Bekono, Roger
Roger Bekono
Roger Bekono made a deep mark in the contemporary history of Cameroonian music through the intensity of the Bikutsi style. The Ewondo-language dance-pop style that forms an undulating tapestry of interlocking triplet rhythmic interplay came to international prominence in the European "world music" scene as the '90s began. In mid-1989, the single 'Jolie Poupée' was released by the label Inter Diffusion System and aggressively hit the radio, discotheques and national television. The music video for the title track was on loop on TV. Bekono's self-titled album came out on vinyl and cassette and remains his bestselling recording to this day. He has not been able to match that success ever since, and he died after a long illness at the age of 62 in September 2016.