Leka", containing 22 tracks. Notably, he collaborated with Bigg Masta G (Muana Mboka) on the Ndoki remix. The remix featured modifications to the instrumental and the exclusion of parts of Ipupa's vocals, which were replaced by Bigg Masta G's rap segments. The cover of the remix showcased the word "Ndoki" between Ipupa and Bigg Masta G. Additionally, Congolese rumba singer MJ30, Poison Mobutu, and Mami Wata also made a remix of the song. In MJ30's version, Ipupa's vocals were entirely excluded, with MJ30 herself singing the chorus. The official video for Ndoki gained more than 150,000 views on YouTube in less than a week, setting a record for a Congolese artist. On May 14, 2013, Ipupa won the "Best African Artist" award at the inaugural edition of the Trace Urban Music Awards.
In April 2013, Ipupa signed a contract with Universal (Label AZ) for three albums (World Version), indicating the label's growing embrace of African music. Notably, the album Power "Kosa Leka" featured a collaboration with American rapper Eve on the track "Sex'plosif," during the show Guest Star Trace TV in February 2013.Fally Ipupa participated in MTV Africa All Stars on May 18, 2013, at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban. He also participated in the project "Doc Agric", towards the development of good agricultural practices in Africa to ratings of several African artists D'banj and Tiken Jah Fakoly.On May 5, 2014, Ipupa posted his new title track "Original" on his Facebook page and YouTube channel. In the video, the singers Zouk Lynnsha and Fanny J are 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.Ipupa won the Best Artist category for Central Africa in the Afrimma Awards held in Dallas in July 2014. He then travelled to Washington, D.C. as part of the US-Africa Summit meeting, for which President Obama had invited 47 African leaders for the period August 4 to 6, 2014. According to the White House, this meeting was convened to strengthen ties between Africa and the United States. A dozen African artists were selected to attend, including Ipupa, the only invited artist from Central Africa.On March 24, 2015, he took on the role of an "ambassador" for the Airtel brand in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, inspiring young Congolese individuals interested in music to pursue their dreams and aspire to success, much like himself. He remained committed to this role for a remarkable three-year period.
Subsequently, 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. Through his performance, he lent his voice to address issues of extreme poverty and climate change. 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, Ivory Coast. 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 and was nominated in the Best International Act: Africa category. In addition, he had the opportunity to perform at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, where he interpreted the songs Sweet Life, "Original," and "Libre Parcours 2."

2017: Tokooos
On July 7, 2017, Ipupa released his fourth album, Tokooos, marking a significant departure from his previous works as it ventured into urban music. This 18-track album derived its name from the Lingala word kitoko, signifying something good or a positive vibe. Building on this concept, Ipupa coined the term Tokooos music, which became the essence of his new artistic style and musical philosophy—an infusion of good-vibes music that remained deeply rooted in Congolese origins while embracing mainstream and urban influences. According to Afropop Worldwide, Ipupa aspired to enthrall a wider audience, reaching beyond the realms of Congolese rumba to share his music style with fans across the globe, particularly in the Afro-francophone circles of the European music market. This led him to incorporate contemporary urban European sounds into his music, a departure from his comfort zone of singing in his native Lingala. In Tokooos, Fally experimented by singing some tracks entirely in French. The album collaborated with a star-studded lineup of guest singers, including prominent urban trap, Afrobeats, hip-hop, and R&B artists from Africa, France, and the United States. Notable mentions include "Yakuza," featuring Nigerian singer-songwriter Wizkid, and "Nidja," featuring the Grammy Award-winning R. Kelly. Among the Afro-French luminaries, Ipupa teams up with multiplatinum French rapper Booba on "Kiname," and "Na Lingui Ye" features Afro-trap sensation MHD. Additionally, "Mannequin" features Naza and Keblack, while "Bad Boy" and "Guerrier" boast voices of emerging R&B singer Aya Nakamura and rapper Shay, respectively.Tokooos heralded a significant milestone for his musical success, featuring the highest number of guest artists he had ever collaborated with on a single album, garnering tremendous attention and accolades in the process. The first single, "Kiname," featuring Booba, set the tone for the album's success, blending ndombolo, Afrobeats, Afro-trap, rap, and urban influences. The song's theme paid homage to Paris as the center of movement while reminiscing about his journey "from far, from Kinshasa to Paris." It went certified gold, with more than 10 million in sales and streaming.Ipupa released "Eloko Oyo," in April 2017. The song combined the traditional rhythms of the Mongo people—the second-largest ethnic group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—with a modern Congolese guitar-picking style and an innovative international production touch. The song had more palpable success than any other single he has released, reaching over 21 million views on YouTube in just five months, surpassing his previously most-viewed video, "Original," which reached 21 million in four years.The album was later certified Gold by SNEP in France, five years after its release On October 10, 2022.

