With a multi-octave vocal range and a dynamic stage presence, the 190 cm (6 feet 3 inches) and 136 kg (300 pound) vocalist recorded more than three hundred songs and twenty albums during his two decade-long career. Known affectionately as "the elephant of African music" and "La Bombe Atomique", Kalle entertained audiences with his robust performances.
His musical career started with African Jazz, the band of Grand Kalle. He later become the lead singer of Lipua Lipua, where he sung alongside Nyboma Mwandido. In 1972, Kalle along with Dilu Dilumona and Papy Tex, left Lipua Lipua to form their own band named Empire Bakuba. Empire Bakuba took its name from a Congolese warrior tribe, and it pointedly incorporated rootsy rhythms from the interior, sounds that had long been sidelined by popular rumba. The band was an instant hit, and together with Zaïko Langa Langa they became Kinshasa's most popular youth band. With hits such as Pepe Kalle's Dadou and Papy Tex's Sango ya mawa, the band was a constant fixture on the charts. They also created a new dance, the kwassa kwassa.
On their tenth anniversary in 1982, the band was voted Zaïre's top group. Throughout the early 1980s, Empire Bakuba continued to tour extensively while releasing no less than four albums a year. By the mid eighties, they had a large following throughout Francophone Central and West Africa. His 1986 collaboration with Nyboma labelled Zouke-zouke was one of the years top selling albums. But it was his second collaboration with Nyboma, Moyibi (1988), which launched his popularity throughout Africa.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kalle fused elements of the fast paced version of soukous produced in Paris studios. His 1990 album, Roger Milla, a tribute to the exploits of the great Camerounian footballer, is a classic example of this arrangement.
In 1992 the band faced its first major calamity when Emoro, the band's dancing dwarf, died while on tour in Botswana. Despite this setback, Pepe Kalle's popularity continued to soar in the nineties as he released albums like Gigantafrique, Larger than life, and Cocktail. He also collaborated with other legends like Lutumba Simaro and Nyoka Longo.
Pepe Kalle died of a heart attack in November 1998.
Roger Milla
Pepe Kalle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Roger Mila Legendary to competition no sympathy
King of the black I'm a major League shoot in your pussy and shut up bitch
237 I'm one in eleven the only real Lion unbeaten bitch
Giving you water like Jesus Nigga be mad like Yeezus
I Walk on your flows miraculous soul niggas be calling Breezus
To God belongs all the glory so bitches ain't gotta be saying much
Parle parle pour parler tu reconnais que Mila est le Savior
Motherfucker what you saying yo?
Gimme my fucking respect tho!
I am the Green the Red and the Yellow star shining above yo!
I am Roger Mila mila Roger Mila roger Mila
I am roger roger Mila Mila Roger Mila nigger
Motherfucker what you saying yo?
Gimme my fucking respect tho!
I am the Green the Red and the Yellow star shining above yo!
Rap verse2:
Oh God I'm so good
How many niggers wanna rap like me man I'm too good
Black is the art that I paint dude darker than Guinness I Drink good
Look at my eyes and tell me your time notice you fucking with late dude
Too advanced for these motherfuckers my rap type ain't got a rival
Super hot like supernova lame niggas wanna be disciples
Fuck you if you're Maradona I'm a Roger Milla and I break the records
You watching it happen, you're making it happen or you be like what the fuck is happening
How could you go this far all by singing crap and bullshit
I see another guy spitting rap and that's some good shit
Feeling myself enough to go bout giving you crap to listen
I be the new generation inspire my nation I started the mission
Motherfucker what you saying yo?
Gimme my fucking respect tho!
I am the Green the Red and the Yellow star shining above yo!
I am Roger Mila mila Roger Mila roger Mila
I am roger roger Mila Mila Roger Mila nigger
Motherfucker what you saying yo?
Gimme my fucking respect tho!
I am the Green the Red and the Yellow star shining above yo!
The lyrics to Pepe Kalle's song "Roger Milla" are fiercely confident and assertive. In the first verse, the artist proclaims his dominance over his competition, referring to himself as the "king of the black" and "one in eleven," asserting that he is the "only real lion unbeaten." He also references his generosity, comparing himself to Jesus by saying he gives "you water like Jesus." The second verse continues with the artist's self-praise, stating that he is "so good" and that his rap is "too advanced for these motherfuckers." He ends the verse by calling himself the "new generation" who will inspire his nation.
