Critical Review-White

            White addresses Congolese Rumba, how it came to be in Africa, and what it means for Africans, both past and present.  White states that Congolese Rumba is associated with cosmopolitanism, and it emerged as a result of the creation of cities, radio stations, and record labels, much like Makuna stated.  White pays close attention to the spread of this music, especially the G.V. series, by way of record labels across the Atlantic Ocean from Latin America, and how without the colonization and cosmopolitan society in major Congolese cities, this spread would have not been possible.

            I found White’s interviews interesting; as Congolese people said that they could “feel” the African roots in this heavily Latin influenced music and took great pleasure in listening to it.  We’ve read countless times about an innate sense of rhythm in Africans and one man states, “’The melody, the rhythms, those are Congolese rhythms… that’s what breaks Congolese hearts.’”(673)  The Congolese people have this innate connection to African Rumba and are proud that it comes from their homeland.  Do these natives and musicians feel that they are not given the proper credit they deserve for creating this music?