name	Cabinda
native name lang
settlement type	Province
image seal	Cabinda logo.gif
seal size	100px
map caption	Cabinda (light green) within Angola
subdivision type	Country
subdivision name	Angola
established title	Alvor Agreement
established date	January 15, 1975
seat type	Capital
seat	Cabinda
area total km2	7,823
population total	357,576
population as of	2006
footnotes	}}

Cabinda (also spelled Kabinda) is an exclave and province of Angola, a status that has been disputed by many political organizations in the territory. The capital city is also called Cabinda. The province is divided into four municipalities - Belize, Buco Zau, Cabinda and Cacongo.

Modern Cabinda is the result of a fusion of three kingdoms: N'Goyo, Loango and Kakongo. It has an area of and a population of 357,576 (estimated in 2006). According to 1988 United States government statistics, the total population of the province was 147,200, with a near even split between total rural and urban populations. An estimated one third of Cabindans are refugees living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa).

Cabinda is separated from the rest of Angola by a narrow strip of territory belonging to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which bounds the province on the south and the east. Cabinda is bounded on the north by the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Adjacent to the coast are some of the largest offshore oil fields in the world. Petroleum exploration began in 1954 by the Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, when the territory was under Portuguese rule. Cabinda also produces hardwoods, coffee, cacao, rubber, and palm oil products, however, petroleum production accounts for most of Cabinda's domestic product. Cabinda produces of crude oil per day. Cabinda Oil is associated with Sonangol, Agip Angola Lda (41%), Chevron (39.2%), Total (10%) and Eni (9.8%).

In 1885, the Treaty of Simulambuco established in Cabinda a Protectorate of Portugal and a number of Cabindan independence movements consider the occupation of the territory by Angola illegal. While the Angolan Civil War largely ended in 2002, an armed struggle persists in the exclave of Cabinda, where some of the factions have proclaimed an independent Republic of Cabinda, with offices in Paris.

History

Portuguese rule

Portuguese explorers, missionaries and traders arrived at the mouth of the Congo River in the mid-15th century, making contact with the Manikongo, the powerful King of the Congo. The Manikongo controlled much of the region through affiliation with smaller kingdoms, such as the Kingdoms of Ngoyo, Loango and Kakongo in present-day Cabinda.

Over the years, the Portuguese, Dutch, and English established trading posts, logging camps and small palm oil processing factories in Cabinda. Trade continued and the European presence grew, resulting in conflicts between the rival colonial powers.

Portugal first claimed sovereignty over Cabinda in the February 1885 Treaty of Simulanbuco, which gave Cabinda the status of a protectorate of the Portuguese Crown under the request of “the princes and governors of Cabinda”. This is often the basis upon which the legal and historical arguments in defence of self-determination of modern-day Cabinda are constructed. Article 1, for example, states, “the princes and chiefs and their successors declare, voluntarily, their recognition of Portuguese sovereignty, placing under the protectorate of this nation all the territories by them governed” [sic]. Article 2, which is often used in separatist arguments, goes even further: “Portugal is obliged to maintain the integrity of the territories placed under its protection.” FLEC-R’s case, for instance, rests on the fact that the above-mentioned treaty was signed between the emissaries of the Portuguese Crown and the princes and notables of Cabinda, giving rise to not one, but three protectorates: Cacongo, Loango and Ngoio.

Through the Treaty of Simulambuco in 1885 between the kings of Portugal and Cabinda's princes, a Portuguese protectorate was decreed, reserving rights to the local princes and independent of Angola. Cabinda once had the Congo River as the only natural boundary with Angola, but in 1885, the Conference of Berlin extended the Congo Free State's territory along the Congo River to the river's mouth at the sea.

Under Portuguese rule, the territory of Cabinda, then called Portuguese Congo, developed as an important agricultural and forestry centre, and in 1967 it discovered huge offshore oil fields. Oil, timber and cocoa were its main exports by then. The town of Cabinda, the capital of the territory was a Portuguese administrative and services centre with a port and airfield. The beaches of Cabinda were popular among the Portuguese Angolans.

After independence of Angola from Portugal

A 1974 leftist military coup in Lisbon changed the Portuguese regime and led to the independence of all Portuguese Overseas Provinces in Africa; many Portuguese settlers in Cabinda left. In 1975, the Treaty of Alvor integrated Cabinda into Angola, but the treaty was rejected by all Cabindan political organizations. These groups argue that as they had no say in the agreement, it is illegal.

Economy

Consisting largely of tropical forest, Cabinda produces hardwoods, coffee, cocoa, crude rubber and palm oil. The product for which it is best known, however, is its oil. Conservative estimates are that Cabinda accounts for close to 60% of Angola’s oil production, estimated at approximately , and it is estimated that oil exports from the province are worth the equivalent of US$100,000 per annum for every Cabindan. Yet, it remains one of the poorest provinces in Angola. An agreement in 1996 between the national and provincial governments stipulated that 10% of Cabinda’s taxes on oil revenues should be given back to the province, but Cabindans often feel that these revenues are not benefiting the population as a whole, largely because of corruption. The private sector, particularly the oil industry, has both affected and been affected by the secessionist conflict. During the early days of Cabinda's struggle, the oil companies were perceived to be sympathetic to, if not supportive of, Cabinda’s self-determination cause. The strategy used by the separatists to gain international attention, was most evident in 1999 and 2000. During 1999, FLEC-R kidnapped four foreign workers (two Portuguese and two French citizens), but released them after several months, having failed to attract the attention of the international community. FLEC-FAC also increased its activities during 2000 with the more widely publicized kidnapping of three Portuguese workers employed by a construction company, while FLEC-R kidnapped another five Portuguese civilians. These hostages were not freed until June 2001, following the diplomatic intervention of the governments of Gabon and Congo Brazzaville.

Secessionism

Ethnic grounds for self-determination

The arguments for self-determination are based on Cabindans' cultural and ethnic background. Prior to the Treaty of Simulambuco, three kingdoms existed in what is now referred to as Cabinda: Cacongo, Ngoyo and Loango. The Cabindans belong to the Bakongo ethnic group and the Kikongo ethno-linguistic group. The Bakongo also comprise the majority of the population in Uige and Zaire Provinces of Angola. However, despite this shared ancestry, the Cabindans developed a very different culture and a distinct variant of the Kikongo language. As a result, Cabindans, in their vast majority, consider themselves different and separate from the Angolans.

