Makossa is a music genre originating in Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon in the late 20th century.
[5] The chant from the song, mamako, mamasa, maka makossa, was later used by Michael Jackson in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" in 1983.
The 2010 World cup also brought makossa to the international stage as Shakira sampled the Golden Sounds popular song "Zamina mina (Zangalewa)".
In the book Le Makossa: une musique africaine moderne, a passage including this quote is written as follows: In the same book, the author explains that according to Remy Minko Mba (late journalist):[7] In the original French version, a passage including the translated version of this quote reads: In Cameroonian Pidgin English, a cognate that could one of the ultimate underlying origins of the word "makossa" is: "kosh".
[12] These include musicians such as Lobe Lobe Rameau, Mouelle Guillaume, Ebanda Manfred, Tibo Essombe, Epee Mbende Richard, Eitel Tobbo, Ebolo Emmanuel, Charles Lembe, Ruth Soppo, Jacqueline Ewondo, Tapelon, Epata, Eyoum Decca, Willy le Pape, etc.
[13] Makossa developed, expanded and evolved into one of most popular and ubiquitous modern music genres in Cameroon.
[14] Its influence shaped and altered the musical discourse in the country for more than half a century, so much so that its reach expanded far beyond the nation's borders to other parts of West and Central Africa.
[15] It is the rhizomic evolutionary offshoot of the musical confluence arising from the colonial era and its revolutionary relationship between the West and sub-Saharan Africa in the 18th century.
[16] Along with this came variegated cultural ideas and expressions, intellectual concepts, religious values, as well as radical and disruptive new technologies from Europe that were at the presence of African societies.
[17] The outcome was a plethora of newer musical forms and modes of expression along the coast of West and Central Africa.
[20] It allowed for a sensory experiential interface which culminated into a wide array of artistic and contemporary forms in West and Central African previously unheard before.
[24] Prior to the independence of Cameroon that would lead to makossa's creation, there was the classical music of the Bamoun Kingdom.
The essewe is a funerary dance practiced for psychotherapeutic purpose, and more specifically to relieve sorrow at the loss of a loved one.
The music genre is very well balanced and rhythmic, inviting the energetically pianissimo yet fully involved movement of the body while dancing.
The guitar made its entry into Africa in what is now Sierra Leone, going down south through Cameroon, where musicians would use it to play music that would be the predecessor of makossa, including assiko.
[38] Many people who are makossa musicians today are in one way or another ultimately influenced by Protestant hymns and in particular, Baptist church music.
[39][40] The Duala were an ethnic group that were in contact and in agreement with the European settlers and could hence convert relatively agreeably and peaceably.
[43] The Schutztruppe were the representation of the significance of military theory and praxis, shown when they defined the musical medium of the colonies as well as cultural and physiological dominance over those colonized.
[44] The Germans, and in particular renowned explorer Hermann Wissmann, believed that through the strategic use to civilize the natives, who he viewed as inferior.
Oftentimes soldiers would dance and shout interjections, while themselves adopting native customs, which became common in the music that the Sawa played, eventually gaining the name "ambasse bey".
It is important to distinguish this music (assiko of Cameroon) from that of Sierra Leone (or better put, ashiko), or aṣíkò from Nigeria.
Ragtime is syncopated, and hence the characteristic makes sense to have ultimately been inherited by assiko, via palm wine music.
It was played historically at bars where palm wine (an alcoholic beverage found in West Africa) was served, and it was born out of both casual interactions and musical expression.