Manu Dibango was a saxophonist, vibraphonist, and songwriter from Cameroon who was known for mixing traditional African music with jazz and funk. His 1972 song “Soul Makossa” was an international hit.
Obituary
Dibango attended high school in France, where he learned to play the saxophone. After leaving school, he began playing in Belgian nightclubs, then he became a member of the Congolese rumba group African Jazz. His “Soul Makossa” was a Top 40 hit in 1973 and was widely covered by other artists. Its chanted refrain, “mama ko, mama sa, maka makossa,” was adapted by Michael Jackson for his 1983 hit “Wanna Be Startin’ Something.”
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