Messi Martin
The guitarist who made the guitar sound like a balafon
Born in 1946 · Died in 2005
Related music genre : Bikutsi
Who are they?
A guitarist and singer born in 1946, full name Messi Me Nkonda Martin. A national star in the 1970s, he was the leading figure of the band Los Camaroes.
What made them famous
Described as the father of modern bikutsi, he transferred the sound of the balafon to the electric guitar by placing material between the strings to dampen them. This âbalafon guitarâ brought bikutsi into the electric age.
Key facts
- His songs âMengala Mauriceâ and âBekono Nga Nkondaâ, dedicated to his mother, became national hits in the 1960s.
- His album âZoa Mballaâ was named record of the year 2000 by the CRTV programme Tube Vision.
- He introduced several artists to bikutsi, including Betti Joseph (Bejos).
- He died in Yaoundé in 2005, in poverty.