2018: Control
A year later, Ipupa made a comeback to traditional Congolese rumba and ndombolo with his fifth album, Control, released in November 2018 under his F'Victeam label. The album has 31 songs dispatched on three disks for the CD version and mostly features Rumba. Fally tried to reconcile his recent pop style leaning with his original Congolese rumba.

2020: Tokooos II
In December 2020, Ipupa released his sixth album Tokooos II which is his second urban album which contains 16 songs in the digital edition and 22 songs on physical edition, including 4 features with Dadju, Naza (rapper), Ninho and M. Pokora.On February 25, 2022, Ipupa released Tokooos 2 Gold, the reissue of his Tokooos album released a year earlier, with 15 additional titles which are added to the list of 26 songs released in the Tokooos 2 album. The album centers around the theme of love, which is a beloved topic among rumbists. Ipupa's voice combines fragility and power, gently asserting itself in tracks like "Amore." However, he is also profoundly invested in various causes, such as opposing the sale of counterfeit drugs, violence against women, and the recruitment of child soldiers. He wanted to lend his support to all "Migrants de rêves," a track that he considers the most important on the album. He explained that the track was a response to the current situation, where many people die while endeavoring to reach Europe in search of a better life. He stressed that it is difficult to advise people not to take risks as each person's situation is unique. Nonetheless, he aimed to convey a message of compassion and empathy while encouraging African leaders to help their citizens avoid dangerous journeys. Additionally, Ipupa expressed gratitude towards countries that offer compassion towards migrants and urged others to follow suit in the name of humanity.On May 10, 2023, the album was certified platinum for export by the Center National de la Musique (CNM) in France for having sold more than 100,000 copies outside France.

2022: Formule 7
Ipupa announced this October 17, 2022 on the set of the French television channel France 24, the release of his 7th solo album entitled Formula 7.On Friday December 16, Ipupa released his album Formule 7, the seventh album of his career. This 100 percent rumba album follows his urban album Tokooos II. The artist made more than 3 million streams on Spotify in 24 hours with his album Formule 7 and was at the top of sales on iTunes France.

Pentecost Martyrs Stadium of Kinshasa (June 2016 - October 2022)
To celebrate his ten-year career, Ipupa announced on February 29, 2016, his concert at the Martyrs stadium for June 25, 2016, with a capacity of 80,000 seats. After months of promotion, the event is canceled by the municipal authorities of the city of Kinshasa for the reason of the renovation works in the enclosure of the stadium.After his concert at the Accor Arena on February 28, 2020, he again announces a concert at the Martyrs stadium for April 18, 2020. This time the concert will be postponed due to confinement and sanitary conditions related to COVID-19.On March 1, 2022, he announced on social networks his concert for October 29. He begins a world tour from June 4 to October 3 with concerts in Angola, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands via Congo Brazzaville before going through Canada and the United States. On October 29, he delivered his concert in front of more than 120,000 spectators. On stage, he is accompanied by singer Charlotte Dipanda, his former colleagues from the Quartier Latin International, Gaz Mawete and Awilo Longomba. Producers Dany Synthé and Seysey also made the trip. Claudy Siar and Juliette Fievet give him in front of the Congolese public, the gold record of his album Tokooos certified in France on October 10, 2022, by SNEP with more than 50,000 sales.At least eleven people died on Saturday, October 29, in a stampede during singer Fally Ipupa's concert in Kinshasa's largest stadium, according to the Deputy Divisional Commissioner of the Congolese National Police (Police nationale congolaise; PNC) and Chief of Police.

Philanthropy
Fally Ipupa Foundation (FIF)
In 2013, Ipupa established the Fally Ipupa Foundation (Fondation Fally Ipupa; FIF), a non-profit organization aimed at providing assistance to different sections of the population in need. The foundation supports vulnerable individuals in society, particularly victims of sexual violence and orphans. Ipupa recognized the social inequalities that afflict modern society and noticed that some individuals can afford what they want while others cannot. This realization led to his interest in social entrepreneurship and the creation of FIF to support vulnerable individuals, promoting equitable sharing and a dignified life for all. The FIF's primary focus is on five areas: education, health, housing, access to clean water, and sanitation. In the education sector, FIF strives to enhance and strengthen teaching conditions in underprivileged areas by providing school supplies and scholarships.The foundation also supports the construction of health centers and provides the necessary equipment to facilitate access to care for the poorest while improving the quality of care. FIF also works to improve infrastructure and build homes for those living in remote areas of the country, creates water stations in areas where access to clean water is challenging, and takes significant action in rural sanitation to promote a healthy environment for those living in those regions. These actions take place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, specifically in Bukavu, Goma, Matadi, Kisangani, and Beni. FIF also provides assistance to various African countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Cameroon.

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 during World Breastfeeding Week. As a National Ambassador, he will continue to speak out to promote, protect, and support infant and young child feeding practices.

Discography
Albums
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Awards and nominations
See also


== References ==