Les Patrons have been attacking Abidjan’s clubs and airwaves with a slew of infectious zouglou hits. Atito, Triste Destin, Conseils all display the Patrons’ mixture of traditional rhythms with hip hop and R & B aesthetics. Familiar sounds for anyone who’s spent more than 5 minutes in Côte d’Ivoire in recent years.
Zouglou came about in the 1980s, it first evolved around student protests and has become a social voice, much like hip hop, it’s american cousin. It is usually sang in nouchi, the Ivorian French slang spoken in Abidjan. With coupé décalé, zouglou has become one of the dominant styles in Ivory Coast. And you’ may have already heard this huge zouglou hit: