American RAPPER 1st time hearing Manu Chao - Bongo Bong! 

I'm an American living in France. In a lot of places on this planet outside of the U.S. Manu Chao is not just a big deal, he's something of an alt rock/punk icon on the level of Iggy Pop or Joe Strummer, especially in South America and Europe (he's an A list star in Spain and France) but also in a lot of Africa. All the street musicians know his songs, you hear his stuff all the time at parties, etc. He's known for whirlwind energetic concerts that leave the public crawling out of the venue wondering what the hell just hit them. He's one of them ones.

Love this track. Manu is cool. The Big Push’s cover live on a rooftop is excellent and as usual they put their own take on it while honoring the original.

Glad to see somebody reacting to Manu. Clandestino is a great album and was on frequent rotation in my house in the late 90s.

He was born in Paris, but his parents are spanish. Manu was a big star in 90's in France and South America. I remember my son was not even 2 and already a big fan of Manu Chao. He was listening his album Clandestino for hours without moving from his chair but for dancing. In France, we used to dance a lot on the parties on his music and his band Mano Negra. Cool you finally discover him 😊 New sub here, because of Ren, of course 😇

Maybe one of the biggest bonuses of Ren is in introducing audiences to music outside of their narrow boundaries. His influences are so diverse, genre-fluid and span multiple generations. Seeing rappers blown away by artists who are huge outside of the American corporate industry is refreshing, and also somewhat sad to realize how unadventurous many people are, considering the ease of access to all the worlds creative output at the click of a button.

Manu Chao, previously Mano Negra, goes way back and he is super cool. His concerts are crazy! I think Ren has been checking him out, and you can sense Manu Chaos spirit in Rens performance in Violets tale. His songs are often political and he is very eclectic, mixing languages, sounds and samplings. I would love to see you react to more of him. "Clandestino" is a good one or the homage to Maradona, "La vida tombola".

Manu Chao is Fire🔥 , "Me Gustas tu" is forever summer for me ♥

Wikipedia: Bongo Bong (released 1999) is the first solo single by Manu Chao, from his debut album, Clandestino. It is a remake of "King of Bongo", a track from Manu Chao's previous band, Mano Negra. The title and lyrics are taken from the 1939 jazz song "King of Bongo Bong" by Black American trumpeter Roy Eldridge. It also uses the background music from Black Uhuru's song "Bull ina di Pen", from their 1984 album, Anthem. The song is part of a medley with "Je ne t'aime plus" on Clandestino. Moreover, the music has been reused for other songs, such as "Mr. Bobby", which was first released on this single before being re-recorded for Chao's second album, Próxima Estación: Esperanza, and "Homens", from the same record. In 2006, a cover version by Robbie Williams, combining "Bongo Bong" and "Je ne t'aime plus" in one track, appeared on his album Rudebox and was released as a single of its own in 2007. German singer Lou Bega covered the song on his 2021 album, 90s Cruiser. It has also been remixed by breakbeat artists Cut & Run, drum and bass duo Ed Solo, Deekline, the band Noisia, and German singer Max Raabe.

I'm french and i'm so glad you take the time to hear the original song 😊 From a 40 year old man to another 😉 Thank you

Thank you so much for this reaction. Im that young lady 😂❤

There is a whole world of music out there . Music don’t just come from America

So happy you decided to check out some Manu Chau! You should listen to Me gustas tu next ❤️❤️

Great to see your reaction to this little gem! Manu Chao was the lead singer of the French band Mano Negra (1987-1994ish). Their sound mixed all sorts of genres, including punk, reggae, flamenco, rock and afro beats. He went solo in 1998 with the album Clandestino, a bunch of lovely songs he wrote during a 3-4 year period whilst travelling around South America. Many of Clandestino's tunes, such as Bongo Bong, deal with the struggle that many immigrants from developing countries face when they move to the western world. Maybe he already knew him (after all Manu is quite big in Europe), but I bet Ren discovered Manu Chao through Romain Axisa, Big Push's guitarist.

Manu Chao is an international superstar. Went solo after a number of years with Luna Negra.

He was really big in Argentina during the 90s, even sang a song to Maradona that he dedicated to him. He was also part of the Mano Negra group, I think from 87 to 95 and after He had a solo career. Many songs are in Spanish or French, perhaps for that reason you don't know about him, but a great multifaceted artist. Check out more of his beautiful catalog.. señor matanza, clandestino, desaparecido, me llaman calle, la vida es una tómbola! I see a lot of influence from his music on Ren.

