Description
This is a pre-order. It will ship on or around 12/18/26
Beyond the towering Soul Makossa-a global anthem that transcends borders-lies a vast, still-undiscovered musical forest: the work of a prolific creator, endlessly curious, and a tireless bridge-builder between worlds. Manu Dibango moved through eras and frontiers with a groove that needed no passport, weaving connections between Africa, jazz, funk, reggae, classical, and even early disco.
His expansive body of work embodies the universalism and openness he championed: music without borders, without exclusion, deeply human. For too long, this immense legacy was overshadowed-first by the legal battles surrounding the famous Soul Makossa unauthorized use (Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Jay Z,...), and then by the tragic reality that, throughout his career, Manu attracted unscrupulous individuals who, while claiming to represent his interests, systematically stripped him of his rights. Yet, in the final years of his life, Manu was fortunate to cross paths with Thierry Durepaire. A friend and, since 2015, the manager of Soul Makossa (the label and music publishing company founded by Manu in 1985), Thierry, together with Soraya Dabliz and his team worked tirelessly behind the scenes to structure, clean up, untangle, and reissue. Today, the company is managed responsibly, with Manu's heirs as partners, in a manner that honors the artist and his vision. Through years of hard-fought legal victories, the works have gradually reclaimed their rightful place, slowly restoring the full scope of Manu's impressive discography. The road to full regularization remains long, but sometimes it's necessary to pause and celebrate the progress made. It is in this spirit that Soul Makossa now joins forces with Ivan Halen Semeria (co-director and programmer of the Worldwide Festival) and Olivier Linglet (artist manager and publisher in electronic music) to mark a milestone: celebrating some fifty works now "clean" and inviting artists, musicians, and remixers from diverse backgrounds to engage with Manu's legacy, reimagine it, and make it resonate in today's world. So that, more than ever, Manu Dibango's universalism-his belief that music unites people-continues to inspire, bring together, and make the planet dance.
