About Jovi
Hometown
Douala, Cameroon
Born
October 24, 1983
Genre
Hip-Hop/Rap
Ndukong Godlove Nfor, better known by his stage name Jovi, is a Cameroonian rapper, sound engineer, and producer known for his witty repartee and potent social commentary. One of the first Cameroon rap artists to utilize English, French, and the hybrid languages Pidgin and Francanglais, Jovi found success in 2012 with the single "Don 4 Kwat," and has continued to shatter cultural and linguistic blockades via envelope-pushing efforts like 16 Wives (2017) and God Don Kam (2019).
A native of Douala, Jovi studied economics and business management at the University of Yaoundé II before embarking on a career in music in the early 2010s. Debuting in 2012 with the singles "Don 4 Kwat" and "Pitié," the latter of which featured Congolese legend Tabu Ley Rochereau, Jovi quickly became a chart fixture upon the release of his first full-length effort, H.I.V (Humanity Is Vanishing). Employing a versatile blend of R&B, trap, and contemporary and African hip-hop with flourishes of electronics and regional instrumentation, Jovi capitalized on the album's success in 2013 with the self-produced EP Kankwe Vol. 1, which was released on his own New Bell Music label. Mboko God, his sophomore LP, arrived in 2015 and earned a nomination for best album at the 2016 Kora Awards. During this time, Jovi was also producing (under the moniker Le Monstre), composing, and engineering releases for artists like Reniss, Tilla, Pascal, Akon, and Shey. 2017's inward-looking 16 Wives elicited praise both at home and abroad, as did his fourth long-player, 2019's God Don Kam. ~ James Christopher Monger
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