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M'Toro Chamou
(Mayotte)
Biography
M'Toro Chamou is a musician born on the Island of Mayotte, part of the Comoro archipelago, but has - politically
seen - always been part
of French overseas territories, and is now a French Department since 2011, following the results of the 2009 referendum. M'Toro Chamou
(M'Toro stands for one who has refused slavery) started his musical path with a Mayotte hip hop outfit
M'Tsapéré Power. With his guitar, he mixed rap and hip hop with the traditional
M'Godro music.
In 1996 he went to Paris, where he worked with Baco and Mikidache, both pioneers in Mayotte music. He recorded several solo albums, such as « Kaza N'goma » (1998), « Retour aux sources » (1999), « M'lango » (2002), and « Bwé Foro » (2004), and participated in various collective projects with Mikidache and others, carrying the name Tsenga.
After 16 years in France, of which 8 years in the city of Nantes, M'Toro Chamou wanted to go back to Mayotte, but in absence of production facilities and even a proper venue to rehearse, he chose to settle on the Island of Réunion, 1500km to the South East of Mayotte. It was on Réunion where he recorded a new album « Punk Islands », on which he continues his quest for developing his music based on traditional M'Godro, addressing issues as the chaotic situation on Mayotte and the Comoros, between the influence of neo-colonialism and modernisation on the one hand, and losing their cultural identity on the other hand. He sings mainly in shimaore (mahorais in French).
In 1996 he went to Paris, where he worked with Baco and Mikidache, both pioneers in Mayotte music. He recorded several solo albums, such as « Kaza N'goma » (1998), « Retour aux sources » (1999), « M'lango » (2002), and « Bwé Foro » (2004), and participated in various collective projects with Mikidache and others, carrying the name Tsenga.
After 16 years in France, of which 8 years in the city of Nantes, M'Toro Chamou wanted to go back to Mayotte, but in absence of production facilities and even a proper venue to rehearse, he chose to settle on the Island of Réunion, 1500km to the South East of Mayotte. It was on Réunion where he recorded a new album « Punk Islands », on which he continues his quest for developing his music based on traditional M'Godro, addressing issues as the chaotic situation on Mayotte and the Comoros, between the influence of neo-colonialism and modernisation on the one hand, and losing their cultural identity on the other hand. He sings mainly in shimaore (mahorais in French).
M'Toro Chamou
(photo: JP Fauliau)
(photo: JP Fauliau)
Born: 1974 (as Chamsidini Momed), in M'tsapéré, Mayotte, Comores Islands
Style: Afro-folk, afro-pop-rock, mgodro
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| Sika Mila | 2019 | Quart de Lune | Inouie Distribution |
| Punk Islands | 2016 | Quart de Lune / Idol | |
| Tsenga 2 | 2011 | Bouquin Affamé Productions | Collective album by M'Toro & Mikidache |
| On va bouger | 2011 | Bouquin Affamé Productions | EP, collective album by M'Toro & Nassadjah |
| Changer | 2009 | ||
| Tsenga | 2008 | Cobalt | Collective album by M'Toro & Mikidache |
| Bwé Foro | 2004 | M'Toro Chamou/Groove Ethnik Music | |
| M'Lango | 2002 | CDC | |
| Retour aux sources | 1999 | El-anis Production | |
| Kaza N'goma | 1998 | El-anis Production |
Sources
www.mtorochamou.com (retrieved May 2016, now obsolete link)
www.mtorochamou.com (retrieved May 2016, now obsolete link)
Page added May 2016