Ethno-cultural uniqueness as a basis for self-determination has been vehemently opposed in Angola, by both the government and by prominent intellectuals and civil society personalities. The MPLA’s Secretary-General, for example, has characterized the argument as "not enough to grant it independence, because all the provinces in the country have specific cultures."

Secessionist history

In the early 1960s, several movements advocating a separate status for Cabinda came into being. The MLEC (Movement for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda) was formed in 1960 under the leadership of Luis Ranque Franque. Resulting from the merger of various émigré associations in Brazzaville, the MLEC rapidly became the most prominent of the separatist movements. A further group was the Alliama (Alliance of the Mayombe), representing the Mayombe, a small minority of the population. In an important development, these movements united in August 1963 to form a common, united front. They called themselves the FLEC (Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda), and the leadership role was taken by the MLEC’s Ranque Franque.

In marked contrast with the FNLA, the FLEC’s efforts to mobilize international support for its government in exile met with little success. In fact, the majority of Organization of African Unity (OAU) members, concerned that this could encourage separatism elsewhere on the continent and duly committed to the sanctity of African state borders, firmly rejected recognition of the FLEC’s government in exile.

Later, in the course of Angola's turbulent decolonisation process, Ranque Franque proclaimed the independence of the "Republic of Cabinda" in Kampala on 1 August 1975 at an OAU summit which was discussing Angola at that precise moment. Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko called for a referendum on the future of the Cabinda. Lopes is reported to have said at the time that "Cabinda exists as a reality and is historically and geographically different from Angola."

FLEC formed a provisional government led by Henriques Tiago. The independence of Cabinda from Portugal was proclaimed on 1 August 1975. Luiz Branque Franque was elected president. After the declaration of Angolan independence in November 1975, Cabinda was invaded by forces of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) with support of troops from Cuba. The MPLA overthrew the provisional FLEC government and incorporated Cabinda into Angola.

Thus when, in January 1975, Angola’s three liberation movements (MPLA, FNLA and UNITA) met with the colonial power in Alvor, Portugal, to establish the modalities of the transition to independence, FLEC was not invited. Subsequently, and for much of the 1970s and 1980s, FLEC operated a low intensity, guerrilla war, attacking Angolan government troops and economic targets or creating havoc by kidnapping foreign employees working in the province’s oil and construction businesses.

In April 1997, Cabinda joined the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, a democratic and international organization whose members are indigenous peoples, occupied nations, minorities and independent states or territories.

Recent history

An ad-hoc United Nations commission for human rights in Cabinda reported in 2003 that many atrocities had been perpetrated by the MPLA. In 2004, according to Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the Human Rights Watch mission for Africa, the Angolan army continued to commit crimes against civilians in Cabinda.

Although the Angolan government says FLEC is no longer operative, this is disputed by the Republic of Cabinda and its President, Antonio Luis Lopes. Recent hikes in oil prices have made Cabinda's untapped onshore oil reserves a valuable commodity.

Peace deal

In July 2006 after ceasefire negotiations in Congo-Brazzaville, António Bento Bembe - as a president of Cabindan Forum for Dialogue and Peace, vice-president and executive secretary of FLEC - announced that the Cabindan separatist forces were ready to declare a ceasefire. Bembe is the leader of the "Cabindan Forum for Dialogue", an organization which represents most Cabindan groups. The peace was recognized by the United States, France, Portugal, Russia, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Japan, South Korea, the European Union and the African Union.

:"We're going to sign a cease-fire with the Angolans who in return have accepted the principle of granting special status to Cabinda," he announced, implying that while his group is resigned to be a part of Angola, they have gotten a promise of some form of autonomy.

FLEC-FAC from Paris contends Bembe has no authority or mandate to negotiate with the Angolans and that the only acceptable solution is total independence.

Togo football team bus attack

On 8 January 2010, while being escorted by Angolan forces through the disputed territory of Cabinda, the team bus of the Togo national football team was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. The ensuing gunfight resulted in the deaths of the assistant coach, team spokesman and bus driver, as well as injuring several others.

An offshoot of the FLEC claimed responsibility. Rodrigues Mingas, secretary general of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda-Military Position (Flec-PM), said his fighters had meant to attack security guards as the convoy passed through Cabinda. "This attack was not aimed at the Togolese players but at the Angolan forces at the head of the convoy," Mingas told France 24 television. "So it was pure chance that the gunfire hit the players. We don't have anything to do with the Togolese and we present our condolences to the African families and the Togo government. We are fighting for the total liberation of Cabinda."

See also

Early Congolese history

References

External links

Official Republic of Cabindan web site

Official Lopez FLEC web site

US government statistics from 1988

Kabinda in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

Exploitation of people of Cabinda alleged

Category:Secession in Angola Category:Exclaves Category:Former Portuguese colonies Category:Portuguese colonisation in Africa Category:Provinces of Angola Category:Angola – Republic of the Congo border Category:Angola – Democratic Republic of the Congo border Category:Disputed territories in Africa

af:Cabinda (provinsie) frp:Cabinda ast:Cabinda (provincia) br:Kabinda bg:Кабинда ca:Cabinda cs:Cabinda co:Cabinda cy:Cabinda (talaith) da:Cabinda (provins) de:Cabinda es:Cabinda eo:Kabindo eu:Kabinda fo:Cabinda fr:Cabinda gl:Cabinda ko:카빈다 주 hr:Cabinda id:Provinsi Cabinda it:Provincia di Cabinda he:קבינדה sw:Kabinda kg:Kabinda (kizunga) la:Cabinda (provincia) lt:Kabinda (provincija) nl:Cabinda (provincie) ja:カビンダ no:Cabinda pl:Prowincja Kabinda pt:Cabinda (província) ro:Cabinda ru:Кабинда sr:Кабинда fi:Cabinda sv:Kabinda tg:Вилояти Кабинда tr:Cabinda Bölgesi uk:Кабінда vec:Cabinda vi:Cabinda (tỉnh) war:Cabinda (lalawigan) zh:喀丙達省

Memeskia (c. 1695 – June 21, 1752), known by the British as "Old Briton" and by the French as "La Demoiselle", was an eighteenth-century Piankashaw chieftain who fought against the French in 1747.

