Congolese Rumba Interview
Tell us about your experience with this online video, click here.
Description
Mr. Alban Audrey Malanda, nicknamed Butalakwazebi Jack Bauer, is from Congo Brazzaville. He moved in December of 2017 to the US with the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. He is a student at CCV studying criminal justice, is a musician artist, and works at Howard Center. He is a founder and president of the American Dream Association (a non-profit organization) which helps student youths learn American English. He likes to dress well; he likes fashion because in Congolese culture a musician artist must dress very well.
Congolese Rumba is a popular genre of dance music that originated in the Congo Bassin during the 1940s, deriving from Cuban son. The style gained popularity throughout Africa during the 1960s and 1970s.
Style: Son Cubano Bakongo traditional music.
Origins: Congolese dance music.
Cultural origins: Late 1930s in the Congo in Kinshasa and Brazzaville.
In December 2021, Congolese Rumba was added to the UNESCO list intangible cultural heritage.
Typical instruments: Guitar (esp fingerstyle), Bass (esp acoustic), drums, and vocals.
Featured Story
Applications Now Open for the Spring 2025 Cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship Program
Town Meeting TV is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Spring 2025 cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship program. Join up to 8 other youth to engage in interesting media making projects! This paid media internship opportunity is designed for youth aged 16-20 who are eager to gain professional experience in the audio-visual field and develop a deeper understanding of their local community. The group will meet under the leadership of Town Meeting TV's Travis Washington from the end of January 2025 to the beginning of June 2025, on a schedule agreed upon by the whole cohort. Click here to apply!