Yooo man great reaction. Im from Hungary and this song was popping here in the 90s. Keep rocking 🎉🔥

Such a great tune. The Big Push do a fantastic version of this as well.

In Spain he is widely known and loved, also with his band Mano Negra. One of the gratest, Manu. Thanks for bringing him to your channel.

It was a MASSIVE track in Europe and, to some extent, the UK in the late 90's/early 00's. There have also been loads of covers and remixes, there are some BANGING UK Hardcore & Drum n Bass versions of this track. It really is made for breakbeat

Defo older than 3 years old 😊I first heard this when I was a teenager in the 90’s . Nice reaction mate 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Manu Chao and Manu negra ( more punky vibes) are legendary across Europe. Sidi H'bibi live 2008, will give you an idea! Brilliant stuff!

Have always liked this song 😊 A perfect song for a nice summer day!

I was introduced to Manu Chau whilst backpacking in 2004 in Thailand, it was played everywhere and become my sound track for 6 six months. I still listen to clandestino now. What a great album. I feel a deep dive is needed

I started listening to Mano Negra in the early 90s. Manu Chao can out of Mano Negra. He is an icon, a legend, and one of my all time favorite musicians. Listen to him sing to Maradona (one of the greatest soccer players ever), and see Diego Maradona's reaction when he hears Manu Chao play a song live on a street.

I found it the same way. RENs band did a real nice tribute to the original I like them both

Manu Chao and his previous band : Mano Negra and then Radio Bemba, have a style of their own. He made France dance at the end of the 80' and during the 90's and then come back in the early 2000' . he travelled a lot, and his parents come from Spain, even if he grew up in France. The influence of Spain, South America and Carabean, but also Britain are heard in all his music. He lives yet in Spain but he's always a particular musician in our french heart. You may try "Malavida" with his band Mano Negra or "Clandestino" with Radio Bemba

Oooh another double I recommend is Melanie Safka Do You Believe live in 1972 then Ren’s Do You Believe which samples Melanie - she was one of only 3 solo female artists to perform at Woodstock! A folky beautiful voice!

I found Manu Chao after seeing the Big Push cover. Love both versions. Cool to see foreign artists get some love.

That was a fun song. I’m glad you did the original. You’ll like the Ren & Big Push rooftop version too.

Manu Chao is actually quite huge in Europe and other parts of the world, I always assumed in America too. Been to one of his concerts, it was absolute FIRE, amazing energy🔥🔥

It’s my guess that the big push guitarist who is French brought this song to the bands attention and they did a cover. The guitarist sings the part that is in French.

Wow. All the Ren fans have been checking out the original. The views have risen so much recently. 🐇🕳️🖤

LEGEND Manu Chao !

Manu Chao, y antes Mano negra, marcaron una época y crearon estilos nuevos, tuve la suerte de pasar varias noches en el bar que tuvo en Barcelona, noches mágicas!! The Ren cover its amazing!!

I first came across Manu Chao at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK in 2002, brilliant album, loved him ever since

Nice reaction! His lives are just crazy, saw him in a well known rugby stadium, 3 hours of show full energy!

I first heard this in a small restaurant in Italy several years ago. Loved this song ever since. Such a chill vibe!

Manu Chao had a - we can say - underground band Mano Negra, which was known all over the world, they had many concerts around, but disbanded in 1995. "King of Bongo" was one of the hit songs of Mano Negra, which was revived for the solo years of Manu Chao as Bongo Bong. When the solo version appeared I did not like it much, I preferred the 'original' version. But after a while it became such a massive hit, that I started to like it. I recommend the 'Baionarena' live album, which also comes with the concert DVD. Real good entertainment. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tnmH_pLNMZ4.html

Manu is from France, but he made his music career in Latin America singing in Spanish mostly. I wouldn't say that he is big but he's low key famous in many countries. I've heard of him for the first time when I was in high school because my Spanish teacher used his song "Me gustas tu" for a level 1 Spanish course. We had to try to understand the lyrics which are simple for a beginner (just like Du Hast from Rammstein is the perfect song for a beginner in German but they are obviously much more famous than Manu). I think that Manu is known by a certain generation, he popped up before the song was published on RU-vid. In fact, he was already doing world tours before RU-vid became popular. You mention VHS but his first hits were probably on CD and people were listening to his songs on a Walkman. lol

Manu Chao is the goat! Such a musician.