A prominent member of the Piankashaw tribe, Memeskia was one of the earliest opponents of the increasing French presence in North America regarding their dominance and monopoly over the fur trade in the western Great Lakes region. In 1747, Old Briton (as he was now known), led a rebellion with a confederation of local tribes, against local French settlements successfully attacking Fort Miami at Kekionga. With British settlers from Pennsylvania, Old Briton later opened a trading post at his village of Pickawillany in the Ohio Country (later Piqua, Ohio) in 1750, trading with the British in defiance of French claims to the region.

However rival tribes, under Métis chieftain Charles Langlade, attacked Pickawillany in June 1752 and, with a force consisting of around 240 Ottawa and Ojibwa, eventually captured Memeskia and ritually cannibalized him. Langlade's raid on Pickawillany, which drove British traders out of the Ohio Country, was one of the events leading up to the French and Indian War.

References

Schweikart, Larry and Birzer, Bradley J. The American West, John Wiley & Sons: New Jersey, 2003.

Category:1690s births Category:1752 deaths Category:Algonquian personal names Category:Native American leaders Category:Indigenous people of the French and Indian War Category:Piankeshaw

pl:Memeskia

Width	250px
Position	Center
Number	55
Height ft	7|height_in2
Weight lbs	260
Birth date	June 25, 1966
Birth place	Kinshasa, DR Congo
Career start	1991
Career end	2009
Draft year	1991
Draft round	1
Draft pick	4
Draft team	Denver Nuggets
College	Georgetown (1988–1991)
Former teams
years1	– |team1Denver Nuggets
years2	– |team2Atlanta Hawks
years3	– |team3Philadelphia 76ers
years4	|team4New Jersey Nets
years5	|team5New York Knicks
years6	– |team6Houston Rockets
Stat1label	Points
Stat1value	11,729
Stat2label	Rebounds
Stat2value	12,359
Stat3label	Blocks
Stat3value	3,289
Letter	m
Bbr	mutomdi01
Highlights	4× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1995, 1997–1998, 2001) 8× NBA All-Star (1992, 1995–1998, 2000–2002) All-NBA Second Team (2001) 2× All-NBA Third Team (1998, 2002) 3× All-Defensive First Team (1997–1998, 2001) 3× All-Defensive Second Team (1995, 1999, 2002) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1992) 2× J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2001, 2009)
Hof player	}}

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (born June 25, 1966), commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was the oldest player in the NBA at the time of his most recent season.

The , center is commonly referred to as one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players of all time, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times. On January 10, 2007, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the second most prolific shot blocker, in terms of career blocked shots, in NBA history, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon. He is a member of the Luba ethnic group and speaks English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Tshiluba, Swahili, Lingala and two other Central African varieties. In the second game of the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs, Mutombo suffered a knee injury that kept him out for the remainder of the postseason. Soon after the injury, Mutombo announced he had played his last games in the NBA.

College

Mutombo originally intended to become a doctor; he attended Georgetown University on a USAID scholarship. Georgetown Hoyas basketball coach John Thompson recruited him to play basketball. He spoke almost no English when he arrived at Georgetown and studied in the ESL program. He became an excellent college center, continuing Georgetown's tradition of producing great big men. He was a celebrated shot blocker at Georgetown, setting a team record of twelve blocked shots in a single game. Building on the shot-blocking power of Mutombo and teammate Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown fans created a "Rejection Row" section under the basket, adding a big silhouette of an outstretched hand to a banner for each shot blocked during the game.

While at Georgetown, Mutombo's international background and interests stood out. Like many other Washington-area college students, he served as a summer intern, once for the Congress of the United States and once for the World Bank. In 1991 he graduated with bachelor's degrees in linguistics and diplomacy.

NBA career

Denver Nuggets

Selected fourth overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo's impact was immediate. As a rookie, he was selected for the All-Star team and averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and nearly three blocks per game. A cornerstone in the Nuggets' frontcourt, Mutombo became one of the league's best defensive players, regularly putting up big rebound and block numbers for five years with the club while averaging about 11 points a game. The team lacked a quality supporting cast, however, and at its best won only 42 games. In Mutombo's third season, however, Denver pulled off a major playoff upset by stunning the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the first round, becoming the first eighth seed to win an NBA playoff series. At the end of Game 5, Mutombo fell to the ground, holding the ball over his head in a moment of joy. Mutombo's defensive presence was the key to the upset victory; his total of 31 blocks remains a record for a five-game series. The following season, he received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Atlanta Hawks

After the 1995–96 NBA season, Mutombo's contract with the Nuggets expired, and he signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Hawks. Mutombo continued to put up excellent defensive numbers with his new team. Joining the Hawks made him more noticeable, helping him win two more Defensive Player of the Year awards and earn several All-Defensive Team selections. He also became fairly well known for his signature finger waggle, which he would point in a player's direction after he had blocked that player's shot. During the lockout-shortened 1999 season, he was the NBA's IBM Award winner, a player of the year award determined by a computerized formula.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Hawks traded Mutombo to the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers in February 2001 for their injured center Theo Ratliff, as the Sixers needed a replacement stellar big man to compete with Western Conference powers Tim Duncan or Shaquille O'Neal, should they reach the finals. He earned his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award that season and also earned a trip to the NBA Finals, where the 76ers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one. A free-agent, he re-signed with the Sixers after the season. While his statistics were comparable in the 2001–02 season, the Sixers dealt him to the New Jersey Nets, fearing that his game had deteriorated.

New Jersey Nets

The Nets were looking for a more physical big man to compete with Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan, two of the best big men in the league who also led championship-caliber teams in the West. But Mutombo spent most of that season with a nagging injury that limited him to just 24 games. He was generally unable to play in the playoffs, typically serving as a sixth man during the Nets' second consecutive Finals run.

New York Knicks

In October 2003, the Nets bought out the remainder of his contract and subsequently waived him. He signed a two-year deal with the New York Knicks a few days later. The Knicks later traded him to the Chicago Bulls in a package for Jamal Crawford. He never played a game for the Bulls, and they dealt him to the Houston Rockets in the 2004 offseason.

