The influence Manu Dibango and Coco Mbassi on Adah Akenji

Music they say can change a community but one can’t change music from what it has been. This is the experience we see in the 2016 version of Adah Akenji’s “Wan O Bi” performed by the legendary Coco Mbassi at the French cultural center – Douala in 2004.

The birth and evolution of what is today afro-pop, takes its root from two prominent African music icons, Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti.

Makossa in particular got its fame and international acknowledgement in the late 1960s by the legendary, Manu Dibango.

Introducing the intro of his song (Wan O’Bi) courtesy of the internationally recognized album “Soul Makossa” of Manu Dibango released in 1972, Adah Akenji goes as far as mimicking and auto tuning his voice in the intro to match that of the “Biggest Manu”.

Adah did not only released a new track but diversified the Makossa music grooves to the “High Life” music. The song expresses a different kind of feelings, performed and sung by Coco Mbassi, Cameroon’s female music icon.

“Wan O Bi” can be as well performed in any live international concert or show because of the abundance of live instrumental funk embedded in it.

The “Wan O Bi” audio was produced by Adah Akenji himself under his keyboard name #VOYDIncredible and directed by himself and R.Talla in Yaoundé.

Watch and enjoy good music!