{
  "slug": "manu-dibango",
  "name": "Manu Dibango",
  "description": "Manu Dibango appears 2 times in our Afrobeat and The Waxonia Desk — One Subject lists, placing as high as No. 5. Hand-curated, with a reason for every pick.",
  "updated": "2026-08-29",
  "url": "https://waxonia.com/artist/manu-dibango/",
  "appearanceCount": 2,
  "distinctRecordings": 1,
  "years": {
    "first": 1972,
    "last": 1972
  },
  "highestPlacing": {
    "rank": 5,
    "list": "Afrobeat"
  },
  "appearsOn": [
    {
      "kind": "genre",
      "slug": "afrobeat",
      "name": "Afrobeat",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/afrobeat/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-one-subject",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — One Subject",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-one-subject/",
      "entries": 1
    }
  ],
  "tracks": [
    {
      "trackKey": "manu-dibango--soul-makossa",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/manu-dibango--soul-makossa/",
      "title": "Soul Makossa",
      "year": 1972,
      "label": "Fiesta",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "A Cameroonian B-side that a New York DJ found in a Brooklyn record shop and turned into a disco hit. The first African record to cross over on a dancefloor rather than in a concert hall.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-one-subject",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — One Subject",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-one-subject/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Manu%20Dibango%20Soul%20Makossa",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PblSmVR7hCk",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 5,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "afrobeat",
        "name": "Afrobeat",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/afrobeat/"
      },
      "artist": "Manu Dibango"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "manu-dibango--soul-makossa",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/manu-dibango--soul-makossa/",
      "title": "Soul Makossa",
      "year": 1972,
      "label": "Fiesta",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "A Cameroonian B-side that a New York DJ turned into a disco hit. The clearest single case for the argument this list is making: the route mattered more than the origin.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "afrobeat",
          "name": "Afrobeat",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/afrobeat/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Manu%20Dibango%20Soul%20Makossa",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PblSmVR7hCk",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "the-desk-one-subject",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — One Subject",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-one-subject/"
      },
      "artist": "Manu Dibango"
    }
  ],
  "curates": null
}