Lou Bega: Difference between revisions
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Bega's mother is from [[Sicily]] ([[Italy]]) and his father is [[Uganda]]n. His father went to Germany in 1972 to study [[biology]] at the [[Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich]]. <ref name="Lou Bega's official website">[http://www.loubega.com/en/content.html Lou Bega's official website]</ref> Until age six, Bega spent the most time with his mother in Italy. Then they lived permanently in [[Munich]], where Bega attended German [[primary school]]. At age 15 he lived in [[Miami, Florida|Miami]] for one-and-a-half years. Bega also lived in Uganda for half a year. <ref>[http://www.planet-interview.de/interviews/pi.php?interview=lou-bega Interview with Lou Bega (in German)]</ref> Currently he lives in [[Berlin]]. <ref>[http://www.mallorcazeitung.es/secciones/noticia.jsp?pRef=158_5_10615__GESELLSCHAFT-Sunnyboy-Bega-seine-neue-Single-schon-viel-Zeitvergangen Another interview with Lou Bega (in German)]</ref> |
Bega's mother is from [[Sicily]] ([[Italy]]) and his father is [[Uganda]]n. His father went to Germany in 1972 to study [[biology]] at the [[Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich]]. <ref name="Lou Bega's official website">[http://www.loubega.com/en/content.html Lou Bega's official website]</ref> Until age six, Bega spent the most time with his mother in Italy. Then they lived permanently in [[Munich]], where Bega attended German [[primary school]]. At age 15 he lived in [[Miami, Florida|Miami]] for one-and-a-half years. Bega also lived in Uganda for half a year. <ref>[http://www.planet-interview.de/interviews/pi.php?interview=lou-bega Interview with Lou Bega (in German)]</ref> Currently he lives in [[Berlin]]. <ref>[http://www.mallorcazeitung.es/secciones/noticia.jsp?pRef=158_5_10615__GESELLSCHAFT-Sunnyboy-Bega-seine-neue-Single-schon-viel-Zeitvergangen Another interview with Lou Bega (in German)]</ref> |
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Bega started his musical career as a [[rapping|rapper]]. At age of 13 he founded a [[Hip hop]] group with two other boys. It would be two years before Bega and his friends' first CD would be released in 1990.<ref name="Lou Bega's official website"/> When Bega lived in Miami he discovered [[Latin American music]]. Back in Germany, the German producers Goar Biesenkamp (better known as [[Goar B]]) and Achim Kleist ([[Syndicate Musicproduction]]) recognized Bega's talent. Bega signed a recording contract to the [[record label|label]] ''[[Lautstark]]''. <ref>[http://www.lautstark.de/frameset.html Artists under contract to ''Lautstark'']</ref> |
Bega started his musical career as a [[rapping|rapper]]. At age of 13 he founded a [[Hip hop]] group with two other boys. It would be two years before Bega and his friends' first CD would be released in 1990.<ref name="Lou Bega's official website"/> When Bega lived in Miami he discovered [[Latin American music]]. Back in Germany, the German producers Goar Biesenkamp (better known as [[Goar B]]) and Achim Kleist ([[Syndicate Musicproduction]]) recognized Bega's talent. Bega signed a recording contract to the [[record label|label]] ''[[Lautstark]]''. <ref>[http://www.lautstark.de/frameset.html Artists under contract to ''Lautstark'']</ref>. In 1999 on a boat trip, an angry fan boarded the ship and shot Lou Bega. |
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His first single "Mambo No. 5" became an instant worldwide hit charting at #1 in most [[Europe]]an countries including Germany<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php|title=Suchergebnis (Search) |Charts-surfer.de}}</ref>, UK<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/|title=Uk Top 40 Hit Datebase |publisher=EveryHit.com}}</ref> and France <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lou+Bega&titel=Mambo+No%2E+5+%28A+Little+Bit+Of%2E%2E%2E%29&cat=s|title=LOU BEGA - Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of...)|publisher=Swiss Charts}}</ref> and at #3 in the [[United States]]. In [[France]] "Mambo No. 5" spent twenty weeks at #1,<ref>[http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lou+Bega&titel=Mambo+No%2E+5+%28A+Little+Bit+Of%2E%2E%2E%29&cat=s French single chart]</ref> which is an unbroken record to date. It was also used by the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[television]] broadcaster, [[Channel 4]] for their coverage of [[Test cricket|Test Match]] [[cricket]] between 1999 and 2005. |
His first single "Mambo No. 5" became an instant worldwide hit charting at #1 in most [[Europe]]an countries including Germany<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php|title=Suchergebnis (Search) |Charts-surfer.de}}</ref>, UK<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/|title=Uk Top 40 Hit Datebase |publisher=EveryHit.com}}</ref> and France <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lou+Bega&titel=Mambo+No%2E+5+%28A+Little+Bit+Of%2E%2E%2E%29&cat=s|title=LOU BEGA - Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of...)|publisher=Swiss Charts}}</ref> and at #3 in the [[United States]]. In [[France]] "Mambo No. 5" spent twenty weeks at #1,<ref>[http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lou+Bega&titel=Mambo+No%2E+5+%28A+Little+Bit+Of%2E%2E%2E%29&cat=s French single chart]</ref> which is an unbroken record to date. It was also used by the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[television]] broadcaster, [[Channel 4]] for their coverage of [[Test cricket|Test Match]] [[cricket]] between 1999 and 2005. |
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Revision as of 19:43, 17 October 2009
Lou Bega |
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David Lubega (a.k.a. Lou Bega) (born April 13 1975), is a German musician of Italian and Ugandan descent, and is famous for his song "Mambo No. 5". This song is a remake of the Perez Prado instrumental from 1949. Bega added his own words to the song and sampled the original version extensively.