Houston Rockets

Mutombo most recently played as a reserve behind Yao Ming, forming one of the NBA's most productive center combos. In his first season with the Rockets (2004–05), Mutombo averaged 15.2 MPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.0 PPG. The Rockets lost in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks. In the 2007–08 season, Mutombo yet again received extensive playing time when Yao went down with a broken bone and averaged double digits in rebounding as a starter. The additional playing time gave Mutombo the opportunity to continue accruing blocked shots at a record-setting pace. On January 10, 2008, in a 102–77 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers, Mutombo recorded 5 blocked shots and surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in total career blocked shots. Mutombo is currently second only to Hakeem Olajuwon. Also, on March 2, 2007, in a win over the Denver Nuggets, at the age of 41, Mutombo became the oldest player in NBA history to record more than 20 rebounds in a game with 22. After contemplating retirement and spending the first part of 2008 as an unsigned unrestricted free agent, on December 31, 2008, Mutombo signed with the Houston Rockets for the remainder of the 2008–2009 season. He said that the 2009 season would be his "farewell tour" and his last.

In Game 1 of Houston's first round playoff series against Portland, Mutombo played for 18 minutes and had nine rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.

In the 2nd quarter of Game 2, Mutombo landed awkwardly and had to be carried from the floor. After the game, he said, "it’s over for me for my career" and that surgery would be needed. It was later confirmed that the quadriceps tendon of his left knee was ruptured in Game 2. Mutumbo announced retirement on April 23, 2009, after 18 seasons in the NBA.

Player profile

The , Mutombo played center, where he was regarded as one of the top post defenders of all time. Nicknamed as "Mt. Mutombo", his combination of height, power and long arms have led to a record tying four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, a feat equaled only by Ben Wallace. Staples of Mutombo's defensive prowess were his outstanding shot-blocking and rebounding power: for his career, he averaged 2.8 blocks and 10.3 rebounds per game. He is second all-time in registered blocks, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon, and is the 21st most prolific rebounder ever. He was also an eight-time All-Star and was elected into three All-NBA and six All-Defensive Teams. Along with his defensive prowess Mutombo also could contribute offensively, averaging at least 10 points per game until he reached age 35.

Mutombo also achieved a certain level of on-court notoriety. After a successful block, he was known for taunting his opponents by waving his index finger, like a parent reproaching a disobedient child. Later in his career NBA officials would respond to the gesture with a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. To avoid the technical foul, Mutombo took to waving his finger at the crowd after a block, which is not considered taunting by rules. In addition, his flailing elbows were known for injuring several NBA players, including Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Charles Oakley, Patrick Ewing, Chauncey Billups, Ray Allen, Yao Ming, LeBron James and Tracy McGrady. His former teammate Yao Ming made a joke about it: "I need to talk to Coach to have Dikembe held out of practice, because if he hits somebody in practice, it's our teammate. At least in the games, it's 50/50."

Personal life

Mutombo was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mutombo and his wife Rose have six children, four adopted.

Multilingual by both upbringing and education, Mutombo is able to speak English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and five African languages.

He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the State University of New York College at Cortland for his humanitarian work in Africa.

More recently, Mutumbo was awarded an honorary doctorate by Georgetown University in 2010. There he delivered the commencement address for Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences, of which he is an alumnus. He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Haverford College in May 2011.

Mutombo's nephew Harouna Mutombo plays college basketball for the Western Carolina Catamounts. Harouna was the team's leading scorer for the 2009 season and was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year.

Humanitarian work

A well-known humanitarian, Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. His efforts earned him the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2001 and 2009. For his feats, The Sporting News named him as one of the "Good Guys in Sports" in 1999 and 2000, and in 1999, he was elected as one of 20 winners of the President's Service Awards, the nation's highest honor for volunteer service. In 2004, he also participated in the Basketball Without Borders NBA program, where NBA stars like Shawn Bradley, Malik Rose and DeSagana Diop toured Africa to spread the word about basketball and to improve the infrastructure. He also paid for uniforms and expenses for the Zaire women's basketball team during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. Mutombo is a spokesman for the international relief agency, CARE and is the first Youth Emissary for the United Nations Development Program.

In honor of his humanitarianism, Mutombo was invited to President George W. Bush's 2007 State of the Union Address and was referred to as a "son of the Congo" by the President in his speech. Mutombo later said, "My heart was full of joy. I didn't know the President was going to say such great remarks."

On April 13, 2011, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health awarded Dikembe Mutombo the Goodermote Humanitarian Award "for his efforts to reduce polio globally as well as his work improving the health of neglected and underserved populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo." Michael J. Klag, dean of the Bloomberg School of Public Health said “Mr. Mutombo is a winner in many ways—on the court and as a humanitarian. His work has improved the health of the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center is a model for the region. Likewise, Mr. Mutombo has been instrumental in the fight against polio by bolstering vaccination efforts and bringing treatment to victims of the disease.”

Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital

In 1997, Mutombo with the Mutombo Foundation began plans to open a $29 million, 300-bed hospital on the outskirts of his hometown, the Congolese capital of Kinshasa. Ground was broken in 2001, but construction didn't start until 2004, as Mutombo had trouble getting donations early on although Mutombo personally donated $3.5 million toward the hospital's construction. Initially Mutombo had some other difficulties, almost losing the land to the government because it was not being used and having to pay refugees who had begun farming the land to leave. He also struggled to reassure some that he did not have any ulterior or political motives for the project. However, the project has been on the whole very well received at all social and economic levels in Kinshasa.

On August 14, 2006, Dikembe had donated $15 million to the completion of the hospital for its ceremonial opening on September 2, 2006. The hospital was by then named Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named for his late mother, who died of a stroke in 1997.

When it opened in February 2007, the $29 million facility became the first modern medical facility to be built in that area in nearly 40 years. His hospital is on a site on the outskirts of Kinshasa in Masina, where about a quarter of the city's 7.5 million residents live in poverty. It is minutes from Kinshasa's airport and near a bustling open-air market. The hospital has full telemedicine capabilities with the United States and Europe through the network established by Medical Missions for Children.

National Constitution Center

He serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which is a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.

Career summary and highlights

4-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001

8-time NBA All-Star: 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002

3-time All-NBA:

:* Second Team: 2001 :* Third Team: 1998, 2002

6-time All-Defensive:

:* First Team: 1997, 1998, 2001 :* Second Team: 1995, 1999, 2002

NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1992

2nd on All-Time NBA recorded Blocks, 3,256.

