Biography
Known for his enigmatic presence as both guitarist and vocalist, Coupé Cloué earned the nickname—rendered in English as “kickout”—through standout ability on the soccer field. His reputation rests on lyrics laced with sexual double-entendres, extended spoken passages that move between risqué and romantic moods, and pointed social satire. The “compas mamba,” or peanut compas, projects a markedly African character through guitar lines that recall West African highlife, augmented by Cuban bongo drums and bamboo tubes played with sticks in addition to the customary conga and drum kit. He appears on numerous album covers clad in African garments, and his shaved head gives him a memorable silhouette. That visual impact helped earn him the title “Le Roi” (the king) during engagements in the Ivory Coast, West Africa, in 1975. Among electric Caribbean bands, Coupé Cloué exhibits the most emphatic African sound, a quality that reflects the depth of his roots even though he maintains he had never encountered African music before that 1975 visit. Arcade released Son Haiti: Best of Coupe Cloue in 1999.
Albums