The way you first pronounced the name is correct. Also here's the French translated. I don't love you anymore, my love I don't love you everyday anymore Sometimes I would like to die so much I wanted to believe Sometimes I would like to die to have nothing left Sometimes I would like to die to never see you again Sometimes I would like to die so much there is no more hope Sometimes I would like to die to never see you again Sometimes I would like to die to know nothing more

Manu Chao was huge all over South America and Southern Europe. He’s always been very political and that song, like many others, talk about a third world country immigrant living in “the big town”, where he’s not appreciated for who he is, as he might have been back home. More than that, he is racially despised: “they say there is no place for little monkey in this town”. He eventually makes his peace with his story and who he is despite all that rejection and actually appreciates his uniqueness. All this is usually from the perspective of immigrants going from the Global South to Europe (like he sings in Clandestino, “I went to a city up north to work / I left my life between Ceuta and Gibraltar”, meaning “African going to Europe” - also, he mentioned nationalities that are usually seen as undesirable immigrants in France and Spain like Algerian, Nigerian, Bolivian), but I believe it works for any immigrant coming to a wealthier country. Manu sings in Spanish, French, Portuguese and English, but also Arabic in a couple of songs. He sort of represents the late 90s/early 2000 leftist mentality of a globalization of cultures and people (and not only of businesses), the integration that the EU was promoting and solidarity amongst people. I might be judging incorrectly, but I think that dream started to die on 9/11 and declined like the pink wave of left leaning South American government towards a right wing, chauvinistic and segregationist end of 2000s, with the 2008 crisis. It was beautiful to live that hope of a more equitable, fair world… but that’s long gone, now.

I used to play this for living room dance parties with my kids when they were toddlers. 🥰

You've got the best reaction videos on RU-vid!!!! Thank you for being you making this channel what it is.

I was in Spain 23 years ago and got into Manu then. I get on kicks with music and i am currently on my life's 2nd BIG Manu kick. He has big worldwide appeal. He sings in many languages. FRENCH SPANISH and ENGLISH are what his songs are mostly in but he sings in other languages too.

His band Mano Negra had a big hit with ‘King Kong 5’, at least in Europe. Check it out, it’s also a one of a kind song.

I've been meaning to get around to checking this out, and man, it's soOO good! I love how The Big Push always honours the originals they cover, by so beautifully merging their own amazing sound with the origins of the piece.

Cannot wait for Ren's cover, or should I say the Big Push's cover.

Manu chao live at bayon arena. It is pure 🔥

Check out the Album "Clandestino". It's a classic, I can't count how many spliffs I smoked back in the days listening to it. 😂

I wrote this while I watched. Always 3 steps behind, I am! Looked him up. French/Spanish singer and holy smokes he sings in 9 different languages and "occasionally' in other languages? He's 61. Lives in Paris, France. The music scene in Europe is WAY more eclectic than what we listen to here. He's singing I don't love you any more > Je ne t'aime plus Now to Ren and Bongo Bong

I'm glad you checked out the original. I came across this song about a yr ago and have it on my playlist but had never checked out the video. When I watched Ren cover it I was stoked cause I'm huge fan of this vibe and sound.. This has encouraged me to check out bunch more of this artist's work. Glad you paid tribute to the creator first before reacting to Big Push..

Been a cool tune forever. Many re-mixes for dance clubs.

I saw a French band do a cover of this in a bar Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 1999. The world is wide & wonderful!

You have to do the BIG PUSH version of this NOW 🎉❤❤

We need more 🙏🏽😭

Manu Chao is a huge deal. From Wikipedia: Clandestino is the first full-length solo album by Manu Chao, released in 1998. The album was ranked number 469 in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020.

I found Manu Chao years ago because of LastFM. I enjoy my reggae music and the algorithm threw his music to me.

He’s huge in France and Belgium, classic 2000 hits

Yeah Ren and big push version of this is so clean and such a tribute

I love that you checked out this original to REN’s cover. I love this artist.

I have always loved this tune from a kid, didn't know it was so well known.

This is an old song, brings back some good memories from childhood

Manu Chao is a masterpiece. Not for everyone. He is low budget music (under). But he is unique....30 years playing music around the world "Mano Negra" and "Manu Chao" bands, ska, rock, pop, spanish flamenco and his own music style......in 3 languages, English, Spanish, French..... you need at least one week to listen the diversity of Manu Chao

Manuuuuuu CHAAOOOO in the house... I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE him

I imagine the French guitarist of the Big Push (Ren's former room mate), must have introduced this song to everyone. It plays on French radio from time to time.