2-time NBA regular-season leader, rebounding average: 2000 (14.1), 2001 (13.5)

4-time NBA regular-season leader, total rebounds: 1995 (1029), 1997 (929), 1999 (610), 2000 (1157)

NBA regular-season leader, offensive rebounds: 2001 (307)

2-time NBA regular-season leader, defensive rebounds: 1999 (418), 2000 (853)

3-time NBA regular-season leader, blocked shots average: 1994 (4.1), 1995 (3.9), 1996 (4.5)

5-time NBA regular-season leader, total blocks: 1994 (336), 1995 (321), 1996 (332), 1997 (264), 1998 (277)

Career averages (as of March 2008): 9.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.7 BPG

Invited to be a special guest at President George W. Bush's State of the Union address, commended for his humanitarian aid to his homeland.

Oldest player in NBA history to collect over 20 rebounds in a game (March 2, 2007 vs. Denver Nuggets)

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1991–92 | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 71 || 71 || 38.3 || .493 || .000 || .642 || 12.3 || 2.2 || .6 || 3.0 || 16.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1992–93 | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 82 || 82 || 36.9 || .510 || .000 || .681 || 13.0 || 1.8 || .5 || 3.5 || 13.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1993–94 | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 82 || 82 || 34.8 || .569 || .000 || .583 || 11.8 || 1.5 || .7 || 4.1 || 12.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1994–95 | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 82 || 82 || 37.8 || .556 || .000 || .654 || 12.5 || 1.4 || .5 || 3.9 || 11.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1995–96 | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 74 || 74 || 36.7 || .499 || .000 || .695 || 11.8 || 1.5 || .5 || 4.5 || 11.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 80 || 80 || 37.2 || .527 || .000 || .705 || 11.6 || 1.4 || .6 || 3.3 || 13.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 82 || 82 || 35.6 || .537 || .000 || .670 || 11.4 || 1.0 || .4 || 3.4 || 13.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 50 || 50 || 36.6 || .512 || .000 || .684 || 12.2 || 1.1 || .3 || 2.9 || 10.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 82 || 82 || 36.4 || .562 || .000 || .708 || 14.1 || 1.3 || .3 || 3.3 || 11.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 49 || 49 || 35.0 || .477 || .000 || .695 || 14.1 || 1.1 || .4 || 2.8 || 9.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia | 26 || 26 || 33.7 || .495 || .000 || .759 || 12.4 || .8 || .3 || 2.5 || 11.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02 | style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia | 80 || 80 || 36.3 || .501 || .000 || .764 || 10.8 || 1.0 || .4 || 2.4 || 11.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 24 || 16 || 21.4 || .374 || .000 || .727 || 6.4 || .8 || .2 || 1.5 || 5.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04 | style="text-align:left;"| New York | 65 || 56 || 23.0 || .478 || .000 || .681 || 6.7 || .4 || .3 || 1.9 || 5.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 80 || 2 || 15.2 || .498 || .000 || .741 || 5.3 || .1 || .2 || 1.3 || 4.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 64 || 23 || 14.9 || .526 || .000 || .758 || 4.8 || .1 || .3 || .9 || 2.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 75 || 33 || 17.2 || .556 || .000 || .690 || 6.5 || .2 || .3 || 1.0 || 3.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 39 || 25 || 15.9 || .538 || .000 || .711 || 5.1 || .1 || .3 || 1.2 || 3.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 9 || 2 || 10.7 || .385 || .000 || .667 || 3.7 || .0 || .0 || 1.2 || 1.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 1196 || 997 || 30.8 || .518 || .000 || .684 || 10.3 || 1.0 || .4 || 2.8 || 9.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| All-Star | style="text-align:left;"| | 8 || 3 || 17.5 || .595 || .000 || .750 || 9.3 || .3 || .4 || 1.2 || 6.3

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1993–94 | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 12 || 12 || 42.6 || .463 || .000 || .602 || 12.0 || 1.8 || .7 || 5.8 || 13.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1994–95 | style="text-align:left;"| Denver | 3 || 3 || 28.0 || .600 || .000 || .667 || 6.3 || .3 || .0 || 2.3 || 6.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 10 || 10 || 41.5 || .628 || .000 || .719 || 12.3 || 1.3 || .1 || 2.6 || 15.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 4 || 4 || 34.0 || .458 || .000 || .625 || 12.8 || .3 || .2 || 2.2 || 8.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99 | style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta | 9 || 9 || 42.2 || .563 || .000 || .702 || 13.9 || 1.2 || .6 || 2.6 || 12.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia | 23 || 23 || 42.7 || .490 || .000 || .777 || 13.7 || .7 || .6 || 3.1 || 13.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02 | style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia | 5 || 5 || 34.6 || .452 || .000 || .615 || 10.6 || .6 || .4 || 1.8 || 8.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03 | style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey | 10 || 0 || 11.5 || .467 || .000 || 1.000 || 2.7 || .6 || .3 || .9 || 1.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04 | style="text-align:left;"| New York | 3 || 0 || 12.7 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || 3.3 || .0 || .3 || 1.3 || 2.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 7 || 0 || 14.4 || .545 || .000 || .769 || 5.0 || .3 || .3 || 1.0 || 3.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 7 || 0 || 5.7 || 1.000 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.6 || .1 || .0 || .4 || 1.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 6 || 6 || 20.5 || .615 || .000 || .636 || 6.5 || .3 || .2 || 1.8 || 3.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;"| Houston | 2 || 0 || 10.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 4.5 || .0 || .5 || 1.0 || .0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 101 || 72 || 30.9 || .517 || .000 || .703 || 9.5 || .8 || .4 || 2.5 || 9.1

See also

List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played

List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders

List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders

List of National Basketball Association players with most rebounds in a game

List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game

References

External links

NBA profile

Basketball-Reference.com: Dikembe Mutombo

Charting damage by Dikembe

Dikembe Mutombo Foundation

ClutchFans.net Dikembe Mutombo Profile - Houston Rocket Fan Site

On the Shoulders Of A Giant, TIME magazine Europe, April 20, 2003

Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:African American basketball players Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo emigrants to the United States Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:Atlanta Hawks players Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo basketball players Category:Denver Nuggets draft picks Category:Denver Nuggets players Category:Expatriate basketball people in the United States Category:Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball players Category:Georgetown University alumni Category:Houston Rockets players Category:New Jersey Nets players Category:New York Knicks players Category:People from Kinshasa Category:Philadelphia 76ers players Category:NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winners Category:Centers (basketball) Category:American people of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent

ca:Dikembe Mutombo de:Dikembe Mutombo et:Dikembe Mutombo es:Dikembe Mutombo fr:Dikembe Mutombo hr:Dikembe Mutombo id:Dikembe Mutombo it:Dikembe Mutombo he:דיקמבה מוטומבו lv:Dikembe Mutombo lt:Dikembe Mutombo ln:Mutombo Dikembe ja:ディケンベ・ムトンボ no:Dikembe Mutombo pl:Dikembe Mutombo pt:Dikembe Mutombo ru:Мутомбо, Дикембе fi:Dikembe Mutombo sv:Dikembe Mutombo ta:டிகெம்பே முடம்போ zh:迪肯贝·穆托姆博

