Afrika Mokili Mobimba

"African Jazz Mokili Mobimba"
Song by Le Grand Kallé et l'African Jazz
Released	1961
Recorded	1961
Genre	African Rumba
Length	05:09
Writer(s)	Déchaud Mongala
Language	Lingala

"African Jazz Mokili Mobimba" (often referred to as "Africa Mokili Mobimba" or "Afrika Mokili Mobimba") was a popular song written in the Congolese rumba style by Déchaud Mongala and performed by Joseph Kabasele's band, African Jazz.

From June 1961 to 1962, the popular Congolese band African Jazz —led by Joseph Kabasele— made a series of recordings in Brussels, Belgium. One of these new songs was "African Jazz Mokili Mobimba" (meaning "African Jazz all over the world"), written by guitarist Déchaud Mongala in the Congolese rumba style and released in 1961. It was a pastiche of two Latin American songs. The song references all of the performing musicians as well as several Congolese cities and African countries (a common way of expressing praise at the time). At just over five minutes in length, it was one of the first African recordings to make use of the larger 45 rpm records then only recently available in the continent.

"African Jazz Mokili Mobimba" went on to become a hit of the early 1960s. It became particularly popular in Kenyan dance clubs in 1965. It is often considered to be one of African Jazz's most memorable songs, though by the early 2000s it was commonly referred to as simply "Africa Mokili Mobimba".

In 1994 the song was covered by ex-OK Jazz musician Sam Mangwana and the Fania All-Stars for the former's album, entitled Rumba Music. African Jazz vocalist Tabu Ley Rochereau later recorded "African Jazz Mokili Mobimba" as a solo artist to be the leading track on his 1996 live album Africa Worldwide. Ex-OK Jazz guitarist Papa Noel Nedule frequently featured Mangwana and Rochereau in his covers of the song.

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