French part is pretty sad/dark: “I don't love you anymore, my love (Je ne t'aime plus, mon amour) Sometimes I would like to die so much I wanted to believe (Parfois j'aimerais mourir tellement j'ai voulu croire) Sometimes I would like die to have nothing left (Parfois j'aimerais mourir pour ne plus rien avoir) Sometimes I would like to die to never see you again (Parfois j'aimerais mourir pour plus jamais te voir)“

love that you’re discovering manu chao. hope you react to me gustas tu

Great song. Now you gotta check the Deekline jungle remix. It's a banger

that chiptune sounding bit they have in the song is like iconic in their discography. all the good songs have that sound lol.

This song was released in 1998. Manu Chao is 61.

I think I was one of the ones who suggested this, I knew it would blow your mind especially Rens cover because it’s so different again and such a great cover.

brings back stoned teenage memories

A Spanish student gave me a copy of this when I was learning Spanish & French in 2004 & I've loved it ever since. Je ne t'aime plus, Mon amour, Je ne t'aime plus, tous les jours. I don't love you any more, my love, I don't love you any more, every day 😢

Taken from google... The song is about a monkey who wants to be the king of the bongo bong, and he is happy that no one else is in his place. - He tells how his mother was the mambo queen and his father was the king of the Congo, and how he started banging on a bongo in the depths of the jungle.

I've been waiting for you to react to Ren and the big push doing bongo bong... it's really good

Welcome to Tijuana next, Mr. Bobby, of course, Clandestino and the list goes on and on🙏🏽😭👍🏽

I studied in France for two trimesters (nine month) in the late nineties. This is part of the soundtrack😊

So glad you have discovered the original. So good.

Now do the big push version !!!!!

I just discovered this song a few months ago, and it immediately hit my favorites playlist.

I love Manu Chao!!! Check out Aterciopelados too - El Album is the song that is 🔥 and made me a fan of them around the same time I discovered Manu Chau.

This was huge hit 15-20 years ago or something. I'm surprised people in their 40s never caught it on MTV or radio....

This is brilliant. Thank you for reacting to it I would have never seen it. I love it 😊

The Big Push is the version to check out!

Manu is a superstar !

Manu Chao is a genre of its own. He's really something else. And a huuuge name all around the Europe. This song is just a fraction of what Manu really is. (And also see Mano Negra - Mala Vida.)

this song is from 1998, its just uploaded on yt 3 years ago

Used to be lead singer with Mano Negra, French… think recorded while travelling round South America….

WOW! First time I've heard the original. _Ren_ and his team blew up on this one! 🤘

Just watch the Radio Bemba live in Paris 2001. It's just amazing.

I’heard that name during the 90’ties but not the music, so I didn’t know this song until I heard it with Ren. I love it but i feel more love and energy when performed by The Big Push. Hugs from Lene61/Denmark

Manu chao is HUGE in europe, latin america and africa

The Big Push did a great cover of this.

He mentions in the lyrics his father is a King from Congo, which is an African country colonized by France so their main language is French, along with indigenous languages.

Love it! I still possess a bootleg CD of Clandestino. Not a bad tune on it. Summertime music 😊❤

Great reaction, i can strongly recomend manu chaos tribute to bob marley "mr. Marley" (live) as a great song. Then again i would recommend allmost all of his songs. Great feelgood energy in most of them

Yeah dude. Mano Chao. Been bumping them since early 2000s. Those sound effects though. I was hoping you would remember them. Back in the day there was a sound effect key chain device. It looked like a car lock clicker. I’ve seen multiple people put it up to the mic in concerts. Kinda to enhance the vibe and hype the crowd but be silly and fun at the same time. I think I remember beastie boys and biz markee using it. Cypress hill maybe too? Anyone else remember that sound effect key chain toy? It might have been a toysRus thing even!

like you enjoy this ; we have lot of good songs in France ! Manu chao was in a french group MANO NEGRA ; you can listen to "king kong five" "out of time man" and " mala vida" . THANK YOU ;

He was origal singer of Mano Negra. There s a whole new Universe for you to Discover. Next could be Clandestino from Manu Chao. He is singing in English Spanish French and Portugesh. You will have fun and i would like to see some Reactions mano Chao and Mano Negra the song Mano Negra both very good songs. Have Fun