The hook of the song repeatedly says the name "Roger Milla," who is a legendary Cameroonian soccer player. Pepe Kalle uses Milla's name as a symbol of power and dominance, as well as a source of national pride for Cameroon. The lyrics also make reference to the colors of the Cameroonian flag (green, red, and yellow) and the idea of respect, as the artist demands that he be given the respect he deserves.
Overall, the lyrics to "Roger Milla" are a bold declaration of the artist's confidence and skill, drawing on cultural symbols and national pride to assert his dominance and greatness.
Line by Line Meaning
Eliminate all of enemies illuminating off your energy
Get rid of all your enemies who feed off your energy and success
Roger Mila Legendary to competition no sympathy
Roger Mila is a legendary figure in sports and shows no mercy to his competition
King of the black I'm a major League shoot in your pussy and shut up bitch
As the king of black people, I dominate in the major leagues and shut down any critics or challenges
237 I'm one in eleven the only real Lion unbeaten bitch
Representing Cameroon (237), I am one of eleven players on the field and the only true lion who remains undefeated
Giving you water like Jesus Nigga be mad like Yeezus
Providing for you like Jesus would, but some people still get upset like Kanye West
I Walk on your flows miraculous soul niggas be calling Breezus
I effortlessly out-rap my competition and people compare me to a god-like figure named Breezus
To God belongs all the glory so bitches ain't gotta be saying much
I give credit to God for my success so haters don't need to say anything negative
Parle parle pour parler tu reconnais que Mila est le Savior
Keep talking and you'll eventually realize that Mila is the savior
Motherfucker what you saying yo?
What are you trying to say?
Gimme my fucking respect tho!
Show me the respect I deserve!
I am the Green the Red and the Yellow star shining above yo!
I represent the colors of Cameroon (Green, Red, Yellow) and shine above all others
Oh God I'm so good
I am extremely talented
How many niggers wanna rap like me man I'm too good
Many people want to rap like me, but I am too good for them to compete
Black is the art that I paint dude darker than Guinness I drink good
My music is a form of art that represents black culture and is even darker than the Guinness beer that I enjoy
Look at my eyes and tell me your time notice you fucking with late dude
If you look into my eyes, you'll see that you're wasting your time trying to compete with me
Too advanced for these motherfuckers my rap type ain't got a rival
I am too advanced for my competition in the rap game and have no true rivals
Super hot like supernova lame niggas wanna be disciples
I am extremely popular and people try to copy my style
Fuck you if you're Maradona I'm a Roger Milla and I break the records
If you think you're great like Maradona, I am even greater like Roger Milla and break records
You watching it happen, you're making it happen or you be like what the fuck is happening
You are either witness to my success, contributing to it, or confused about what's happening
Feeling myself enough to go bout giving you crap to listen
I am confident enough in my abilities to provide you with my music to listen to, even if you don't like it
I be the new generation inspire my nation I started the mission
I represent the new generation and inspire my country through my music, and I started this mission myself
Contributed by Lauren Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ebenezermandjamba7625
04:42 Roger Milla
1:48 Roger Milla
2:01 Onana
2:04 Omam Biyick
2:05 Kundé Eteke
2:09 Ngono
2: 10 Roger
2: 12 Maka... Maka... Maka...Maka... Ehhhhh Makanaki Makanaki Makanaki
The best players of Cameroon Football team in that era!!!!. O7/04/2023
@SyllartRecords
SUSCRIBE to the Syllart Records channel : http://bit.ly/2vGqE5i
And (re)find all video clips and albums from the most popular artists from West Africa, Congo or Cape Verde : Mbilia, Bel, Tabu Ley, Sékouba Bambino, Diéneba Seck, Madilu System, Africando, Ismaël Lô, Kandia Kouyaté, Cabo Verde Show, Bembeya Jazz, Etoile de Dakar, Le Rail Band, ...
@sarifahemqd8964
Nostalgie
@sarabangonin9533
ऐममम
@felixchaeramuniquina5050
I remember on 1997 with my father
@faustinemsangu5834
Video
@abdoul-anzizem2895
Bakoili je le veux
@rodriguenankeng4794
Je ne cesserai jamais d'écouter cette chanson depuis le Cameroun 🇨🇲 et je l'écoute encore en janvier 2023, qui est là comme moi??
@gylenemaffo3384
Moi moi ❤❤
@majorbob7211
Moi
@thiernokane8772
Dpui Sénégal