@kwachke254: Sam Fan Thomas: “The Black Tiger of New Bell” “Forgetting is the devil’s trick!” A few years ago, when Sam Fan Thomas received an award at Canal 2’Or, it was reportedly his first major award in Cameroon since the beginning of his career. Incredible, considering the numerous awards and distinctions he received in other countries. Indeed, no one is a prophet in their own land. Sam Fan Thomas is one of the few African artists credited with selling a record in excess of one million copies. Author, composer, guitarist, percussionist, arranger, studio technician (recording, mixing, etc.), producer and singer, Sam Fan Thomas—whose real name is Samuel Ndonfeng—was born in 1952 in Bafoussam, Cameroon. He began his career in 1969 with Les Tigres Noirs (Black Tigers), a group founded in Bafoussam by, among others, André-Marie Tala. He was discovered by Kame Yougaing, also known as Jean Bosco Kamgaing, co-founder and bandleader of Les Tigres Noirs, during a surprise party in Bafoussam. Kamgaing invited him to join the group as a guitarist, replacing a rhythm guitarist who had left the orchestra. With the group, he recorded several singles, including his first 45-rpm record featuring “Tavorsi” (Friend) and “Kalamo” (I Don't Get Angry With Anyone) in the mid-1970s, around 1974–1976. In 1976, he left Les Tigres Noirs to pursue a solo career. To finance his music and his dream of travelling to France, Sam Fan Thomas worked as a tailor in the popular neighborhoods of Douala. He embarked on a remarkable journey across Africa, hoping to gradually get closer to France and ultimately fulfill his dream. During his musical journey, he performed with the late Nigerian star Sonny Okosun and with the Nigerian group The Original Super 5 of Africa, including on their 1977 album Helena. His first LP, Funky New Bell, was recorded in Benin and released in 1977 on the Beninese label Satel. He was accompanied on the album by the Beninese orchestra Black Santiago ⚫️ Produced by Cameroonian musician Isidore Tamwo, the album featured the international hit “African Typic Collection.” The album reportedly achieved gold-record status in 1984, while “African Typic Collection” became a massive commercial success, with claims of more than one million copies sold across France, Africa and the French-speaking Caribbean. Sam Fan Thomas continued producing major hits throughout the 1980s, including “Olga” (1985), “Si Tcha” (1986), “Noa” (1986) and “Zimo” (1988), among others. “Zimo” was a tribute to Nelson Mandela. His album Makassi Again was dedicated to Fela Kuti and Nelson Mandela. His music consistently carried messages, and Sam Fan Thomas became widely associated with the Makassi sound, helping popularize the rhythm internationally. To this day, Sam Fan Thomas remains deeply loved across many African countries. His music has a particularly strong following in East Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, where his songs have been passed from one generation to another. His classic recordings can still be heard on radio stations across the region. These are truly timeless songs—records that cross generations without growing old. When “African Typic Collection” exploded onto the scene in 1984, Sam Fan Thomas had just returned from an extensive tour of West Africa. When he arrived in Abidjan, the reception was extraordinary. In Benin, stories circulated of audiences becoming overwhelmed by the music as soon as his guitar began to roar; in Lomé, Togo, his performances generated huge popular celebrations. His music was also warmly embraced in Portuguese-speaking Africa, including Angola, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau. Sam Fan Thomas helped carry the image and sound of Cameroon across the African continent and beyond. At the height of his success, Cameroonian music occupied a remarkable place on the African musical landscape. Bosco#

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Monday 28 September 2026 09:10:38 GMT