Awilo Longomba is a Congolese musician who was a drummer in Viva la Musica, Stukas, Nouvelle Generation and Loketo. In 1995, he finally quit drumming for singing and released his first album Moto Pamba with help from Shimita, Ballou Canta, Dindo Yogo, Dally Kimoko, Sam Mangwana, Syran Mbenza and Rigo Star.

His second CD, Coupe Bibamba (1998) made him known throughout Africa, Europe and America. This was followed by Kafou Kafou (2001) and his most recent album, Mondongo (2004), which features Japponais, Dally Kimoko, Caen Madoka, Djudjuchet, Josky Kiambukuta and Simaro Lutumba. He is also credited as an atalaku (animateur) on some soukous records. Awilo now lives in France and is engaged to musician Barbara Kanam.

Awilo's relatives in the music industry include his father Victor Longomba a founding member of T.P OK Jazz as well as The Longombas who are a popular afro-fusion group based in Kenya.

In the year 2008 Awilo Longomba released the new album Super-Man which was another success. Awilo continued his popularity in USA/ Canada while on tour with Nabtry International Cultural Dancers, an African dance group founded in 2007 by Grace Haukwa. The Super-Man tour was successful throughout 2008 and 2009. By popular votes and a historic win at the International Reggae and World Music Awards with over 120 countries voting in, Super-Man won the Best Soukous Entertainer Award 2009. CEO and founder of Nabtry Grace Haukwa, who represents Awilo in the US, received the award on Awilo's behalf at the ceremony.

References

http://www.martinsinterculture.com/irawma-winners.html

http://nabtry.skyrock.com

http://awilolongombaofficiel.hi5.com

http://myspace.com/awilolongombaofficiel

External links

Awilo Longomba Biography/Discography

Soukous Radio

Soukous Videos

http://www.afrodicia.com/artist/awilo/index.html

http://www.africanmusica.com/awilo-longomba.htm

http://www.sternsmusic.com/discography/436

http://www.africasounds.com/awilo.htm

http://www.topvisages.net/entrevue/14-02-10.php

Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo musicians Category:Living people

de:Awilo Longomba sw:Awilo Longomba

name	Teena Marie
background	solo_singer
alias	Lady Tee, Ivory Queen Of Soul
birth name	Mary Christine Brockert
born	March 05, 1956Santa Monica, California, U.S.
died	December 26, 2010Pasadena, California, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, keyboard instruments, electric guitar, congas
genre	R&B;, soul, funk, jazz
occupation	Singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger
years active	1964–2010
label	Motown Records (1976–1982)Epic/CBS Records (1983–1990) Ca$h Money Classics/Universal Records (2004–2007) Stax/Concord Records (2009–2010)
associated acts	Rick James, Ozone, Q.T hush, Bernadette Cooper, Eve }}

Mary Christine Brockert, better known by her stage name Teena Marie, (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter and producer. She was known as Tina before taking the stage name Teena Marie; she later acquired the nickname of Lady Tee (sometimes spelled Lady T) given to her by mentor, collaborator, and friend Rick James. She was known for her distinctive soulful vocals which initially caused many listeners to believe she was African-American. Her success in R&B; and soul and loyalty to these genres would earn her the title Ivory Queen of Soul. She played rhythm guitar, keyboards and congas. She also wrote, produced, sang and arranged virtually all of her songs since her 1980 release, Irons in the Fire, which she later said was her favorite album.

Biography

Early life (1956–1978)

Mary Christine, or Tina as she was called, was the fourth of five children born in Santa Monica to construction worker Thomas Leslie Brockert and his wife, home renovator Mary Anne. She spent her early childhood in Mission Hills. Her ethnic heritage was Portuguese, Italian, Irish and Native American ancestry. In 2005, while visiting Louisiana, she had discovered that her paternal ancestors once lived in New Orleans. Brockert took to singing naturally, performing Harry Belafonte's Banana Boat Song by age two. She also developed a fondness for singing the songs of Motown, and her self-professed “gift from God” would become fine-tuned as the years progressed.

Brockert's parents began sending her out on auditions when she was eight years old, which netted an acting role on The Beverly Hillbillies, credited as Tina Marie Brockert. She also sang at the wedding of actor Jerry Lewis' son when she was 10 years old. Reared in a Roman Catholic household, she learned to play the piano under the tutelage of two nuns and later taught herself the guitar, bass, and congas. She would go on to form a semi-professional R&B; band with younger brother Anthony and their cousin.

In the early 1970s, after the family moved to Venice, Los Angeles, Brockert spent her adolescent years in the historically black Venice enclave of Oakwood, nicknamed "Venice Harlem". There, she would acquire a strong spiritual influence from neighborhood matriarch Berthalynn Jackson, an African American who would become her godmother.

While attending Venice High School, Brockert joined the Summer Dance Production, and also had the female lead in the school's production of The Music Man.

After graduating, Brockert juggled auditioning for various record companies with studying English Literature at Santa Monica College. She credited her love of reading with helping her to write the lyrics she's known for.

Motown era (1979–1982)

thumb|Teena Marie, 1979In 1976, Brockert (as the lead singer member of a band she assembled which included long time friend Mickey Boyce) gained an introduction to Motown Records staff producer Hal Davis (best known for his work with Brenda Holloway and the Jackson 5). This led to an audition for a film about orphans being developed by Motown. The project was shelved, but label boss Berry Gordy decided to sign her as a solo act, impressed with her singing but having no need for a musical group. She recorded unreleased material with a number of different producers over the next few years, before being spotted by labelmate Rick James who was immediately impressed with her sound. (Some of the earlier unreleased material has since been made available on the compilation album First Class Love: Rare Tee.) At the time, James, already established as a successful recording artist, was on tap to produce for Diana Ross but changed his mind and decided to work with Brockert. The result was debut album release, Wild and Peaceful. The album was, at one point, due to be credited to "Teena Tryson", but ultimately was put out under Teena Marie, the name by which she would be known throughout her career. It scored Teena Marie her first top-ten R&B; hit, "I'm Just a Sucker for Your Love" (#8 Black Singles Chart), a duet with James. Neither the album nor its packaging had her picture on it, and many radio programmers assumed she was African-American during the earliest months of her career. This myth was disproved when she performed her debut hit with James on Soul Train in 1979, becoming the show's first white female guest (she would appear on the show eight more times, more than any other white act).

