Kompa
Haiti's smooth, mid-tempo partner groove.
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Overview
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Etymology and naming
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Origins
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Musical anatomy
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Technique
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Variants
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Pioneers
Coupé Cloué: The King of Konpa Manba
The footballer turned guitarist who gave Haitian konpa a guitar-driven voice
3 min read
Dadou Pasquet
Haitian singer-songwriter and guitarist, innovator of Haitian soul music
2 min read
Nemours Jean‑Baptiste
Pioneer of Haitian Konpa
4 min read
Skah Shah: Konpa of the Diaspora
The New York band that became a reference point for Haitian dance music
4 min read
Sweet Micky: The New Generation of Konpa
Michel Martelly's synth-driven konpa made him a superstar — and later Haiti's president
1 min read
Tabou Combo
The self-styled ambassadors of konpa and Haiti's most widely traveled compas orchestra
4 min read
Webert Sicot
Haitian saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and pioneer of cadence rampa
2 min read
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Cultural context
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Recordings
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Performers
Carimi
A New York–based Haitian compas band, 2001–2016
3 min read
Djakout Mizik
A Haitian compas band associated with the nouvelle génération
3 min read
T Vice
A kompa performer situated between Haiti's carnival music culture and the Haitian community of Miami
2 min read
Zenglen
A konpa ensemble within Haiti's diasporic popular-music tradition
3 min read
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Influence
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Common misconceptions
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Glossary
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