Monumental Soundbyte - 20

Koffi Olomide - Loi

I have done a soundbyte on Koffi's Calvaire which i love but the reasons why Loi makes it to my monumental soundbyte list include:

• It was the very first makossa song i ever heard. My music repertoire at that point revolved solely around R&B, Pop (based on whatever i saw on MTV & VHI), jazz (more Earl Klugh & Bob James courtesy of my dad) and Motown greats (again - my parents). I was in university in Buckingham which is a true United Nations school. We were preparing for the very first african night of our set (the 97 bunch)....
• It reminds me of a great time in my life. It was Rahibu from Tanzania, Maureen from Kenya, Sherie from Malawi, Hauwa from Nigeria and a few others that decided to do an african dance. So Rahibu and Maureen agreed on this song and i was well - the watcher and holder of clothes as they practiced. In time, as the dance steps were learnt, i would stand in front of the stage doing the moves as well as the girls watched me to make sure they were getting stuff right. Sort of the honorary mirror. LOL. And the dance moves. The Nigerian girls in the bunch had to take time to watch and learn and even though they did a good job, it was nothing compared to the moves of the East African ladies. What? Rahibu was well endowed on the bottom and it was just amazing to watch her stand in one spot, her top half still and her waist doing things that i didnt even know bodies could do. My mouth would literally stay open when she started
• So African Night came around and of course we had guests from all over London and i remember being part of the fashion show - in a Kanuri getup and a yoruba ensemble. Anyway, i digress. These ladies took to the stage and the cameras just started flashing and people screamed and screamed. After the girls were done, there was a chanting for Rahibu and she came back on stage and freestyled it and almost killed us all. I have pictures.

See why music is great? Everytime i hear this song, i have all these images from that time in my life and that memorable night. And of course, i think of each of the girls and then i think of all that happened while we were in school and afterwards....

Enjoy!

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