In 1980, her second album, Lady T, would have her portrait on the cover upon its release. It's also noted for having production from Richard Rudolph (husband of R&B; singer Minnie Riperton, who died a year earlier). Teena Marie had asked Berry Gordy to contact Rudolph and secure his input as Rick James was unavailable and she felt unprepared to be sole producer of her own material. Rudolph intended for the song he penned, "Now That I Have You", to be sung by his wife, but it was later given to Teena Marie. Rudolph also co-composed the single "Behind The Groove", which reached number 21 on the black singles chart and reaching #6 on the U.K. singles chart in 1980. The song would also be included on the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the Fever 105 soundtrack. Another notable track, "Too Many Colors," featured Rudolph and Riperton's then 7-year-old daughter, Maya Rudolph, who became Teena Marie's god-daughter.

Also in 1980, Teena Marie released her third LP, Irons in the Fire, for which she handled all writing and production herself, including the horn and rhythm arrangements of her band and all backing vocals, all considered rare at the time for a female artist. The single "I Need Your Lovin'" (#37 Pop, #9 Black Singles) brought Teena Marie her first top 40 hit. This single also peaked at #28 in the UK chart. That same year, Teena Marie appeared on James' hugely successful album, Street Songs, with the duet "Fire and Desire". In an interview, Teena Marie said she had a fever at the time yet managed to record her vocals in one take. After the session, she was driven to a hospital. The two would perform the single at the 2004 BET Awards, which would be their last TV appearance with one another as Rick James died later that year.

Teena Marie continued her success with Motown in 1981, with the release of It Must Be Magic (#2 Black Albums Chart), her first gold record, which included her then biggest hit on R&B;, "Square Biz" (#3 Black Singles). Other notable tracks include "Portuguese Love" (featuring a brief, uncredited cameo by James, #54 Black Singles), the title track "It Must be Magic" (#30 Black Singles), and album only track "Yes Indeed", which she cited as a personal favorite.

In 1982, Teena Marie got into a heated legal battle with Motown Records over her contract and disagreements about releasing her new material. The lawsuit resulted in "The Brockert Initiative", which made it illegal for a record company to keep an artist under contract without releasing new material for that artist. In such instances, artists are able to sign and release with another label instead of being held back by an unsupportive one. Teena Marie commented on the law in an LA Times article, saying, "It wasn't something I set out to do. I just wanted to get away from Motown and have a good life. But it helped a lot of people, like Luther Vandross and the Mary Jane Girls, and a lot of different artists, to be able to get out of their contracts." She left Motown as the label's most successful white solo act.

Epic era (1983–1990)

Contacted by Epic Records in the Fall of 1982 after expressing dismay over her Motown contract, Teena Marie signed a worldwide deal with the Columbia Records' subsidiary that also allowed her to establish her own publishing company, Midnight Magnet. Epic released the concept album Robbery, which featured the hit "Fix It" (#21 R&B;), as well as "Shadow Boxing" and "Casanova Brown." The latter was one of a number of tracks Teena Marie would write over the years about her real-life romance with one-time mentor Rick James. The relationship had ended by that point, but the two would continue a sometimes tempestuous friendship, until James' death in August 2004. In 1984, Teena Marie released her biggest-selling album, Starchild. It yielded her biggest hit "Lovergirl", which peaked at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in March 1985. It also peaked at #9 on the R&B; chart. The label also released the moderate R&B; hit "Out on a Limb", which peaked at #56 on the R&B; chart, but didn't break the Hot 100. "14k" was featured on the soundtrack of the film Goonies (1985) but was not a hit (only making the U.S. R&B; charts at #87).

In 1986, Teena Marie released a rock music-influenced concept album titled Emerald City. It was controversial with her established fan base and not as successful as its predecessors. She also recorded another rock-influenced track, "Lead Me On", co-produced by Giorgio Moroder, for the soundtrack of the box office hit film, Top Gun (1986). In 1988, however, she returned to her R&B; and funk roots, releasing the critically acclaimed album Naked to the World. That album contained the hit "Ooo La La La", which reached the top of Billboard's Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart and was her only #1 single on that chart. During her 1988 Naked to the World concert tour, she suffered a fall and was hospitalized for six months.

Teena Marie released Ivory in the fall of 1990 and it scored no pop hits, but it did experienced two R&B; hits: "Here's Looking at You" (#11 R&B;) and "If I Were a Bell" (#8 R&B;).

Hiatus, Passion Play and Black Rain (1991–2003)

During the 1990s, Teena Marie's classic R&B;, soul, and funk records were either sampled by hip-hop artists or covered by R&B; divas. Teena Marie herself is regarded as something of a pioneer in helping to bring hip-hop to the mainstream by becoming one of the first artists of her time to rap one of her singles—the aforementioned "Square Biz". In the hip-hop portion of that song, she mentions some of her inspirations: Sarah Vaughn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni, "just to name a few". In 1996, the Fugees paid tribute to her by interpolating the chorus of her 1988 hit, "Ooo, La, La, La", into its own "Fu-Gee-La".

In the fall of 1994, Teena Marie released Passion Play on her independent label, Sarai Records. Lacking the backing of a major label, this album sold less well than her earlier work, but was well received by fans.