Career
Bega's mother is from Sicily (Italy) and his father is Ugandan. His father went to Germany in 1972 to study biology at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. [2] Until age six, Bega spent the most time with his mother in Italy. Then they lived permanently in Munich, where Bega attended German primary school. At age 15 he lived in Miami for one-and-a-half years. Bega also lived in Uganda for half a year. [3] Currently he lives in Berlin. [4]
Bega started his musical career as a rapper. At age of 13 he founded a Hip hop group with two other boys. It would be two years before Bega and his friends' first CD would be released in 1990.[2] When Bega lived in Miami he discovered Latin American music. Back in Germany, the German producers Goar Biesenkamp (better known as Goar B) and Achim Kleist (Syndicate Musicproduction) recognized Bega's talent. Bega signed a recording contract to the label Lautstark. [5]. In 1999 on a boat trip, an angry fan boarded the ship and shot Lou Bega.
His first single "Mambo No. 5" became an instant worldwide hit charting at #1 in most European countries including Germany[6], UK[7] and France [8] and at #3 in the United States. In France "Mambo No. 5" spent twenty weeks at #1,[9] which is an unbroken record to date. It was also used by the British television broadcaster, Channel 4 for their coverage of Test Match cricket between 1999 and 2005. [10]
On July 19, 1999 he released the album A Little Bit of Mambo. It peaked at #3 in the USA. In Germany, Bega's native country, it also peaked at #3. In the UK the album peaked only at #50. A Little Bit of Mambo peaked at #1 in the album charts of Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, the Middle East, Portugal, and Switzerland. [11] The second single, "I Got a Girl", charted well entering the Top 10 in some European countries including France, Finland and Belgium[12].
Bega's second studio album Ladies and Gentlemen was released on May 28, 2001. Neither, the album nor the singles attained the great commercial success of A Little Bit of Mambo. "Baby Keep Smiling" is on this album, a duet with Compay Segundo from Buena Vista Social Club.[13] A Little Bit of Mambo includes a version without him. Bega covered also the famous song "Just a Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody" on Ladies and Gentlemen.
In the computer game Tropico, Lou Bega is one of the characters someone can choose as their dictatorial persona. He was included as part of a licensing deal that also saw Bega's song "Club Elitaire" integrated into the German release of Tropico. [14] Also, in the Ubi Soft/Disney Interactive video game Walt Disney's The Jungle Book Rhythm n' Groove, Lou Bega participates in a challenge with his namesake. The player dances as King Louie, attempting to dance to Lou Bega's rendition of "I Wanna Be Like You". Doing so will unlock a video of him with children dancing to the aforementioned song. [15] Bega also wrote the theme song for the French cartoon series Marsupilami. [2]
Lou Bega works as a co-lyricist for the German Euro-Trance band Groove Coverage.[16]
His third studio album, Lounatic, was released on May 10, 2005. The first single released was "Bachata" followed by "You Wanna Be Americano" and "Conchita".
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | DE | AT | CH | FR | NL | FI | SE | NO | AU | NZ | ||
| 1999 | A Little Bit of Mambo | 3 | 50 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 19 | 28 |
| 2001 | Ladies and Gentlemen | — | — | 54 | 31 | 23 | 109 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | Lounatic | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | DE | AT | CH | FR | NL | FI | SE | NO | AU | NZ | |||
| 1999 | "Mambo No. 5" | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | A Little Bit of Mambo |
| "I Got a Girl" | — | 55 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 5 | 31 | 2 | 12 | — | 31 | 48 | ||
| "Tricky, Tricky" | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 55 | — | — | — | ||
| 2000 | "Mambo Mambo" | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | "Gentleman" | — | — | 35 | 16 | 62 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ladies and Gentlemen |
| "Just a Gigolo" | — | — | 94 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006 | "Bachata" | — | — | 100 | — | — | 69 | 88 | — | — | — | — | — | Lounatic |
| "You Wanna Be Americano" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | "Conchita" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Compilations
- 2002: King of Mambo
- 2004: Mambo Mambo - The Best of Lou Bega
Awards
- 1999: "Best International Song", Festivalbar (for "Mambo No. 5")
- 2000: "International Song of the Year", NRJ Music Awards (for "Mambo No. 5")
- 2000: "Single of the Year (National)", ECHO (for "Mambo No. 5")
- 2000: "Best National Artist in Foreign Countries", ECHO
In 1999 Lou Bega was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" (for "Mambo No. 5").
References
- ^ Lou Bega at Sony BMG Germany
- ^ a b c Lou Bega's official website
- ^ Interview with Lou Bega (in German)
- ^ Another interview with Lou Bega (in German)
- ^ Artists under contract to Lautstark
- ^ "Suchergebnis (Search)".
{{cite web}}: Text "Charts-surfer.de" ignored (help) - ^ "Uk Top 40 Hit Datebase". EveryHit.com.
- ^ "LOU BEGA - Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of...)". Swiss Charts.
- ^ French single chart
- ^ BBC News: "Mambo hit knocks fans for six"
- ^ Chart positions of A Little Bit of Mambo and Mambo No. 5
- ^ "LOU BEGA - I Got a Girl". Swiss Charts.
- ^ Album credits of Ladies and Gentlemen on artistdirect.com
- ^ Official website of the PC game "Tropico" (in German)
- ^ videogames.yahoo.com
- ^ Songs Bega has written