Omona Wapi

Omona Wapi is an album by Congolese singer-songwriters and bandleaders Franco (Francois Luambo Makiadi) and Tabu Ley Rochereau.[1] Both artists competed for popularity in Africa in the latter half of the 20th century as they contributed to the development of soukous.[2] Though typically considered to be archrivals, the duo recorded several albums together. Omona Wapi was released by the independent American label Shanachie Records in 1985 and reissued on CD in 1991.[3][4] It was one of the final recordings of Franco, who released some 150 albums during his career and died of AIDS in 1989.[2]

Omona Wapi
Studio album by
Franco and Tabu Ley Rochereau
Released1985 (1985)
GenreSoukous
Length33:16
LabelShanachie Records

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Robert ChristgauA+[6]

Omona Wapi was largely ignored in the United States upon release. The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the album an A+ and named it his number one album of 1985.[7] In 1990 he named it the fifth-best album of the 1980s.[8]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Lisanga Ya Ba Nganga"8:11
2."Ngungi"8:17
3."Omona Wapi"8:03
4."Kabassele in Memoriam"8:45
Total length:33:16

References
  1. Christgau, Robert. "Franco & Rochereau: Omona Wapi". www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  2. , Angeloro, Al, An African Biographical Dictionary
  3. Pareles, Jon (1989-10-29). "POP VIEW; The Influential and Joyous Legacy of Zaire's Franco". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  4. "Omona Wapi". Amazon. 1991.
  5. "Omona Wapi – Franco & Rochereau". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  6. Christgau, Robert. "Franco & Rochereau". Robert Christgau.
  7. Christgau, Robert. Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Acknowledgments; pgs. 155 & 500.
  8. Christgau, Robert. "Decade Personal Best: '80s". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
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