Johnny Lafleur

Comedian, artist and singer Jean Niambrui was born in Bété country, in the west of Côte d'Ivoire, at an unknown date. The artist has several nicknames, including Gnowouli and Johnny Dédi Lafleur. Lafleur's name comes from the shirts he wore. He was a pupil of Ernesto Djédjé, founder of a style inspired by traditional music, Ziglibithy. Lafleur evolved during the yéyé era, bringing a touch of Afro-Disco to Ziglibithy. He was known for his fiery stage performances, where dance and joie de vivre were the order of the day. Along with Blissi Tébil, he is the last man standing to keep Ziglibithy alive. In 1997, the two competitors faced off in a televised show at Hôtel Ivoire to see who could best represent the style. They hoped to perpetuate this movement, which would not survive the arrival of zouglou. A live performer, as evidenced by the rare videos on the platforms, Dédy Johnny didn't release many albums, just a 4-track vinyl in 1982, Le Prince du Zagrobi . In 1998, the album Avertissement was released, and the single, Éléphant gagnera, was released in 2012. Johnny Lafleur died on October 25, 2014 after a long illness. A mark of his notoriety, it took a stadium to bring his fans together for the final farewell.

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