Subsequently, Teena Marie devoted most of her time to raising her daughter Alia Rose (who has since adopted the stage name "Rose Le Beau" and is pursuing her own singing career). During the late 1990s, Teena Marie made appearances (as herself) on the TV sitcoms, The Steve Harvey Show and The Parkers. She also began work on a new album, titled Black Rain. She was unable to secure a major label deal for this, and did not want to put it out on her own Sarai label in light of the modest sales of Passion Play. However, a version pressed for promotional purposes was widely bootlegged among fans. This contained the tracks, "The Mackin' Game", "I'll Take the Pressure", "Baby, I'm Your Fiend", "My Body's Hungry", "Ecstasy", "I'm on Fire", "Watcha Got 4 Me", "Black Rain", "1999", "Butterflies", "Spanish Harlem", "Blackberry Playa", "The Perfect Feeling", and "Rainbow Outro". Some of these tracks resurfaced on the later albums: La Doña, Sapphire, and Congo Square; in some cases (e.g. "The Mackin Game") in significantly reworked versions.

La Doña to Congo Square, and her final years (2004–2010)

After a 14-year sabbatical from the national spotlight, Teena Marie returned to her musical career by signing with the Classics sub-label of the successful hip-hop label, Cash Money Records. She released her comeback album, La Doña, in 2004, and follow up Sapphire, in 2006. La Doña became a gold-certified success (and the highest-charting album of her career, peaking at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart) on the basis of the Al Green-sampled "I'm Still In Love" (#23 R&B;, #70 Pop) and a duet with the late Gerald Levert, "A Rose by Any Other Name". Teena Marie was nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance for "Still in Love". Teena Marie quickly followed this success with the release of Sapphire in 2006. While sales were not as great this time around (the album peaked at #24 on the Pop Chart), the release did give her yet another R&B; Top-40 hit, "Ooh Wee" (#32); it also reunited her (on "God Has Created" and "Cruise Control") with Smokey Robinson, the early Motown mentor whose style she had emulated on early hits such as "Young Love". Teena Marie parted ways with Ca$h Money records after the release of Sapphire.

On September 19, 2008, Teena Marie performed in concert at B.B. King's Blues Club in New York City. Teena took this time to play a couple of finished tracks from her upcoming album, Congo Square, and she received a positive response from the crowd. Congo Square was released on June 9, 2009 on Stax/Concord Records. She has described the album as "personal and spiritual" and indicated that it was more jazz-influenced than most of her previous work. "Can't Last a Day", a duet with Faith Evans, leaked to the Internet in March 2009. Teena Marie says of Evans, "It was after I had recorded the song ("Can't Last a Day") I got the idea to put Faith on it. I’ve always loved Faith and her vocal style. She reminds me of me. Her correlation with Biggie — having a career with him and without him — reminds me of me and Rick. I feel like she’s a younger me. Of the younger ladies, she’s the one I love most.”

Meanwhile, with regard to her early-life inspirations for Congo Square, in January 2010 Teena Marie told Lee Tyler, editor of Blues & Soul magazine: "I wanted to do songs that reflected the things that I loved when I was growing up. Every single song on the record is dedicated to someone, or some musical giant that I loved. 'The Pressure' is dedicated to Rick James; 'Can't Last a Day' is dedicated to the Gamble & Huff sound - the Philly International sound'. Then 'Baby I Love You' and 'Ear Candy' are dedicated to Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield - with memories of riding down Crenshaw in LA in jeeps and bumping to music on ``the 808'' i.e. Roland TR-808 drum machine. While 'Miss Coretta' is, of course, dedicated to Mrs. Coretta Scott King, the late wife of Dr. Martin Luther King."

Sales-wise, the album proved another success, reaching the Top 20 on Billboard's Top 200, and giving Teena Marie yet another Top 10 R&B; chart entry. In 2010, Teena Marie continued to be a headliner on the Las Vegas Strip, appearing regularly at the Las Vegas Hilton and other venues until just before her death.

At the time of her death, Teena Marie had completed her 14th CD and was also working on jazz and inspirational CDs. In addition, she was in the midst of her writing her memoir.

Personal life

Teena Marie, who never wed, gave birth to a daughter in 1991, named Alia Rose. As of 2009, Alia Rose sang under the name Rose LeBeau.

Throughout her career, Teena Marie had lived in Inglewood, California and Encino before settling in Pasadena in the mid-1980s.

In addition to Maya Rudolph, Teena Marie was godmother to Marvin Gaye's daughter Nona Gaye. She also cared for Rick James' son, Rick Jr. and family friend Jeremiah O'Neal. Lenny Kravitz posted a video in which he revealed that Teena Marie had taken him into her home and helped him when he was struggling early in his career. Teena's hobbies included archery, drawing, and writing poetry.

Death and memorials

Around 2004, Teena Marie lay sleeping in a hotel room when a large picture frame fell and struck her in the head. The blow caused a serious concussion that would result in momentary seizures for the rest of her life. She had suffered a Grand mal seizure just one month before her death.

On the afternoon of December 26, 2010, Teena Marie was found unresponsive by daughter Alia Rose at her home in Pasadena, California.

On December 30, 2010, an autopsy was performed by the Los Angeles County coroner, who found no signs of apparent trauma or discernible cause of death and concluded she had died from natural causes.

A memorial service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery on January 10, 2011. Among the luminaries who attended were Smokey Robinson, LisaRaye, Sinbad (entertainer), Tichina Arnold, Stevie Wonder, Shanice Wilson and Tata Vega.

Discography

Studio albums

Wild and Peaceful (1979)

Lady T (1980)

Irons in the Fire (1980)

It Must Be Magic (1981)

Robbery (1983)

Starchild (1984)

Emerald City (1986)

Naked to the World (1988)

Ivory (1990)

Passion Play (1994)

La Doña (2004)

Sapphire (2006)

Congo Square (2009)

'' First Class Love: Rare Tee (2011)

References

External links

Teena Marie – official website

Teena Marie at BBC Music

Teena Marie discography at Discogs

Teena Marie at Billboard

Teena Marie at Find A Grave

Teena Marie 2010 interview with DJ Soulswede

Category:1956 births Category:2010 deaths Category:American dance musicians Category:American record producers Category:American female singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:Cash Money Records artists Category:Disease-related deaths in California Category:Songwriters from California Category:Musicians from California Category:Blue-eyed soul singers Category:Motown artists Category:Epic Records artists Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area Category:American rhythm and blues guitarists Category:American rhythm and blues keyboardists Category:Freestyle musicians

da:Teena Marie de:Teena Marie es:Teena Marie fr:Teena Marie io:Teena Marie it:Teena Marie nl:Teena Marie ja:ティーナ・マリー pl:Teena Marie pt:Teena Marie ru:Тина Мари simple:Teena Marie fi:Teena Marie sv:Teena Marie