Kpalongo, by Yao Bobby & Simon Grab

Kpalongo

by Yao Bobby & Simon Grab

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1.	Kpalongo 03:53	info	buy track
2.	Kpalongo Hifreqmix 04:02	info	buy track
3.	Kpalongo (instrumental) 03:53		buy track
4.	Kpalongo Hifreqmix (instrumental) 04:02		buy track

about

The new single Kpalongo is just a small teaser of what’s burning behind the scenes. Expect yet another form of madness when Yao starts spitting his new rhymes live on stage, accompanied by Simon’s dense layers of bass, noise and rhythms.

This song is an hommage to John Codjo MENSAN aka “KPALONGO”, born in 1948, who was a boxer legend - the first togolese boxer fighting in World Championship, vice world champion in his category and 4 times winner of the African Championship. Despite his success he was completely impoverished, being ignored by the official sports clubs and government. He died miserably in 2017.

"Honour the people while they’re alive” says Yao, making it a parallel story of how artists are treated in Togo. Kpalongo is also the name of a rhythm and dance of the region, originally developed in the 1960s by the urban youth of the Ga people.

With this track Yao Bobby steps forward showing his vision of electronic music. Kpalongo has been recorded in Yao's studio in Agbodrafo, and then produced and mixed by Simon Grab. More to come soon...

...
Music by Yao Bobby x Simon Grab
Mastered by Dominic Clare at Declared Sound
...
Catch them live!
instagram: @yaobobbysimongrab
website: yaobobby.simongrab.com
booking: yaobobbysimongrab@gmail.com

credits

released January 5, 2024

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Yao Bobby & Simon Grab Agbodrafo, Togo

The togolese Rapper and political activist Yao Bobby collaborates with swiss noisemaker Simon Grab. An intense soundbattle between energetic rhymes fired into a dark soundworld of raw electronic bass pulsations with a dubby punk attitude, produced on analog feedback electronics. Their show is a very raw and improvised form of live experimental hiphop – ‚Freeform Rap and Noise’. ... more

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